Image: Colombian bandoneonist and composer Giovanni Parra
Florida Atlantic University professors Alejandro Sánchez-Samper and Matt Baltrucki of the Department of Music in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters have received their fifth Latin Grammy nomination for the album “Milonguín,” a project featuring the Giovanni Parra Quinteto with original works by Colombian bandoneonist and composer Giovanni Parra.
The album was recorded in September at FAU and released through Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, the university’s record label. Sánchez-Samper is credited as producer, recording engineer and mix engineer. Baltrucki is credited as recording engineer and mastering engineer. FAU alumni Sam Miller and Firat Akarcali are credited as assistant engineers.
“’Milonguín’ is an album that reflects the quintet’s creative exploration of the contemporary tango universe, incorporating the rhythmic and melodic richness of Colombian Andean music,” Sánchez-Samper said. “Each of Giovanni Parra’s compositions opens a dialogue between tradition and modernity, showcasing the power of tango as a universal language that connects cultures.”
The quintet has received four prior Latin Grammy nominations under its original name, Quinteto Leopoldo Federico, establishing itself as one of the most representative tango ensembles in Colombia and Latin America. This nomination, the first under the name Giovanni Parra Quinteto, reaffirms that trajectory and marks a new artistic stage for the group.
The quintet’s first two albums, ‘Bogotá-Buenos Aires’ and ‘Pa’ Qué Más,’ were also recorded at FAU in 2015 and 2017 and released through Hoot/Wisdom Recordings.
In addition, the Giovanni Parra Quinteto is the only Colombian representative in the Best Tango Album category at the 2025 Latin Grammys, an honor that highlights both the group’s work and the growing international visibility of tango made in Colombia.
With two state-of-the-art recording studios, Hoot/Wisdom Recordings is one of only a handful of record labels housed on a university campus. To date, the label has released more than 30 albums. For more information, visit hootwisdom.com.
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