Rating:
Genre:
World
Release Date: 07/01/1991
Run Time: 36:49
Do you remember the scene in
Scent of a Woman where
Al Pacino's character, though blind, dances the
tango with the character played by
Gabrielle Anwar? Well, the delightful music they danced to was from the eponymous album by the
Tango Project. It's a classic piece called
"Por Una Cabeza" by
Carlos Gardel. Dramatic, even for a
tango, it's heartbreakingly brief. It also may be the high point of this collection, which consists of music written in the heyday of the
tango, mostly in the first third of the 20th century, and mostly by Argentines, of course, along with a few by Europeans. On five of the album's 13 numbers, only the core trio of accordion, piano, and violin appear. On the rest, a second violin and an acoustic bass are added to create a small
orquestra tipica. The performances are competent but lack a crucial margin of passion. The album is thus best appreciated intellectually with heavy reference to the liner notes, as when listening to the two tangos from the earliest days of the form:
"Retintín" sounds a bit like American
ragtime, while
"El Esquinazo" resembles a 19th century Viennese "champagne"
polka, complete with sound effects. The album is good, moderately stimulating
tango music served up with love and care by the musicians. Recommended for both fans of the style and ballroom dancers.
~Kurt Keefner, All Music Guide
Cart 0 items
Listen
