guapo
tango
The Argentinian tango - like jazz - began life in pubs and brothels. Originally associated with pimps and prostitutes, its late nineteenth-century childhood was in the barrios (slums) of Buenos Aires, championed by Spanish and Italian immigrants. As with American jazz, the tango had to leave home and cause a sensation in Europe before being recognised as its homeland’s most important musical tradition.
astor piazzolla
Born in Argentina in 1921, but growing up in New York, Piazzolla learnt to play the bandoneòn (a German button-accordion) and had played with the most famous tango singer of his day, Carlos Gardel, before reaching his teens.
Returning to Argentina in 1937, Piazzolla studied with Alberto Ginastera before winning a government scholarship to study classical composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Boulanger astutely recognised where Piazzolla’s musical personality lay and urged him not to abandon his tradition. The resulting combination of tango, classical and jazz styles began Astor’s revolution. Tango nuevo (new tango) was born and this most elegant and passionate music is still played in the bars of Buenos Aires, as well as on concert hall stages around the world.
Piazzolla’s music caused outrage amongst many in Argentina - to the point of being interrupted during a radio interview by a pistol put to his head. Irate singers and death threats failed to stifle his creative output however, and Piazzolla produced a huge amount of wonderful music before his death in 1992.
guapo
Guapo was born primarily out of a desire to play the tangos of Astor Piazzolla, and just as tango nuevo combined popular, classical and jazz music, Guapo explores the synthesis of experience that makes up contemporary life and music. Ignoring convenient distinctions between musical styles, a Guapo performance may include tangos, vibraphone solos, jazz duos/trios, classical chamber music, original works by Perth’s finest jazz and classical composers, or spritely Hungarian minimalism!
Guapo includes five of the finest musicians in Perth, chosen deliberately for their specific skills. They are:
Violin - Zak Rowntree
Piano - Tom O'Halloran
Bass - Pete Jeavons
Clarinet - Catherine Cahill
Vibes/Percussion - Paul Tanner
Pete and Tom are jazz musicians performing at the top of their field; Pete was named the Perth Jazz Society’s Most Outstanding Jazz Artist in 2000 and Tom was a finalist in the Freedman Foundation Jazz Fellowship, performing at the Sydney Opera House in 2003. They have both played internationally and are first-call rhythm section players for visiting international soloists at the Perth Jazz Society.
Despite being so busy in the jazz world, they have seized the opportunity to embrace other styles of music and have composed two wonderful new works for Guapo. They are committed teachers at all levels including tertiary and have Degrees in Jazz Performance from the WA Academy of Performing Arts (Edith Cowan University).
Whilst a jazz pianist and bassist are ideal for this combination, enabling Guapo to add an essential spontaneity to Piazzolla's tangos and other contemporary jazz and world music styles, the violin and clarinet players needed to be fluent readers with the ability to play lyrically, and be used to spending time rehearsing intonation, phrasing, tone and rubato.
Zak and Cath have both studied and performed professionally in the UK; Zak won a scholarship to Chethams, while Cath moved to New York on a scholarship to Mannes. Zak now works full-time with the WASO, while Cath teaches at the UWA and Edith Cowan University and works casually with the WASO and Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Both are members of the Elandra Ensemble (Perth's professional chamber orchestra).
Paul graduated from UWA with First-Class Honours before winning an Australian Postgraduate Research Award. Undertaking a Masters Degree programme, he spent time in the United States studying contemporary percussion and extended his percussive studies in Cuba and Brasil. He has performed and studied in Australia, the USA, England, Singapore, Latin America and West Africa, playing with leading musicians in an eclectic range of musical styles, including orchestral percussion with the Western Australian Symphony, Latin percussion in salsa bands and studio recordings, solo marimba recitals, and contemporary percussion with Nova and Magnetic Pig. He is one half of OgdenTanner - a guitar and percussion duo with UK-based guitarist (and Grammy nominee) Craig Ogden, and their duo is heard frequently live and on national radio.
Guapo’s premiere performance was a live national broadcast for ABC-FM on October 19, 2003. This "Sunday Live" recording was followed by a concert performance on October 26 to a highly appreciative audience.
