Since moving to the Big Apple, Aslan has co-led various tango-friendly groups with bandoneon player Raul Jaurena, including the New York Tango Trio and the New York/Buenos Aires Connection. In addition to playing with pianist Pablo Ziegler's Quintet for New Tango -- a group that is named after Piazzolla's New Tango Quintet, which Ziegler was a member of for more than ten years -- Aslan has led a sextet called Avantango, whose members have included Diego Urcola on trumpet, Oscar Feldman on tenor sax and flute, Dario Eskenazi or Gustavo Casenave on piano, Hector del Curto on bandoneon, and Leonardo Suarez Paz on violin. Much of Avantango's work is instrumental, although vocalist Roxana Fontan has been featured on some of their recordings.
Along the way, Aslan has crossed paths with a variety of singers and musicians; he has played with saxman Joe Lovano and vibist Gary Burton on the jazz side, but he has also been employed by Latin stars who range from Julio Iglesias to Shakira. Aslan, in fact, appeared on the English and Spanish versions of Shakira's hit Objection (Tango) in 2001. Interestingly, the South American bassist has also dabbled in Jewish klezmer, appearing on albums by clarinetist David Krakauer and violinist Alicia Svigals. In 2003, Aslan and his Avantango band recorded their album Avantango for the independent ZOHO Music; the disc, which includes several Piazzolla compositions, was released in February 2004. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi