Piazzolla, Astor

(born March 11, 1921, Mar del Plata, Arg.—died July 5, 1992, Buenos Aires) Argentine composer. He lived in the Bronx, N.Y., until he was 15; he then returned to Argentina, where he played the bandoneón (a type of accordion) in a tango band led by Anibal Troilo (1917–75). From 1944 he led his own groups. His interest in classical music led to study with Nadia Boulanger (1954–55) and the development of his own compositional style, infusing elements of jazz and modern music into tango. Not initially popular with most tango fans, his music is now recognized as having revived the genre and greatly expanded its artistic potential.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica