One of the most important figures in contemporary South American music, Dino Saluzzi was born in Campo Santo in North Argentina and led his first group at the age of 14. He began to play professionally while studying in Buenos Aires. His ECM discography was launched in 1982 with the solo album Kultrum, a spontaneous example of the bandoneonist's art as "storyteller"; this marked the first of many "imaginary returns" to the little towns and villages of his childhood. From the beginning of the 1980s Saluzzi made numerous collaborations with European and American jazz musicians – amongst those initiated by ECM were meetings with Charlie Haden, Palle Mikkelborg and Pierre Favre (Once Upon A Time - Far Away In The South), with Enrico Rava (Volver), with Tomasz Stanko and John Surman (on Stanko's From The Green Hill album). But the family band has always existed alongside such projects. It was first documented on ECM with Mojotoro, recorded in 1991. At that time, José Maria Saluzzi was the group’s drummer. On Cité de la Musique and Responsorium – with Dino and, respectively, Marc Johnson and Palle Danielsson – José stepped forward as a guitarist with a sound of his own.
The Dino Saluzzi Group will be touring Europe early next year. Details soon at www.ecmrecords.com. The trio with Dino and Felix Saluzzi and Anja Lechner is also touring, in summer 2014.