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The Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval expressed his deep sorrow over the death of his friend and collaborator Jorge Calandrelli, an Argentine composer, arranger, and pianist who passed away last Monday at the age of 86, leaving a huge void in international music.
Through an extensive message on his Facebook account, Sandoval bid farewell to Calandrelli with words that reflect decades of friendship: "Today I receive with deep sadness the news of the passing of my dear friend Jorge Calandrelli. We are losing an extraordinary musician and a person of immense quality."
Sandoval, who received the Latin Grammy Award for Musical Excellence in 2023, described Calandrelli with admiration: "Jorge was a true master: a phenomenal arranger, exquisite composer, refined pianist, producer, orchestra director… a complete artist, a true jack-of-all-trades in music."
The trumpeter highlighted the uniqueness of his arrangements: "His arrangements had something special: a perfect combination of sophistication, emotion, and an absolute respect for the melody. Jorge knew how to adorn a song with grandeur without taking away its soul. That can't be taught… that's a gift."
The artistic relationship between the two manifested in projects of great significance. The most notable was the album "A Time for Love" (2010), which won the Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Album for Sandoval and Producer of the Year for Calandrelli.
Another iconic project was "Eternamente Manzanero" (2014), a tribute to the Mexican composer Armando Manzanero. Sandoval recalled it with emotion: "The most beautiful thing was that Armando himself, upon learning that we were working on that tribute, joined the project. It was a meeting of talent, respect, and love for music that I will never forget."
Born in Buenos Aires on December 31, 1939, Calandrelli settled in the United States in 1978 with the dream of working alongside the great figures of American music. He collaborated with Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, Yo-Yo Ma, Madonna, Plácido Domingo, and Shakira, among many others.
His relationship with Tony Bennett was particularly prolific: he worked on 14 of his albums, including the famous "Cheek to Cheek" alongside Lady Gaga. Bennett himself defined him this way: "Jorge Calandrelli is a master of arrangements, and it has been a pleasure to work with him on so many recordings throughout my career."
Throughout her career, she accumulated six Grammy Awards and 29 nominations, in addition to two Oscar nominations for "The Color Purple" by Steven Spielberg and for the song "A Love Before Time" from the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," directed by Ang Lee.
Sandoval closed his tribute with a phrase that encapsulates his grief: "Music loses a giant, but his legacy will live on forever in every note he wrote, in every arrangement he elevated, and in every emotion he managed to convey. I will miss you deeply."
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