Gato Barbieri

The Profile

Leandro “Gato” Barbieri (1932–2016) was an Argentine tenor saxophonist whose volcanic tone fused free jazz urgency with the melodies and rhythms of Latin America. Rising in the 1960s and flourishing through the 1970s, he recorded influential albums for Flying Dutchman and Impulse! and composed the score for Last Tango in Paris.

Born November 28, 1932 in Rosario, Argentina; died April 2, 2016 in New York City. Tenor saxophonist noted for blending Latin American folk forms with free jazz. Key label periods include Flying Dutchman and Impulse!. Composer of the film score for Last Tango in Paris (1972).

Argentine tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri roars through Latin jazz and free jazz with political fire and melodic heat. Reviews spotlight his Impulse! era, the Bolivia/Under Fire concept, the Third World’s uncompromising pathos, and an incendiary 1975 New York live set. Expect Coltrane’s spirit filtered through South American rhythms.