JUNE 26, 2012
Trio Garufa Releases Debut Album
El Rumor De Tus Tangos Out Today
by Tom PryorBay area tango ensemble Trio Garufa release their debut album, El Rumor De Tus Tangos on their own Garufa Records label today. The trio has toured extensively in both the U.S. and Argentina and now they bring the sound of classic Argentine tango to life on their debut. But don't just take our word for it - see what their label's press release says below:
Ranking among the foremost interpreters of Argentine Tango in this generation, Trio Garufa is an international ensemble dedicated to performing authentic Argentine music, mixing a deep respect for the golden era of Tango with their passion for dancing and performing. The trio performs classic Argentine Tangos from the golden era (1930s-50s), modern Tangos from Astor Piazzolla, Argentinian folkloric music, original compositions, and Electro-Tango. They are the only US-based Tango ensemble to have performed extensively in the milongas (Tango dance clubs) of Buenos Aires, and have performed across Argentina, Canada and the US.
Trio Garufa was formed in 2001 in response to a request by a San Francisco producer that wanted to have live music at one of their milongas, the traditional parties where Argentine Tango is danced socially. They performed at this milonga every month for the first year, and quickly gained a reputation for having a fun, upbeat, dynamic style, highly appreciated by Tango dancers. This quickly brought in offers to play at Tango festivals in Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Houston, Victoria, and of course, San Francisco.
The trio has performed extensively in the USA, including a performance in front of 2,000 people at the Chicago Symphony Hall as well as a concert at the legendary Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland. Trio Garufa also toured Argentina, the motherland of Tango, in 2007 and 2008. The Argentinian press said: "... the audience gave them two standing ovations during the encores, wrapping up 126 minutes on stage. They played for the people, without the pretense of some modern musicians who make Tangos only they can understand. Trio Garufa was modern while playing old Tangos, those Tangos familiar to all our ears" (La Nueva Provincia, April 19, 2008).
Adrian Jost (Bandoneon) recalls, "On our first visit to Buenos Aires, we played Villa Malcolm, a social club that became central to the Tango scene in 1934 and where the best orchestras and singers used to perform. As we start playing the first Tango, the DJ jumps up and runs to his laptop thinking that he left the recording of the Orchestra D'Arienzo playing. To his surprise, he couldn't turn it off; it was us, just three musicians, playing the Tango Paciencia by D'Arienzo live. That felt like a good start! When we play a milonga, as soon as the set is over, in the 30 minute break between sets, we jump on the dance floor and dance as many tandas we can fit in. Not a great way to sell CDs, but always worth it for the soul. It's said Tango musicians can't dance, but we fare pretty well, having been caught in the addiction of dancing Tango five nights a week."
Trio Garufa
Guillermo Garcia, Guitar (Argentina)
Guillermo Garcia is a Tango dancer and musician native to Bahía Blanca, Argentina. He was trained in the Salón, Milonguero, and Nuevo styles of Argentine Tango dance by some of the best-known maestros of Buenos Aires. In the USA he has taught numerous music workshops for dancers since 2000, and a weekly Tango Salón class since 2007. As a Tango guitarist, he co-founded bands Flor de Tango in 1996, and Trio Garufa in 2001, recording the albums Flor de Tango" (2000), Tango en el Mate (2004), and La Segunda Tradición (2008). He currently teaches Tango guitar in San Francisco.
Adrian Jost, Bandoneon (Switzerland)
Adrian Jost studied music in the French Riviera and in his native country, Switzerland. At age 11 he won the gold medal of the Association of Accordionists which allowed him to study the Bayan with composer Fritz Tschannen, Switzerland's teacher of teachers, and later with Stephane Chapuis. He holds a Bachelor of Science, the 1996 Landis & Gyr Award, and a Masters in Science and Music Technology from Northwestern University. The high-tech industry brought Adrian to the Silicon Valley, where he co-founded Trio Garufa. He is frequently in Buenos Aires to dance Tango, play music, and repair his bandoneón! His discography includes Tango en el Mate; La Segunda Tradicion by Trio Garufa, and the recently released album Revirado from Tango Pacifico, a five piece Tango group based in Portland which specializes in the music of Astor Piazzolla.
Sascha Jacobsen, Bass (California)
Sascha Jacobsen was born into a musical family, going as far back as his great, great, great, great-grandfather, who was a bassist for the Moscow Opera. He completed a Master's degree at the University of Southern California, then went on to teach at Humboldt State University. He has served on the faculty at Laney College and the Sequoia Chamber Music Festival. Sascha performed as principal bass with the Santa Cruz Symphony and the American Musical Theatre in San Jose, and as a section member of the Monterey Symphony and the Sarasota Opera. Sascha has performed on the world premier production of Martin Short's "Fame Becomes Me," "Hugh Jackman In Performance," and Rita Moreno's "Life Without Makeup." He has also recorded on the new cast album of A Chorus Line and has toured the world with Trio Garufa. He is a founding member of Classical Revolution and the Musical Art Quintet, which performs his original works.