The Ragazzi - Michelin duo plays an exciting blend of contemporary jazz and South American music featuring original compositions. These two outstanding musicians- composers take the guitar - piano duet to the highest level, playing with power, passion and virtuosic wit. In their hands, each piece is a miniature slice of life that will open your mind and charge your emotions. In the tradition of other great piano - guitar duets like Bill Evans - Jim Hall or Pat Metheny - Brad Meldhau; Ragazzi - Michelin don't accompany each other in a traditional sense so much as they melt together into one inspired voice. These two virtuosos always make sure that music comes first in every note they play without letting chops or technique get on the way. Claudio Ragazzi, originally from Argentina and Nando Michelin from Uruguay share a deep vision and understanding of their art; both coming from a long carrier in Jazz and improvisational music, have been profoundly influenced by Classical Composers, World Music as well as Tango and folk traditions from their own native countries. On their first CD as duo "Entre Amigos" (Between Friends) Claudio and Nando invite the listener to share this vision through an intimate journey, their sound ranges from the highly energetic and percussive to the delicate and introspective. Their improvised solos flow naturally, their accompaniments are like mini orchestrations in concept and their arrangements always feature a level of interplay and deep understanding of each other that always makes it sound rich and organic. The Ragazzi - Michelin duo truly play eclectic music with unmistakable roots, their range as instrumentalists is incomparable using the full spectrum these two instruments have to offer. In their new CD "Entre Amigos", you will find the delicate and intimate songs "Gabriela" and "Farewell Song"; you'll move to the rhythmic pulses of "Parabola" and "Ginasteando"; You will taste the traditional folk rhythms of "Zamba para un Hombre Solo" and "Lagos de Lagrimas"; and feel the passionate Tango sounds of "Fango" and "Aquellas Milongas". Nando's original "Endangered Species" will bring you closer to contemporary Jazz and their rendition of Astor Piazzolla's "Todo Buenos Aires", Gismonti's "Frevo", Ginga's "Di Menor" and Greco's "Ojos Negros" will open your ears and heart to a new dimension of jazz interpretation. Claudio Ragazzi Composer and guitarist Claudio Ragazzi has been writing award winning music for film and television, scoring hundreds of projects and performing with some of today's most respected musicians at renowned concert halls in the world. Claudio attended Berklee College of Music where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was the recipient of the prestigious Duke Ellington Master's Award, receiving the Boston Music Awards that same year. Claudio went on to compose music for feature films, documentaries and television commercials as well as undertaking commissioned works for plays and ballets as well as performing with some of today's top musicians and with his own ensemble. Claudio’s live performances include those at Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, The Blue Note Jazz Club, The Lincoln Center and in theatres around the world. He has performed with some of today’s most influential and respected musicians, including Gary Burton, Yo-Yo Ma, Randy Brecker, Danilo Perez, Pablo Ziegler, saxophone legends Joe Lovano, Kenny Garrett and Paquito D’Rivera. In 1998 he scored Brad Anderson's hit film Next Stop Wonderland produced by Miramax Films, and featuring Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto. The CD reached Billboard’s top ten chart for more than twelve consecutive weeks. Other production credits include scoring the music for the award winning film, The Blue Diner; and a unique collaboration with fellow composer Mason Daring working on the music for John Sayle’s film Casa de los Babys. Claudio’s work can also be heard in Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves. Claudio has scored hundreds of TV productions for the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, Telemundo, Univision and PBS, including American Experience, NOVA and the children series Sesame Street, Arthur, and Postcards from Buster. Claudio has won numerous awards including a regional Emmy and a nomination for a national Emmy, grants from The Rockefeller Foundation, The New England Foundation for the Arts, and The Massachusetts Council for the Arts. His work has been commissioned by the Boston Ballet, the New England Conservatory and the Meet the Composer Grant Program among others. A native of Argentina, Claudio grew up in Buenos Aires, where he started playing music at a very early age. As a teenager, he was already recording and performing with some of Argentina's most influential musicians including Tango master Rodolfo Mederos and sharing the stage with some of Argentina’s top musicians including Luis Alberto Spinetta, Litto Nebbia and Antonio Agri. Nando Michelin Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Nando came to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. His discography includes "Facing south" "Common grounds" for Brownstone, "Art" "Chants" "Live at the AJC" and "When Einstein dreams" for Double Time , "Duende" featuring Esperanza Spalding, for Fresh Sound, and "Reencontro" independently.The duo Ragazzi-Michelin performed at the Wang Center and Kimmel ctr for the Arts among other places. As a producer, he also recorded the awarded "Amores torcidos" and "The other side" with Katie Viqueira, "Ave rara" with Teresa Ines, "Mind motions" , "South american Suite" and "Timeline" for Felipe Salles, "The princess and the moonlight" for Alejandro Cimadoro, among others. He is currently recording and performing with his trio that features Esperanza Spalding on bass and vocals, and Richie Barshay on drums and percussion, or with a quartet featuring Leala Cyr on vocals and trumpet, John Lockwood on bass and Tiago Michelin on drums. As a sideman, he performed with Jerry Bergonzi, Randy Brecker, George Garzone, Antonio Sanchez, and MPB icons, Jair Rodrigues, Celso Adolfo, Jamelao, Lo Borges, Geraldo Azevedo, Flavio Venturini, as well as Bossa Nova great Maucha Adnet. Nando is a very active educator, currently teaching at Tufts University, and Berklee College of Music