FIESTA ARGENTINA 2007 - August 18 at 8pm at the Ford Amphitheatre - p1

Contact: Rochelle Fabb, Loud Mouth Productions

310-699-8839 (cell),

loudmouthpr@yahoo.com or Joyce Bordarampe – peruinca@earthlink.net,

323-828-2174 (CONTACT #’s NOT FOR PUBLICATION)

July 1, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DANCE/MUSIC/FESTIVAL LISTINGS

NOTE TO EDITORS: 300 dpi photos available at: www.delmate.net/fiestaargentinaphotos/

TANGHETTO MP3 & VIDEO: www.tanghetto.com/english/index.htm

Del Mate Productions presents

F I E S T A A R G E N T I N A 2007:

Tangos de ayer y de hoy

Traditional + Cutting-Edge Electro-Tango plus free tango lessons, and more!

August 18 at 8:00 pm at the FORD AMPHITHEATRE

“Sensual tangos are a feast for the senses. The Otero Dance Co. dazzles the eyes as ace

musicians play…sex oozed from the stage”- L.A. TIMES

Los Angeles – Back by popular demand after their capacity crowd event at the Ford Amphitheatre last year, Del Mate Productions presents the third annual FIESTA ARGENTINA 2007: Tangos de ayer y de hoy (Tangos of yesterday and today) at the Ford on Saturday, August 18 at 8:00 pm.

Fiesta Argentina is an equal parts music and dance concert that offers traditional tango forms with

daring, new contemporary and cutting-edge forms of the genre. The electrifying line-up features the L.A. debut of Argentina’s Grammy-nominated Tanghetto of Buenos Aires

(http://www.tanghetto.com/english/index.htm) in a world premiere collaboration with

Southern California-based Otero Dance Company. Tanghetto will perform the new style of

electronica tango, blending traditional and modern explorations of the tango music genre with video projections in a contemporary tango/rock presentation.

Traditionalists will enjoy the romantic stylings of Pablo Motta and his “Los Angeles Tango

Quartet.” Guitarist Jose “Pepe” Rocha from Uruguay will join Argentine singer Guillermo Galvé to present classic tango songs accompanied by classical guitar. The instrumentation will blend traditional tango instruments, such as bandoneón, piano, upright bass and violin, with contemporary keyboards, electric guitar, computer-generated loops, the violoncello and erhu, a Chinese bowed string instrument.

Fiesta Argentina offers audiences a full sensory immersion in Argentine culture. From the smoldering passion of tango – erotic and haunting, involving both body and soul – to the smoky saloons of Buenos Aires with the plaintive yearnings of tango torch songs, lovers are caught in fervent embraces and devastating dances with lightning fast kicks and serpentine twists. Tango continues to evolve in Argentina as well as other parts of the world, such as the “Gotan Project” in France and the “Bajofondo Tango Club” in the Rio de la Plata, Uruguay.

FREE TANGO INSTRUCTION:

Fiesta Argentina also will feature tango instructor Vladimir Estrin of Tango Afficionado, who will offer free pre-show tango lessons on the Ford’s plaza at 6:00 p.m. Vendors will be available, selling tango dance wear, shoes, video dance instruction and authentic Argentine leather goods, maté gourds, and traditional arts and crafts from the Cactus Gallery.

FIESTA ARGENTINA 2007 - August 18 at 8pm at the Ford Amphitheatre - p2

TANGO THROUGH HISTORY:

Tango evolved in the late 1800s and early 1900s to become the flagship music of Argentina and more specifically of Buenos Aires. It evolved from guitar ensembles to orchestras and for many years it remained without major changes. In the 1960s and ’70s Astor Piazzolla revolutionized the style mixing it with contemporary classical music and jazz elements. That became the new direction of exploration for several decades until groups such as “Bajofondo Tango Club,” “Gotan Project” and “Tanghetto” opened new doors using electronica and rock music fused with tango to create a completely new style more reflective of present day society and reality.

