Ensemble Gabriel Merlino

The Ensemble Gabriel Merlino is an Argentine tango ensemble led by bandoneon virtuoso Gabriel Merlino (born 1977), centered in Buenos Aires. Founded as Nuevo Siglo Tango in 1995, the ensemble pioneered a new generation of tango groups, performing over 800 concerts between 1996 and 2001 across Argentine theaters, radio, and television. Merlino, mentored by legends Leopoldo Federico and José Libertella of Sexteto Mayor, was the first bandoneon instructor to teach his instrument on Argentine television. The ensemble blends traditional tango with contemporary Tango Nuevo, jazz, and world-music elements. In 2009, Merlino formed the Tagini-Merlino Duo with vocalist Vanina Tagini, born into a historic tango family and nominated multiple times for the Gardel Prize. The ensemble has conducted over 50 international tours across more than 45 countries since 2001. Key recordings include the 2005 “Bandoneon Dreams” (acclaimed as the first world-music bandoneon album), “Íntimos” (2011), the INAMU-funded “Cuántico” (2018), and “Memorias del Fuego” (2023, with National Endowment for the Arts support). The ensemble’s musical journey encompasses interpretations of tango through all eras alongside original compositions inspired by contemporary Buenos Aires.

Sources note: None identified. Sources consistently report Gabriel Merlino’s birth year as 1977, Nuevo Siglo Tango as founded in 1995 with performances 1996-2001 (800+ concerts), and the Tagini-Merlino Duo as formed in 2009. Bandoneon Dreams was recorded in 2005 and released September 1, 2006.