Lilian Saba, an interview

Today I present to you the pianist, arranger and composer Lilian Saba. I interviewed her in her beautiful home in January 2009. In the middle of the living room was a huge grand piano, which Lilian played for me over and over again during our conversation.

Lilian Saba was born on September 28, 1961 about 400 km from Buenos Aires in the town of Adolfo Gonzales Chaves and grew up in Benito Juárez. She there she learned to play the piano. In the corner of her house there was a peña El sombrerito where she was able to listen to Eduardo Falu, Ariel Ramirez, Eduardo Lagos and Horacio Salgan who at that time came to tour the towns of the Province Lilian transferred everything she heard to the piano and to Guitar. And she and her friends danced folklore.

The priest Osvaldo Catena, author of the lyrics of the Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramírez, convinced her to dedicate herself to music. So she moved to Buenos Aires at a very young age and studied at the Carlos Lopez Buchardo National Music Conservatory and at the National Dance School. She also took private composition classes with the pianist Manolo Juárez.

Lilian Saba has played folklore and jazz in various formations, such as in a Tribute to Bill Evans with guitarist Quique Sinesi, percussionist Facundo Guevara and double bassist Horacio Hurtado in 2015. In November 2015, she received the National Fund for the arts.

In our conversation, Lilian Saba told me about her idols Gustavo Cuchi Leguizamon, Manolo Juarez and Eduardo Lagos and showed me at the piano why these composers are so different and so modern within traditional folklore. Lilian is very excited that today’s youth is so interested in the rich Argentine folklore to the point of preferring it to national rock. And how her training in Argentine folklore dances gives a special touch to her compositions.