Music of the Americas: Closing the En Casa Season and Eduardo Fernández Video

Tuesday, July 19, 10 a.m.

Argentine pianist and composer Abel Rogantini has performed at jazz festivals around the world, including ORF in Austria, Padova suona Jazz in Italy, LaPataia and Jazz a la calle in Uruguay, Jazz al Parque and Ajazzgo in Colombia, and many others. He has released over 60 albums. Música anfibia, which he released with his quartet in 2016, was nominated for the Premio Carlos Gardel. He recorded his own "Milonguinha" with Paquito D'Rivera at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2010. Rogantini studied with Manolo Juárez, Santiago Giaccobe, Aldo Antognazzi, Danilo Pérez, Renato Chicco, Marc Copland, Fred Hersch, Bruce Barth, and Mulgrew Miller.

The Abel Rogantini Trio (which includes also bassist Diego Wainer and drummer Bruno Varela) explores an eclectic repertoire in which jazz is combined with Argentine folk music, tango, and the rhythmic soul of the music of the River Plate.

From their home in Buenos Aires, the trio sent us this freewheeling version of Ariel Ramírez's classic "Alfonsina y el mar."

Wednesday, July 20, 10 a.m.

Argentine singer/songwriter Mauricio Laferrara was born in Paraná and studied guitar at the Escuela de Música, Danza y Teatro Prof. Constancio Carminio in the same city where he now teaches. He is also on the faculty of other universities in the province of Entre Ríos. He has been performing folk music for years, and has released several solo albums for the independent label Shagrada Medra. He is also the author of “Diapasón Litoral,” a series of guitar arrangements of chamamé, which includes compositions by established and up and coming composers.

From his home in Paraná, he sent us his version of "Corazón chaqueño," by Horacio Castillo.

Friday, July 22, 7 p.m.

Americas Society (or, as we were known at the time, the Center for Inter-American Relations) presented the New York debut recital of Uruguayan guitar superstar Eduardo Fernández in 1977. Earlier this month, he returned to our stage after 45 years with a program dedicated to the music of Manuel Ponce in our annual collaboration with the New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes. 

Watch here

The MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series is made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor MetLife Foundation.

The Spring 2022 Music program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and by the Howard Gilman Foundation. 

Additional support is provided by The Augustine Foundation, the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and The Amphion Foundation, Inc.