Biografie

Gustavo Toker uit Buenos Aires is een van de toonaangevende bandeonisten, componist van Argentijnse muziek en vurig pleitbezorger van de tango en de milonga, de oude muziekstijlen van zijn geboorteland Argentinië. Naar zijn mening gaat het na het overlijden van de grootmeesters in het genre, Piazzolla en Pugliese, slecht met de tango. In de jaren veertig telde zijn land immers nog honderd belangrijke tango-orkesten, die inmiddels door militaire repressie en de opkomst van pop en rock zijn opgedoekt. Toker gaat echter voorbij aan zijn eigen kwaliteiten; in zijn composities en optredens zijn de tango en de milonga nog springlevend en volop in ontwikkeling.

Gustavo Toker begint zijn muzikale carrière begin jaren '80 in het kwintet van Luis Borda. Vanaf 1982 geeft hij concerten in Zuid-Amerika en in 1988 wint hij met zijn groep Semblanza de eerste prijs op het Festival van Cosquín. Sindsdien treedt hij veelvuldig op in Europa met diverse eigen groepen.

Onder eigen naam heeft hij talloze cd's uitgebracht. Ook heeft hij gespeeld met en meegewerkt aan de opnames van de beroemde Argentijnse zanger Léon Gieco, van wiens band hij sinds 1990 deel uitmaakt.

Sinds 1992 woont en werkt Gustavo in Nederland. Hij is te zien geweest met Marjolein Touw, het Scapino Ballet en het Aurelia Saxofoon Quartet. In Europa heeft hij regelmatig opgetreden met zijn eigen band, maar ook solo in verschillende projecten waaronder 'Tango goes Jazz' met de NDR Big Band, voor de Hamburg Radio en ook in de Kopenhagen Radio Big Band. In 1998 werd Gustavo uitgenodigd om een compositie te schrijven voor het Music Meeting Composition Project. Gustavo is ook regelmatig bandoneonist in het Quintet of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation.

In seizoen 2001-2002 treedt hij op met de Argentijnse concertpianiste Carina Juni. Samen brengen zij een warmbloedige mix van eigen composities gebaseerd op Argentijnse volksmuziek als Tango, Milonga, Vals, Malambo, Zamba et cetera. Op het programma staan ook zes wonderschone solobandoneonarrangementen voor tango van Piazzolla's hand die nooit live door hem uitgevoerd zijn.

In het najaar van 2002 presenteert hij nogmaals Toker y la Milonga, part two, nu met pianist Nicolas Guerschberg.

In de herfst van 2003 en april 2004 presenteren Gustavo Toker en afwisselend de eveneens Argentijnse pianist Anibal Glüzmann Becker en José Lopretti hun nieuwe voorstelling Toker y la Milonga, Piazzolleana.

In 2004 - 2005 trekken Toker en Lopretti nogmaals langs diverse Nederlandse theaters met hun voorstelling Toker Y la Milonga, Piazzolleana.

Een nieuw programma Toker plays Tango y Milonga de Argentina volgt in seizoen 2005 - 2006. José Lopretti begeleidt opnieuw. De reprise van deze voorstelling is in 2006 - 2007. Voor het eerst presenteren zij hun voorstelling ook in België. En ook de buren in het zuiden zijn erg onder de indruk van het tweetal! In 2007 - 2008 staat de voorstelling The Art of Duo; Tango y Milonga op stapel.

ENGLISH

Buenos Aires' born Gustavo Toker is one of the world's leading bandoneonists, composer of Argentine music and passionate interpreter of the ancient music styles Tango and Milonga of his home country Argentina. Since the maestri Piazzolla and Pugliese have passed away, the tango is deteriorating according to Toker. During the '40 his country still had hundred famous tango orchestras, who have disappeared slowly as a result of the censorship of the military regime and the advance of pop and rock. Toker travels beyond his qualities; in his compositions and performances, Tango and the Milonga are full of life and ever maturing. 

