The term "crossover artist" can mean many things. In the case of Grammy and Latin Grammy Winner Argentine pianist and composer Dario Boente, it means a musician who is equally at home performing original and jazz compositions on a grand piano, as he is programming world-beat electronica.
Dario's musical personality energetically bridges the Jazz-club and the Dance-club and is a direct outgrowth of his own life. Having been brought up in Argentina and Spain, immersed in the culture of Flamenco, R&B and Jazz, he pursued his formal studies at Berklee School of Music (Boston), the Guildhall School of Music (London), and the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music Program (New York) and his social life in the music scene of New York, Madrid, and London.
In the early ’90s, Boente toured the Euro circuit playing “Big Joe Turner” as his keyboard player and musical director, with pop band Imagination, with Spanish flamenco singer "Jose El Frances", making dance tracks, and performing in the major music festivals.
In 1999, Dario moved to New York City. Since then, he has released ten albums and compilations as a leader, featuring well-known Jazz musicians such as five-time Grammy Award winner Antonio Sanchez on drums, guitarist Ronny Jordan, Latin Grammy winner composer and pianist Fernando Otero, harmonica player Gregoire Maret, flutist Jorge Pardo, and saxophonist Miguel Zenon, among others.
As a sideman, Dario has played and/or recorded with multi-Grammy Winner singer and composer Ruben Blades, multi-platinum selling Italian singer "Jovanotti", Jazz guitarists Ronny Jordan, Mark Whitfield, and Ximo Tebar, Grammy-winning Louie Vega’s “Elements of Life” band, Grammy Winner percussionist Luisito Quintero, Latin Grammy Award winner Fernando Otero, Grammy Nominee bassist Pablo Aslan, percussionist Mino Cinelu, trombonist Frank Lacy’s “13 Piece Band”, as well as with DJ's Louie Vega and producer Kerri Chandler. He performed piano duets with Dave Kikoski and Richie Beirach.
Mr. Boente has composed along with Composer/drummer Antonio Sanchez (Birdman) the soundtrack for the British film (directed by John Jencks ) "The Hippopotamus", released in July 2017.
Dario has performed in more than 20 countries worldwide and his compositions have been included in over two dozen albums and compilations. Dario’s latest album, along with three times Latin Grammy winner pianist and composer Gustavo Casenave "Instrumental interpretations of Football" (Fula Records ) was released on May 2018. In 2020, Mr Boente has been nominated for a Latin Grammy along with music group "Tierra Adentro", under the category of Best Folk Album. Dario latest recording as a sideman includes Ruben Blades new album "Salswing", winner or 2021 Latin Grammy for "Best Album Of The Year" and Grammy Winner for "Best Tropical Latin Album".
Currently, Dario resides in New York City and leads his own music projects and works in the studio as a session pianist/keyboardist.