BIOGRAPHIES OF THE ARTISTS:

Tanghetto is an Argentine band led by Max Masri (synths and programming) and Diego S. Velázquez (guitars). Formed in 2001, they created and coined the term “electrotango.” The name "Tanghetto" (a combination of the words "tango" and "ghetto") was inspired by the "little Argentinas," the communities of exiled Argentines living overseas. In the mid-’90s, Masri (while in his teens was one of the last disciples of legendary tango maestro Virgilio Expósito) went back to Buenos Aires from Germany after sharing experiences with Argentine emigrants and brought the idea to create a new musical language blending tango and modern sounds. In late 1998, he started working with Diego S. Velázquez and they began recording and producing their first electrotango tracks. In 2001 this idea was revived, with a modern sound, their own compositions and, finally, a name for the project: Tanghetto. The current line-up includes Federico Vázquez (bandoneón), Antonio Boyadjian (piano), Chao Xu (violoncello and Chinese bowed string instrument, erhu) and Daniel Corrado (acoustic and  electronic drums).

Guillermo Galvé (vocalist) was born in La Boca, Argentina in 1946 and began his professional career in 1975 when Jose Colángelo took him to “Malena al Sur.” Galvé appeared with Colángelo in the program “La Música Popular” on Radio Ciudad de Buenos Aires and in concerts at the Casacuberta Hall in Teatro San Martín. In 1977, he participated in the “Este flaco, flaco Buenos Aires” show at Teatro Odeón and appeared regularly at “El Viejo Almacén” with the musicians of Carlos Figari and then the septet of legendary conductor Horacio Salgán. Clarín newspaper declared him the tango revelation of 1977. In 1980, he recorded his first LP called “Vamos Todavía” and then “Que me queres vender” under the direction of Osvaldo Tarantino and Juanca Tavera, who would become his main composers and longtime friends. He performs at the best stages in Buenos Aires such as Caño 14, Michelangelo, Casa Rosada, Cafe de los Angelitos, Casa Blanca and Castelo Vecchio. His international career started in 1982 performing for the first time in France at the Parisian hall, Trottoirs de Buenos Aires. In 1983, he performed in Los Angeles and has since performed throughout California, Florida and New York. In 1985, he toured in Mexico with a company conducted by José Colángelo. In 1992, he opened at the “Memorial de América Latina” in de Sao Paulo, Brazil and at the “Festival de Tango de Montevideo Joventango” in "Les Allumées," in Tango Maximo in Nantes Rennes, Saint Malo, France. In 1994, he performed at the Teatro del Complejo Cultural del Cecut in Tijuana, Mexico. In 1997, he performed at the Los Angeles Festival. In 1999, he joined “Tango Pasión” and toured the Lyric Theatre in London and to Holland, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Austria joining the Millennium celebrations at the Theatre des Champs Elyseés with the show “Tango Pasión, de Buenos Aires a Paris.” In 2000, he performed in Barcelona, Madrid, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt and other cities in China and the U.S. He participated in the fourth edition of the “Festival Buenos Aires Tango,” in Zárate and the closing ceremonies of the “Festival de Cine, in Mar del Plata,” invited by the late Maestro José Libertella, director of Sexteto Mayor. Galvé received the following awards: AMA (1979), Prensario (1983), Orden del Porteño (1993), El Satiricon (1996), Ciudadano Ilustre de la República de San Telmo (1994) y "Ciudadano Ilustre," given by the Mayor of the city of Mar del Plata (2004).

Pablo Motta (pianist) Born in Pergamino and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pablo moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he chose the double bass at age 13 and at 15 began working

