julio azcano

Julio Azcano (born 1976) is the new member of the Eos Guitar Quartet.

Different paths converge in the acoustic palette of Julio Azcano: the refining of his classic technique at his homeland Argentina, an intense activity in improvisation and composition projects in Europe and an international performing activity that includes concerts through South America, Asia, Europa and the USA.  

Julio Azcano shared the stage with musicians like Leo Brouwer, Dino Saluzzi, Juan Falú or Carmen Linares and has been invited to participate in prestigious festivals such as the "Menuhin Festival" Gstaad, "Guitar City" Warsaw (recorded and broadcast by the National Radio Poland), "Guitarras del Mundo" Argentina (participating in numerous issues as well as on CD edited by EPSA Music), Guitar Festival Lausanne, In Guitar Winterthur, among many others. His cross-border dialogue with diverse styles on the classical Guitar allows him to a constant improvement of his musical expressions solo and with several ensemble projects: present activities include his trio with the austrian jazz flutist Günter Wehinger and the percussionist Claudio Spieler, the “Ayres” duo with the anatolian baglama player Taylan Arikan and collaborations with the latin-grammy awarded guitarist Quique Sinesi, the double bass virtuoso Juan Pablo Navarro, the Jazzguitarist and GIT Instructor Sid Jacobs, the saxophonist Javier Girotto, the tango singer Marcela Arroyo and Yehudi Menuhin’s favourite disciple Volker Biesenbender. 

 Immersed since his early days in the strong guitar tradition of Argentina, Julio completed his Diploma in Classical Guitar in Mar del Plata and took private lessons with guitar virtuoso Eduardo Isaac. Later he continued his studies in Buenos Aires, under the guidance and support from Pino Marrone, and began to integrate elements from Jazz and Improvisation in his repertoire. In 2000 he won the first price in Jazz and also in Classical Music of the National Biennale for Young Art, with which he obtained the possibility to make a first record and began to play concerts through his country, and soon after in USA and Europe. In Switzerland he completed a Master in Jazz and Improvisation Zurich University of the Arts, and continued polishing his improvisational approach to Jazz with Kurt Rosenwinkel and Ralph Towner. 

He lives since 2004 in Luzern (Switzerland).   

www.julioazcano.com 

Reviews

"As a solo artist or as a member of the critically acclaimed Eos Guitar Quartet, Azcano has performed at festivals across the globe. He has shared the stage with renowned performers from Leo Brouwer to Dino Saluzzi. Not since Ralph Towner has a guitarist so fully integrated sophisticated jazz improvisation within the framework of the classical guitar. Like Pat Metheny's acoustical work, Azcano creatively uses space and silence to build and enhance his reflective performances. There is a timeless quality to this music, transcending eras or genres that is neither antiquated nor ephemeral." James Scott. Minor7th.com, USA 

"Inspiriert von seinen Reisen um die Welt hat der argentinische Meistergitarrist und Multistilist ein Album mit Musik eingespielt, das in keine Schublade passt - und gerade deswegen das reine Hörvergnügen ist. Es handelt sich um Konzertgitarremusik mit starken Klassik-, Jazz-, und Weltmusik-Bezügen. Es gibt so traumhaft schöne Stücke- allein das eröffnende Titelstück eignet sich zum Festhören -, dass der aufgeschlossene Gitarrenliebhaber die CD mehrmals hintereinander hören dürfte. Dabei wird er feststellen, dass dieses Album weit seine sensitiven Fühler über den gitarristischen Tellerrand hinausstreckt. So gibt es etliche Momente, die wenigstens auf Ohrhöhe mit den Klaviersolos eines Keith Jarret sind und manche grossen Hits des Pianisten durchaus übertreffen. Dass Azcano ein Virtuose ist, der souverän über alle Möglichkeiten seines Instruments gebietet, tut zusammen mit der perfekten Produktion ein Übriges, um diese Top-CD nachhaltig zu empfehlen."  Akustik Gitarre. Deutschland 

"Wer den in Luzern lebenden argentinischen Gitarristen Julio Azcano schon einmal live erleben durfte, kennt dessen Bescheidenheit. Grosse Worte sind seine Sache nicht – vielmehr spielt er einfach, was er zu sagen hätte. Seine Technik ist stupend, atemberaubend – jeder Jazzgitarrist wird bei Azcanos Geschwindigkeit, Präzision und Leichtigkeit gewisse Neidgefühle unterdrücken müssen." Jazz'n'More, Schweiz 

"Julio Azcano, als Gitarrist mit hoher technischer Fertigkeit ausgestattet, hat die Stücke zurückhaltend und intelligent arrangiert." Manfred Papst. NZZ, Schweiz

«Azcano parte de una "colocación" académica y sabe aplicar recursos y técnica a distintas formas de la música popular con mucha naturalidad, con pinceladas de flamenco o chacarera, de música rioplatense o fingerstyle norteamericano.»  Mauro Apicella, La Nación, Argentina