Fierro Chlifle

The Group

Fierro Chifle was born at the beginning of the year 2000 with the idea of following the steps of the urban music of Buenos Aires, through its evolution and diverse forms and sources. As a guitar trio and despite the absence of a ”bandoneón”, the trio offers the traditional sound of the instrumental genre, which goes back to the old recordings of Carlos Gardel or the quartets of Roberto Grela. The tone colours of the guitar are kept while leading to musical exploration.

The trio does not start with the idea of following classic tango stereotypes: rather, it feeds on the greatest references to find both an individual and ensemble approach. This includes the three musicians’ experiences, not only in relation to tango music but also to other popular elements, wishing to keep to the essence of tango and River Plate low life in the process of recreation and interpretation.

The repertoire is thus a direct consequence of the study of the different forms of tango, milonga, Creole waltz, songs and ballads and avant-garde pieces. The work of Bardi, Piana, Expósito, Plaza, Salgán and Piazzola, among others, is the starting point. The guitar ensembles of Grela and his duos with Aníbal Troilo, the dance orchestras of Osvaldo Pugliese and Horacio Salgán, to name a few, show the way and nourish with ideas the creation of the trio’s arrangements. These are first written by the musicians individually and are then elaborated as a group in search of interpretation.

To achieve the maximum exploration the possibilities of the guitar as regards timbre, rhythmic and harmonic variations is central to the work of Fierro Chifle. The instrument’s sonority tenders multiple possibilities.
Legatos, staccatos, pizzicatos, or the guitar used as a percussion instrument become elements of variations at the level of rhythmic and harmonic play. At the same time the trio uses resources typical of the tango orchestras to make arrangements not often used by the traditional ensembles.

Juan Manuel Sánchez was born in Buenos Aires on August 7th, 1975. In 2000 he graduated from the “Escuela de Música Popular de Avellaneda”, specializing in folk guitar. He studied folk guitar with Angel “Kelo” Palacios and tango guitar with Rubén “Chocho” Ruiz. He had private lessons of harmony and improvisation in jazz with Professor Ricardo Pellican and studied Latin American music with Raúl Pena.
In 1988 he becomes part of the Argentine musical group Contraflor. Then he becomes a member of Daniel Mendoza’s guitar quartet, playing Argentine and Uruguayan folk music. He plays with the Andean folk group Los Chaskis and becomes a member of the folklore group La Cooperadora. At present he is the guitarist and musical arranger of tango singer Patricia Andrade, with whom he records the CD “Mi Calle”.
As from 1998 he gives private lessons and also teaches at different schools. He teaches tango and folk guitar at th Conservatorio de Música de Morón.

Gabriel Santamaría was born in Morón on July 14th, 1980. He begins studying the guitar with guitarist Gustavo Nasuti. He graduates from the Conservatorio de Música de Morón “Alberto Ginastera”, where he studied harmony with Fernando Fragasso and composition with pianist and composer Claudio Schulkin. He has studied harmony and popular music ensembles under pianist Claudio Méndez and guitar and improvisation with Daniel Gómez. He has attended folk guitar courses taught by Raúl Pena and has studied with jazz guitarist Alejandro Moro.
He has played as a guitarist with different groups performing different styles of music. He is a member of the folk trio Suri and at present of the group Antu, with which he has recorded the CD “Mar Adentro”.

Pablo Vernieri was born in Morón on October 18th, 1977. He is a graduate of Conservatorio de Música de Morón “Alberto Ginastera” and of “E.M.B.A.”, Escuela de Música de Buenos Aires. He studied privately with Pino Marrone, Ricardo pelican, Guillermo Arrom and Sacri Delfino. He has perfected his classical music studies with Oscar Vázquez Paz and attended diverse clinics and seminars by Quique Sinesi, Mike Stern, Bill Frisell, Paul Vertico, Steve Morse and Sid Jacobs.
He has played in different jazz groups, viz Sixty Fingers and MSM Quinteto, in Laura Villasol’s Brazilian music quintet and in other ensembles of popular music with musicians Luis De La Torre, Ricardo Pellican, Guillermo Arrom, Marcelo Torres, Federico Gil Solá and Fernando Rusconi among others.
He has recorded the CD “Conclusiones” together with Marcelo Von Schultz and Fernando Rusconi, and the 2005 CD “Equilibrio” with Fernando Rusconi.
At present he is a member of the Fernando Rusconi Trio and of the Brazilian music duo with singer Analía Sambuco. He also gives private lessons and teaches jazz guitar at the Conservatorio de Música de Morón “Alberto Ginastera”