In the quintet of Luis Borda, Gustavo Toker starts his musical career in the early '80. From 1982 onwards he tours in South America and wins the First Prize at the Festival of Cosquin in 1988 with his band Semblanza. After 1988 he frequently performs in Europe with various own bands.

Toker released various CD's by himself. He also performed with and cooperated on recordings of the renowned Argentine singer Léon Gieco in whose band he plays since 1990.

Since 1992 he works and lives in the Netherlands. He worked with Marjolein Touw, the Scapino Ballet and the 'Aurelia Saxofoon Quartet'. In Europe he regularly performed with his own band, but solo in various projects as well, among others in Tango Goes Jazz with the NDR Big Band, for the Hamburg Radio and in the Copenhagen Radio Big Band. In 1998, Gustavo was invited to create a composition for the Music Meeting Composition Project. Regurlarly, Gustavo is the bandoneon player of the Quintet of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation.

During his concert tour in 2001-2002 Gustavo Toker performed with the Argentine pianist Carina Juni. Based on the Argentine folk rhythms such as Tango, Milonga, Vals, Malambo, Zamba and more, they create a passionate mix of own compositions. Included in the show are six wonderful tango solo bandoneon arrangements by Piazzolla that Piazzolla has never performed live.

In the autumn 2001 with pianist Carina Juni and in the autum 2002 and April 2003 with pianist Nicolas Guerschberg, Gustavo toured withToker y la Milonga, part two.

In the autumn 2003 en April 2004 Toker and the pianist José Lopretti present their new program Toker y la Milonga, Piazzolleana. In 2004 - 2005 the men travel once more with this program.

Gustavo Toker does not stop; in season 2005 - 2006 he presents a new concert Toker plays Tango y Milonga de Argentina. José Lopretti is accompanying him. They perform again in 2006 - 2007, also in Belgium. 

In 2007 - 2008 Toker presents The Art of Duo; Tango y Milonga, to be continued by a follow up in 2008 - 2009. Pasquale Stafano will be his pianist during this tour. Pasquale STAFANO is pianist, composer and arranger and was born on December 1972. He achieved in 1994 the Piano Certificate at the U. Giordano Music Conservatory of Foggia (Italy).

In 1996, to pursue his passion for jazz music, he attended the C.P.M. Siena Jazz course by Mauro Grossi (piano) and Marco Tamburini (combo class) and in July 1999 he attended Pescara Jazz masterclass with the pianist and composer Brandon McCune, teacher of Columbia Jazz School of Chicago.

In 2000 he achieved the Jazz Certificate with the highest marks at U. Giordano Conservatory of Music. He participated at numerous national and international competitions, of contemporary and jazz music, achieving first places.

He collaborated and collaborates currently with important and famous jazz musicians like: Gustavo Toker, Javier Girotto, Gabriele Mirabassi, Fabrizio Bosso, Pierpaolo Pecoriello, Michele Carrabba, Max Ionata, Roberto Ottaviano, Koki e Pajarin Saavedra and many others. He collaborated with Magna Grecia Orchestra, Umberto Giordano Orchestra and Orchestra Tipica, Alfredo Marcucci of Turin. 

Beyond his jazz studies, he has a passion for the South American music, in particular for the Argentinian tango music. He founded Nuevo Tango Ensemble on 1999, with Gianni Iorio’s collaboration.

With Nuevo Tango Ensemble, he recorded two albums dedicated to Astor Piazzolla’s music.

In 2001 the first CD Astor's Mood has been published, released on July 2002 by the classical label REALSOUND with Gustavo Toker as special guest.

In July 2005 he released a second album A night in Vienna for Astor Piazzolla. It’s a live CD recorded in Porgy & Bess jazz club in Vienna. The album was produced by the prestigious Italian jazz label PHILOLOGY. The CD had a lot of reviews by the most important music magazines of the world.

In 2008, he recorded a new album with original compositions, called Tango Mediterraneo with Gabriele Mirabassi as special guest. This CD will be released in September by the German jazz label Jazzhaus.

At the moment, he has an intense musical activity, performing in the most famous Theatre and Jazz clubs of Europe.

He has also a degree in Economic studies at the University.