professionally alongside his father, José Luis "Pepe" Motta. This experience taught him many styles, including tango, Argentine folklore, various Latin rhythms and improvisation in general. He attended California State University, Northridge where his main teachers were David Young, Oscar Meza (from the Los Angeles Philharmonic), Don Kasper and most importantly, Gary Pratt. In 2000, he moved to Kansas City to perform, arrange and compose for Tango Lorca, an Argentine tango ensemble made up FIESTA ARGENTINA 2007 - August 18 at 8pm at the Ford Amphitheatre - p3 of young musicians. He also formed "The Pablo Motta Trio,” featuring his own, original compositions and arrangements of jazz standards. In 2002, he moved back to Los Angeles where he pursued his career with his trio and toured with major tango shows. As a jazz musician, he has freelanced extensively, performing and collaborating with many artists such as Justo Almario, Ronald Muldrow, Ron Anthony, Bobby Rodriguez, Ark Sano and Donald Vega. In Kansas City, he played with such artists as Roger Wilder, Todd Strait, Will Matthews (from the Count Basie Orchestra) and many others. With The Pablo Motta Trio, he's been very active in the Los Angeles jazz scene performing in some of the most important jazz venues such as Charlie O's and the Grand Star Jazz Club. As a tango bassist, he has recorded music for and appeared in several movies, including "Wings of Courage" (IMAX), "My Father the Hero" and "Marlene Dietrich" (Miramax). He appears in many CDs with artists from the U.S., Argentina and Japan. In 1998, he toured with "Tango Vivo!" through Canada (Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Kitchener and Toronto). In 2001, he joined the cast of "Tango Dreams" and performed in Los Angeles, New Mexico and Japan. In 2004, he was invited to join the Broadway hit "Forever Tango" with musical director Victor Lavallen and since then has been touring with them through New York (Broadway), Tokyo, San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles (Kodak Theater), Mexico, Seoul, Seattle, Reno and Puerto Rico. When at home in Los Angeles, he performs with "Trio Tangábile" (with Coco Trivisonno and Marcelo Caceres) and he directs the Los Angeles Tango Trio and the Los Angeles Tango Quartet. As a classical musician, he has performed with Mládí Chamber Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, New Ear Ensemble (Kansas City based group dedicated to new music) and while in college with the American Youth Symphony. Recently, Pablo performed with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails at a benefit festival organized by Neil Young for The Bridge School. Pablo performs on double bass and works extensively with the electric bass. He plays for Peruvian "Rock Star" Julio Andrade and in other rock/pop/funk projects.

“Gloria and Claudio Otero slithered, slinked and stalked their way through some serious tango

business… the Oteros blazed through sumptuous lifts and thigh-thrusts.” – LA Times

The Otero Dance Company (www.gloriatango.com)

Founded by acclaimed dancers and brother and sister Gloria and Claudio Otero, the Otero Dance

Company is unique in the United States for offering both Tango and Gaucho dances in one show. The Otero Dance Company’s dramatic Tango renditions seduce with their passion and intensity and bring the keenly aesthetic aspect of Tango to its fiery culmination. The dancers of the Otero company are both from the U.S. and Argentina. They have performed throughout Japan, Mexico, South America, Germany, Italy, France, Canada and the U.S. and on major Latino TV channels in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Many of the dancers have also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. The Otero Dance Company appeared in numerous commercial, TV shows and films and shared the stage with renowned international artists such as: Dyango, Pimpinela, Violeta Rivas; for Tango: Ruben Juarez, Nestor Roland, Juan Carlos Copes; for Folklore: Los de Salta, Los Tucu-Tucu, Sixto Palavecino; and Rock: Memphis La Blusera, Los Pericos and Los Twist.

In 2004 and 2006 Del Mate Productions presented “Fiesta Peru”and Fiesta Argentin ’06 to capacity audiences at the Ford Amphitheatre. Del Mate Productions, who produces the festival, is a recording studio, an independent music label and a production company.

http://www.delmate.net.

Tickets to Fiesta Argentina 2007 are $42 & $35; $12 for children 12 and under. For tickets, log on to www.FordTheatres.org or call the Ford box office at 323 GO 1-FORD (or 323-461-3673).

The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios.

The grounds open two hours before showtime for picnicking. The Ford offers a number of dining options: a variety of food and beverages is available on site and box dinners for evening events may be ordered in advance.

Patrons are welcome to bring their own food and drink. The Ford is disabled accessible. Portable wireless listening devices are available upon request.

On-site, stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows and $1 per vehicle for morning family shows. For evening shows only, FREE non-stacked parking serviced by a FREE shuttle to the Ford, for evening amphitheatre performances only, is available at the Universal City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the "kiss and ride" area.

This event is part of the Ford Amphitheatre 2007 Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series FIESTA ARGENTINA 2007 - August 18 at 8pm at the Ford Amphitheatre - p4 produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County- based arts organizations. For a complete season schedule, directions to the theater and parking information, log on to www.FordTheatres.org.