LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Surco Records) - Decca and Surco Records are proud to announce the July 15, 2008 release of 'Mar Dulce' (Sweet Sea) from Bajofondo, the Argentine-Uruguayan collective led by the two-time Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning composer of Brokeback Mountain and Babel, Gustavo Santaolalla. Bajofondo's previous self-titled release sold over 300,00 copies and was awarded the Latin Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental in 2003.
Bajofondo will make a number of rare U.S. appearances, including a June 11 date at Los Angeles' El Rey Theater. A string of summer festival and theater dates will follow in August with confirmed shows on August 3 in San Francisco at the Urban Grove Festival, August 15 at New York's Central Park Summerstage, and on August 27 at Millennium Park in Chicago.
As on their earlier recordings, 'Mar Dulce' sees Bajofondo's seven virtuosic musicians lead listeners through a sensual soundscape of tango, trip-hop, drum & bass and pop elements that redefine the essence of tango for the 21st century. This newest installment in the Bajofondo oeuvre features guest performances by Elvis Costello, Nelly Furtado, Julieta Venegas, Gustavo Cerati, Ryota Komatsu, La Mala Rodriguez, Santullo, Juan Subira and the final recorded performance by legendary Uruguayan tango diva Lagrima Rios.
'With Bajofondo,' says Santaolalla, 'we don't like the label 'electronic tango' because we try to make a contemporary music of Rio de la Plata (the river that forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay) music from Argentina, from Uruguay. Obviously, if you want to do music that comes from there or represents that part of the world tango is going to be part of it - but, in our case, so is rock 'n' roll, electronica and hip hop. Hopefully a new language, not pure tango.'
The irrepressible energy of 'Mar Dulce' also translates live. The Financial Times describes a Bajofondo performance at London's Barbican Center like this: 'DJ Juan Campodonico triggered drum loops and samples that cross-fertilised with the more traditional tango ensemble of violin, bandoneon...and double bass, all of which were brilliantly played by masters of their instruments. The crowd went wild for it, invading the stage at the end and cheering for more with a standing ovation...'
Bajofondo is comprised of Gustavo Santaolalla on guitar, percussion, and vocals; Juan Campodonico on programming, beats, samples and guitar; Luciano Supervielle on piano, keyboards and scratch; Javier Casalla on violin; Martin Ferres on bandoneon; Gabriel Casacuberta on upright bass and electric bass; Adrian Sosa on drums; and Veronica Loza as VJ and on vocals.
Gustavo Santaolalla has received nine Latin Grammys and three Grammy awards. He has produced albums for Juanes, Julieta Venegas, Molotov, Cafe Tacuba, and the Kronos Quartet. The Argentine musician is nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Babel. He was named Producer of the Year at the 2005 Latin Grammys and won the Grammy for Best Score From a Film in 2007 for Brokeback Mountain. In addition to his two Oscar-winning scores, Santaolalla has composed the soundtracks to the films Amores Perros, 21 Grams, North Country and The Motorcycle Diaries. The music from his Ronroco album has been featured in Michael Mann's film The Insider.
Upcoming US Tour:
Jun 11 - Los Angeles, El Rey Theater
Aug 03 - San Francisco, Urban Grove Festival
Aug 15 - New York, Central Park Summerstage
Aug 27 - Chicago, Millennium Park
