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Bajufondo, the eternal challenge of composing music from River Plate roots

Montevideo, December 8 (EFE). – “From Zitarrosa to Tom Waits”. This is how Argentine Gustavo Santaolala responds when asked about musicians he would like to produce at some point in his long career, a sample of eclecticism that he also conveyed to the Bajofondo group, which he founded with Uruguayan Juan Campodonico. Although the band was born in 2001 under the title Electronic Tango, they have always eluded that index and evolved with the constant challenge of composing and performing, abandoning the comfort zone of repeating a successful product, but always with their solid identity in Rio de la Plata. Both receive Efe in the studio where Bagofondo is training to start a four-concert tour between Uruguay and Argentina, where he is not only reuniting with his fans, but also among its eight members, since the Covid-19 epidemic cut off the promotion of the album “Aura”, which was published in End of 2019. Concerts in Montevideo (December 9) and Punta del Este (11), in Uruguay, Concepcion del Uruguay (14) and Buenos Aires (16), in Argentina, on the occasion of the live agenda of this group, which, in addition, is already working On her next album during the production of the album of the young Argentinian Ragman Yesi A. Musica in Pandemia “What united us is the example of making music together, either to play or to record, and since each of us has other activities separately, this moment is always a moment of celebration and personal and artistic joy ‘,” the two-time Academy Award winner for the soundtrack explains about this encounter. From “Brokeback Mountain” and “Babylon.” “Aura”, Bajofondo’s fourth studio album, after “Bajofondo Tango Club” (2002), “Mar dulce” (2007) and “Presente” (2013), released in 2019 And it’s only been performed at two concerts in Montevideo and Buenos Aires due to the pandemic, so, says Santalalla (voice and guitar), “it’s as if it’s been paused and now we’re releasing the pause button and we’ll resume there.” Despite that downside, “It is from this kind of crisis that it also seems to connect with other things,” explains Campodónico (voice, guitar, programming), producer of, among others, Jorge Drexler, No Te Va Gustar or El Cuarteto de Nos. A very important part of what we do, the activity has continued there. We live in quarantine, it’s part of our job,” explains El Peyote member Asesino, who qualifies as an exciting “time” to reconnect with the public directly. Santaulala insists, “Nothing compares to being together and playing live.” RIOPLATENSE ENERGY After a meeting between the two in Madrid, Bagofondo was born as evidence of its place of origin, “this dialogue between the two banks of the currency, namely Argentina and Uruguay,” comments Campodonico, who, at the time, admitted that it was also an “inquiry into our roots and our cultural identity”. For his part, the Los Angeles-based composer notes that the band is what they are today due to a mixture of Argentina and Uruguay. “We are very similar brothers, but we are different and this gives a vital richness to the music and the unique band,” says Santalalla until he emphatically asserts that the group would be completely “different” if it were only one gender group. He smiles: “For now, we probably won’t be together anymore.” Five other musicians, Luciano Superviel (piano, keyboards and grub), Martin Ferris (bandoneon), Javier Cassala (violin), Gabriel Casacoberta (bass), Juan Manuel Ramirez (drums), and Veronica Luza, responsible for the visual part of the concerts, a proposal will be shown The entire “Bajofundera” is on stage. Umbrella has been protecting musicians like Elvis Costello, Nelly Furtado, Mala Rodriguez or more recently Natalia Oreiro in previous jobs, all of whom are “very different from each other,” but threw themselves “to play the bass field,” explains Campodonico. When asked, as in a game of fantasy, the uncles of other artists—contemporary or non-contemporary—who would like to work with him, the Uruguayan admits that they are “countless,” because he and Santalala are “very music lovers.” With names like Dave Gahan or Nick appearing. Cave or Damon Albarn, amid the scent of incense that surrounds the interview, the mind that has worked with many of the most prominent artists in Latin American music in recent decades remembers the album. “From Ushuaia to La Quiaca”, which he produced for fellow countryman Leon Gecko, before summarizing in “From Zitarrosa to Tom Waits” all the nuances that run through Bajofondo’s music from its River Plate roots. Concepción M. Moreno (c) EFE . Agency