Astor Piazzolla: A Memoir written by Natalio Gorin Translated, annotated, and expanded by Fernando Gonzalez ( Amadeus Press ISBN 1-57467-066-2) Publication date: October 2001 The colorful "King of the tango", Astor Piazzolla, was a extraordinary, iconoclastic tango musician and composer, and over time he has become a national hero in Argentina and a cult figure for classical and jazz lovers worldwide. This acclaim, however had it's price --a life filled with controversy and struggle. As a composer, arranger, and bandoneonist, Piazzolla's specialty was the music of Buenos Aires; the tango. Piazzolla, to the amazement of his peers, composed tangos that were not for dancing. His complex tangos contained a melodic and rhythmic complexity that drew adoring crowds of classical music lovers as well as fans of contemporary popular music. This gift translated itself into many songs and compositions that have become modern classics of the Tango repertoire. Piazzolla, who died in 1992, was born in Argentina in 1921, spent his early years on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and returned to Argentina at age 16. You cannot bypass the contribution Astor Piazzolla has made to the world of contemporary music and to Tango music in particular. Piazzolla incorporated musical influences as diverse as jazz, contemporary classicism, and Italian opera, into a hybrid he dubbed Nuevo tango (New tango). During his long illustrious career, Piazzolla recorded almost fifty albums, and performed for packed auditoriums and concert halls around the world. This book is based on many interviews between Piazzola and longtime journalist admirer, Natalio Gorin. These interviews took place in the spring of 1990. After the first edition of the book was completed, the memoirs soon took their place as a source of inspiration for fans of Piazzolla. The book reveals in wonderful imaginative detail, the life and loves of the famed composer and bandleader. American popular music critic and translator Fernando Gonzalez, an Argentine native, who covered Piazzolla's career in the United States, has generously annotated the Amadeus edition for the ever- widening audience of Astor Piazzolla. The Dean at Berklee college of Music, in Boston, MA, and world-renowned jazz artist, Gary Burton, tells about his recollections of Astor Piazzolla in the volume for the first time. There are also conversations with famed cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, as well as Gidon Kremer, and other renowned musicians who still perform Piazzolla's works on their classical programs, as Piazzolla's fan base continues to grow. The authors meticulously cover Piazzolla's years working in New York and Europe, especially the times spent in Paris and Rome. The book also goes into a great deal of detail about Piazzolla's growth as a composer and bandoneonist, his two marriages, his wonderful relationship with his children, and his recording sessions with such artists as saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and vibraphonist Gary Burton. The authors constructed their book from 220 interviews with Piazzola's family, friends, and fellow musicians. With great affection and sensitivity, the authors define Piazzolla's place and relevance in the world of twentieth-century music. Natalio Gorin has been a journalist for more than 30 years, working at several prominent publications in Argentina, including the daily Clarín, the largest newspaper in the country. His passion for tango and especially for Astor Piazzolla’s music led him into extensive investigations of the composer’s life and work. They met in 1971 and became personal friends until Piazzolla’s death in 1992. Gorin resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina . Translator and annotator Fernando Gonzalez is a regular contributor to The Washington Post and a columnist for Down Beat magazine. He was arts and culture writer and pop music critic for The Miami Herald and jazz and world music critic for The Boston Globe, and for many years reported on Astor Piazzolla’s career. Review by Ben Kettlewell information: website: http://www.amadeuspress.com

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