Bio

Maria Volonte is one of the most celebrated singers of tango. On stage, her expressive voice, together with the intensity and sensuality of her performance, creates an artistic experience that has fascinated critics and audiences around the world.

Winner of the Gardel Prize and a Latin Grammy nominee, Maria takes tango to unexpected places by expanding tango’s stylistic frontiers and honing a deeply personal approach to the music. As the “Los Angeles Times” wrote, “Volonte is a good example of an artist who is respectful of her roots yet not afraid to go beyond musty old formulas… Her musical concept is refreshingly broad.”

With each of her musical explorations, Maria opens a fascinating window on her own musical universe. The list of her collaborators is as long as it is prestigious: Horacio Larumbe, Javier Malosetti, Walter Rios, Pascual Mamone, Abel Rogantini, Facundo Bergalli, Cesar Angeleri, Nestor Marconi, Oscar Giunta, Esteban Morgado, Daniel Maza, Larry Vuckovich, Dario Eskenazi, Gerardo Gandini, Tangoloco (Daniel Garcia’s tango-fusion quintet) and the Juan de Dios Filiberto Orchestra.

Besides her numerous shows in Argentina, Maria has performed in Europe, across Latin America and in the United States. In Munich, she sang the title role in the opera “Maria of Buenos Aires,” composed by Astor Piazzolla. She has thrilled audiences in London, Zurich, Vienna, Belgrade and at the Helsinki Festival in Finland. Maria played the famous jazz club Yoshi’s in California and has opened for Brad Mehldau.

In Buenos Aires, Maria has headlined several runs of the successful show “Enamorandote” together with Chico Novarro.

Maria has released five albums. Her latest, “Yo soy Maria” (2006), explores the fusion of tango with jazz and bossa nova and was nominated for the 2007 Gardel Prize. “Tangos” (2004), brought together a classic collection of tangos from her repertoire and was nominated for the 2005 Gardel Prize. “Fuimos” (2003), a duo project with the legendary pianist Horacio Larumbe, won Maria the 2004 Gardel Prize and was nominated for a Latin Grammy. “Cornisas del Corazon” (1999), was recorded live at the historic Tortoni Cafe in Buenos Aires while her first, “Tango y Otras Pasiones” (1996) was chosen by the “La Nacion” newspaper as one of the top 100 tango recordings of all time.

Maria’s performance of her own composition “Cornisas del Corazon” was featured in the PBS documentary “Tango: The Spirit of Argentina” (2005). Maria has been chosen as specialty microphone maker T.H.E. Audio’s “World Endorsement Artist” for 2006 and 2007.

Web: www.mariavolonte.com
Blog: www.diaryofatangosinger.com