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Pedro Menendez Fusion Ensemble

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With an impressive international career, PEDRO MENENDEZ is an outstanding composer blending jazz, classical and South American rythms. Master himself of many instruments, the result is an innovative Latin fusion concept where beauty, polyrithmic propulsion and first-class improvisation converge.

"COLECCIONISMO -ANTHOLOGY" and his new coming release “WINLAND” (March 2013) are two discographic works that include some of the best pieces of his vast creation and are part of the repertoire that Argentine musician has been featuring throughout a national and international career destined to keep growing: Argentina, Brazil, North America and Europe (including five consecutive years of showcases at SXSW Music Festival (Austin, TX, US 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008) and CANADIAN MUSIC FEST (Toronto, ON, Canada 2012, 2011, 2009), among multiples other performances)...

Six-Word Reviews of 763 SXSW by Paul Ford
“Introspective, engaging minor-key Argentinian jazz. Excellent. Rating: 5 stars”

Todd S. Jenkins – All about jazz.com
“Wonderfully sensual evocations from South America.
Pedro Menendez is a multi-instrumentalist from
Argentina who has a fresh ear for blending the sounds of
different musics... Recommended.”

John Doll – Jazzreview.com
“His music is a whirlwind of the influences ranging from
Brazilian bossa nova, contemporary classical, tango,
Argentinian folk, and American jazz. The music is like a
gentle breeze on an otherwise warm still night in a
warm country very much like Argentina. Its rhythms
are graceful. It sways more than it swings. Menendez
tends to remain understated in making his point...
As is the rest of the album, it is simple
and wise, graceful and heartfelt.”

Pedro Menéndez was born in Buenos Aires in 1957.

He has been dedicated to the music since he was 7 years old. He studied with professors like the worldwide known Oscar Aleman ( Josephine Baker's jazz guitarist), Arturo Schneider (Astor Piazzolla´s flutist) and the contemporary classical guitarist Miguel Angel Girollet, among others. He also attended the composition career at the UCA.

He has recorded 17 discographic works with compositions of his own with the participation of well-known musicians like Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums (latin jazz Band 'Opa'), Rodolfo Mederos & Marcelo Nissinman on bandoneon, percussionist Rubén Rada, musicians from the Colón Theatre orchestra, among others.

Throughout his vast career he has lead as composer diverse ensembles performing on numerous distinguished cultural venues and festivals in Argentina, Brazil, US, Canada, Norway, Germany, Spain and France, including (among the most recent international tours):

2° JAZZ WINTER FESTIVAL (CMF) & SXSW 2013 (Coming March 2013)
1° JAZZ WINTER FESTIVAL (CMF) & SXSW 2012 (Toronto, ON, Canada – Austin, TX, US, March 2012)
WORLD BEAT ONLINE’S “RUM & RIDDIMS” PARTY (Austin, TX, USA, March 2012)
DART MUSIC & HARRIS RADIO International Event (Austin, TX, USA, March 2012)
SXSW & CANADIAN MUSIC FEST 2011 (Austin, TX, USA - Toronto, ON, Canada, March 2011)
SXSW 2010 (Austin, TX, USA, March 2010)
BAFIM 2009 (Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 2009)
SXSW & CANADIAN MUSIC FEST 2009 (Austin, TX, USA - Toronto, ON, Canada, March 2009)
DART MUSIC International Day & Night Shows (Austin, TX, March 2009)
BRAZIL MUSICA & ARTES + International Guests (Austin, TX, March 2009)
FESTIVAL DE INVERNO SESC RIO 2008 (Petrópolis, Teresópolis & Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, BRASIL, July 2008)
SXSW 2008 (Austin, TX, USA, March 2008)
Rhizome Collective International Show (Austin, TX, USA, March 2008)
KUT FM - Live Show (Austin, TX, US, March 2008)

As sessionist musician he has also been invited to perform with many distinguished musicians of the Argentinian scene, like Luis Salinas, Agustín Pereyra Lucena, Guillermo Reuter (2004 SGAE Award), Daniel 'Pipi' Piazzolla, Bossa N´Stones, etc.

In the field of contemporary chamber music, he has written several pieces including a concert for Vibraphone and Strings dedicated to the Argentinian Soloist Daniel Serale (premiered on the International Percussion Festival of Patagonia, Argentina, 2006), a concert for Marimba dedicated to the Mexican well-known Soloist Javier Nandayapa, a work of 20 pieces for Piano based on Latin American rythmics (‘Viaje por Latinoamérica’/Voyage through Latin America’ Book I / Book II) and a concert for Guitar and Orchestra.

He has composed many incidental music for publicity, television, theatre and cinema (Argentina and the Munich School of Cinema). Among his most recent works in this field, Pedro Menendez has been nominated as best composer for the 27th Mar del Plata International Film Festival under the Category Argentine Panorama (Film: "Santa Lucia / Saint Lucia").

Since 1986 he is the Owner/Artistic Director of Contemporaneo Art Music, an Argentine Record Label dedicated to genres as tango, jazz, crossover, folk, world