DANIEL DIAZ Music

Born in Lanús, Argentina, Daniel Díaz started to study theory, harmony, and bass and in Buenos Aires where he worked as a professional, backing several singers in small clubs around Buenos Aires. He attended to several courses and clinics such as: orchestration with Carlos Franzetti, Improvisation with Gary Burton, Production and Bass with Pedro Aznar, Tango History and Language with Horacio Salgán, and Argentine folkloric rhythms with "Cuchi" Leguizamon.In 1992 he travelled the U.S.A where he studied improvisation (with Bruce Gertz and Oscar Stagnaro at Berklee College of Music in Boston) and bass (with Mark Egan and Percy Jones in New York City and Alexis Skjlarevsky in LA.).

He played professionally in Argentina from 1983 until 1997 (playing other instruments among with bass) and toured and recorded with many local rock, fusion, folklore and tango bands. He worked with some of the finest Argentinean musicians, including Daniel Binelli, Antonio Agri, Virgilio Exposito, Hector Starc, Horacio Lopez, Lucho Gonzalez, among many others. He developed an extensive career as an arranger and musical director for bands and singers in Buenos Aires, especially in the Tango, Folklore, and Pop scene.

In 1993 "The Years Alone" which is a selection of 11 of his songs composed between 1986 and 1993. In that album Daniel Diaz played most of the parts (fretless and fretless basses, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, drums, etc.) but included guest appearances of many fine South American players, providing a large variety of colours and sounds. The Years Alone's eleven songs combine traditional argentine rhythms like Zamba, Chacarera, Cueca, etc. with non-traditional structures and sounds inspired in rock, jazz, and classical styles. The more traditional/pastoral songs have a particular mood with the use of instruments from north Argentine, Peru and Bolivia, such as the Quena, Pinkullo and the Sikus, as well as Tango's traditional Bandoneon. He continued this recording/composing career with “Segundo Ciclo” (1997), with an instrumentation and sound similar to The Years Alone’s but adding trumpet and a more intensive use of acoustic instruments (acoustic piano, spanish guitars, contrabass, acoustic bass guitar).

In 1995 he signed a recording contract with North American label Green Linnet/Xenophile, and “The Years Alone” was released in the US and Canada in January’1996. In 2001 he signs a recording contract with Dutch jazz label Timeless Records, and “Segundo Ciclo” is released worldwide in April 2002.

He also recorded the electric “Maquina Dura” a collection of electric jams, covers and leftovers from his first two albums, and is finishing the all-acoustic “Maquina Blanda” featuring covers and original compositions recorded between 1996 and 2006.

Since 1997 he lives in Paris, France, where he’s been performing and recording as a session musician with several argentine-latin-jazz-tango-experimental groups, producing, recording and performing live (concerts in Paris and tours in Italy, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Turkey, Luxemburg, Monaco, Belgium, Andorra, Switzerland, Morrocco, and all around France). In Paris he keeps producing and doing studio work as both session musician and producer/arranger, specialising in programming, session player (bass, guitar and keyboards), audio editing and final mix down. (Worked with Hilton McConnico, Hermes, Francis Lalanne, J.C.Caceres, Quarteto Cedron, Miguel Angel Estrella,Elise Caron, Teresa Berganza, Magik Malik, Etc)

Between 2003 and 2004 he produces an album of electronic version of Latin music classics: « Latinos Kretinos ». During summer 2004 he records a new CD with American woodwind player Bobby Rangell and Argentinean percussionist Javier Estrella. In this acoustic, intimate album, D.D. plays upright bass and his 5 string Larrivée acoustic bass guitar exclusively.During 2003/2004, he played Upright Bass with tango group “Che Tango”. From 2003 till 2006, he played fretless bass with contemporary singer/songwriter Elise Caron.

He produced classical baritone Jorge Chaminé’s last album: “Alma Latina Vol 1”, released on Nov 2005 with whom he’s performing live and working as arranger, composer producer for upcoming “Alma Latina Vol 2”.

In 2006 he completed a new electronic/experimental album: “Electro World Jam”. This LP features electronic samples, world music beats&instruments, experimental sounds performed by multi-cultural musicians around the globe exchanging files and “virtually jamming” against each other’s tracks. Files assembled, mutilated, arranged, metamorphosed and edited by “Dédé” in Paris.

Recently he started working for french publisher CezameMusic Agency for whom he co-produced a double CD (La Otra America CEZ4048/4049 with Pajaro Canzani) including many of his own compositions. In that album he performed piano, keyboards, percussion, guitars and basses. He continues his work for Cezame (2007 « Drone Music » CEZ4051/4052 and “American Road book” CEZ4053/4054, ). His music for Films/TV is included in several music libraries and publishers in Europe, the U.S.A. Germany and Canada. Many of his compositions have been placed on TV documentals and films (TF1, M6, Canal+France2, France3, Arte, PBS, Animal Planet, VH1etc)

In july 2007 he finishes his solo basses LP « Low Vol1 » released in july 2007.

He keeps performing live with his trio all around Europe.

http://www.dedeland.com/danieldiazCVen.htm