Florida Atlantic University (FAU) music professors Alejandro Sánchez-Samper and Matt Baltrucki have reached a significant milestone.
“El Trebol Agorero,” a collaborative creation between the FAU musicians and Quinteto Leopoldo Federico, a Colombian tango quintet, is nominated in the Best Folk Album category at the 2023 Latin Grammys, which will take place on Nov. 16 in Seville, Spain.
Released in May, “El Trebol Agorero” (which translates to “lucky clover”) is an instrumentation-only album consisting of double bass, piano, violin, electric guitar and bandoneon (an accordion-like instrument found in Argentinean tango ensembles). It pays tribute to celebrated Colombian composer Luis Antonio Calvo.
While certainly a source of pride, this recognition didn’t come as a startling revelation.
Of the five previous albums the quintet and both professors have put together, this one marks the fourth nominated for the Latin Grammys, a continued success that positions Colombian music, specifically from the Andes region, at the highest level of recognition.
“But we don’t do albums for nominations,” says Sánchez-Samper. “We do albums because we believe in music and enjoy doing so.”
Sánchez-Samper’s passion for music began in high school when he started recording and producing music at age 18, later working at studios in Bogota, Colombia, his hometown.
“I loved listening to different things, but I was enamored by the sound coming out of speakers and headphones,” says Sánchez-Samper, 49.
After earning his undergraduate degree in music composition in Colombia, he moved to the U.S. to pursue a master’s in media writing and production at the University of Miami. Knowing that his calling was a combination of music and education, he became a music teacher at Miami Dade College and, since 2006, at FAU.
His aspiration to become a skilled bandonion player led him to take online lessons with a professor who introduced Sánchez-Samper to the quintet. “What cemented the deal for them to come [to FAU] was that we have different grand pianos for them to choose from,” says Sánchez-Samper.
On almost all the quintet’s albums, Sánchez-Samper and Baltrucki have collaborated hand in hand. According to a press release, Baltrucki works with ensembles of diverse music styles, from traditional and modern classical chamber music to contemporary tango, jazz, punk, metal, indie rock and popular music genres.
Luckily for Colombian folk music enthusiasts, they show no signs of slowing down. While working on “El Trebol Agorero,” they already set their sights on an exciting new collaboration.
“The next album is going to be a combination of bluegrass and Colombian music. It’s something completely new. I don’t think anyone has ever done it,” says Sánchez-Samper.
When asked about his passion for music, Sánchez-Samper compares it to his second love, food, and affirms that in both, there’s room to discover different flavors, tastes and cultures.
He says he is a global music aficionado and is excited about the new collaboration and, hopefully, a fifth Latin Grammy nomination.
