Daniel DIAZ bio

overview         solo career          present time          collaborations

Overview

Composer, arranger, producer, multi-instrumentalist (bass, guitar, keyboards). Born in Lanus , Argentina, Daniel Díaz  began playing bass in 1980. In 1983 he started to study theory, harmony, and bass and a year later he was working as a professional, backing several singers in small clubs around Buenos Aires. During the eighties he kept studying (harmony, counterpoint, ear training, etc.) 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 Salgan, and Argentine folkloric rhythms with "Cuchi" Leguizamon.

In 1993 he travelled the USA 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 developed a career as session player, composer, arranger and producer both in Buenos Aires and Paris. His solo productions have been released in the USA, Canada and Europe.

Solo Career
From 1992 to 1997, in Buenos Aires, he played live with his electric quintet "Maquina Dura" (bass, keys, drums, sax, and percussion.) and his acoustic quartet "Maquina Blanda" (acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, tabla, and flute).

During this period, he produced his first album "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 (bass, keyboards, guitar, percussion, drums, etc.) but included guest appearances of many fine South American players, such as Ricky Olarte, Manuel Miranda, "Pato" Loza, Beto Satragni, Gustavo Paglia, Rikhi Hambra, and Miguel Angel Amaral.

He signed a contract  with North American label Green Linnet/Xenophile, and "The Years Alone" was released in the USA and Canada in January 1996.
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), "Maquina Dura" (2000) and "Lugar Comun" (2005)..

Present time:
Since 1997 he lives in Paris, France, where he's been performing with several argentine-Latin-jazz-tango groups, performing live (concerts in Paris and tours in Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Turkey, Portugal, Belgium, Portugal, Andorra, Switzerland, Morocco, and all around France), producing and recording.

In July 2001 he signed a contract with Timeless Records for a worldwide release of "Segundo Ciclo" in April 2002.
From January 2003 till February 2005 he's been playing with  argentine tango group "Che Tango"

In march 2004 Daniel Diaz produced "Latinos Kretinos" with electronic versions of Latin music standards, with singers Ana Guanabara, Paula Estrella, and special guests. Live performances starting 12/MAR/04 (New Morning, Paris) and 19/MAR/04 ("Le Temple", Paris)
In march 2004  he started live performances with a new trio featuring Javier Estrella (Percussion) and Bobby Rangell (Flute, Sax). This same trio recorded "Lugar Comun" CD, released in 2005.

Between February and may 2005 he's been  part of the musical show « Mambo Mistico ». This play, written and directed by Alfredo Arias with musicians and singers from Argentina, France, Brazil  and Cuba performed almost every day in the prestigious Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, at the Maison de la Culture in Nantes in the Théâtre du Gymnase in Marseille.
 

From 2002 till 2007 he performed and recorded with contemporary French chanson singer/composer Elise Caron

In 2006 he completed a new electronic/experimental album: “Electro World Jam”. This LP features electronic samples, world music beats&instruments, experimental sounds and structures, haunting moods and deep melodic & harmonic content. 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.

In 2006 he started working for French publisher Cezame/FLE for whom he co-produced with Uruguayan Pajaro Canzani, a double CD (La Otra America CEZ4048/4049) with many of his own composition. 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, 2009 “La Vie En Vert/Think Green” (cezame-fle, CEZ 4070), 2009 “Machines Acoustiques” (cezame-fle, CEZ 4068/4069), 2010 “Cubanisimo” (cezame-fle, CEZ 4079).

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)

His CD "LOW Vol.1", an audacious project performed using bass instruments exclusively, was released in july 2007.

In October 2007, one of his compositions from “Electro World Jam” is included in Sonic Vouge Record’s compilation “Sound Of Style”.

In the past few years he's been playing live with his trio, with classical baritone Jorge Chaminé contemporary French chanson singer/composer Elise Caron , with Italian quartet Luna Rossa and with French rock singer Thomas C. 

In March 2009 he performs guitars and basses for the soundtrack of the film Undertow composed by Selma Mutal, and continues his work as composer for TV/Films.

November 2009: he composed and performed the original music for Tennessee William’s “Suddenly, Last Summer” directed by Réné Loyon.

December 2009: He performs and arranges a repertoire of classical Spanish  and Latin music with Jorge Chaminé and Teresa Berganza, at the  UNESCO auditorium in Paris.

After two years researching and recording alone with his delays, echoes, filters and mechanical objects, the resulting music collection "Musique Mécanique" is released for christmas 2010, in both standar CD and Limited Edition Box Set.

Please check Discography  for discography and collaborations.

Newest  Releases:
Musique Mecanique