Tango

Trío Central - Falsa Alarma

First of all: „Falsa Alarma“ ("False Alert") by Trio Central is simply brillliant and one can only wish for such a false alarm! My favourite pieces are "El Pollo Ricardo" and "Boedo" - the wonderfully playful piano is just ingenious here as well as the replying bandoneon. Or perhaps all of the songs are my favourite pieces?
The piano is cheekily providing the tune for the bandoneon in "Organito de la Tarde". The interplay of these two instruments is breathing fresh, new life to the the Di Sarli classic "Bahía Blanca" which we have been listening to almost too many times. But, hey we would love to listen to it again now in this fresh interpretation by Trío Central. Very convincing is the title piece "Falsa Alarma", composed by the pianist Pablo Woizinski. The bandoneon player Christian Gerber is also a member of the successful Quinteto Angel. What instrument does the third musician of Trío Cntral play again? Oh, well, contrabass. Well, since Patrick Süsskind's eponymous novel the destiny of double bass players has been well-known. One only perceives them marginally, but honestly, Rodolfo Paccapelo's contrabass would seriously go amiss as a structural frame and as a strong background sound. Eventually, in "Tango Apasionado – Finale" the contrabass player has his moments of fame. A feast to your ears, and my legs can't keep quiet either on listening to "la Retirada", written by Juan Carlos Cáceres. This CD contains even two versions of this piece. The piano can almost cope with this piece on its own when I perceive the contrabass in the background and only after a good third of the piece is over, the bandoneon comes in and give "Retirada" a whole noe drive.
And really, we can't say that we are missing a single further instrument here with this Trio. Trío Central provides fully-fledged Tango delicatessen and the pieces are almost all superbly danceable. A great debut CD by this formation of three young musicians from Buenos Aires and Berlin, that doesn't leave any wishes unfulfilled. Oh, there would be one though! I would really love them to come to Munich and perform live at my milonga, one of these days. Well, until then I can happily while away the time by listening to their CD...

Susanne Mühlhaus www.sutango.com

The very first piece makes me wander off into the land of daydreaming. „Prepárense“ - „Prepare Yourselves!“ is the appropriate title of the first Tango by Astor Piazzolla on this CD by the Ensemble Libertango. And so I am preparing myself for further auditory pleasure which this CD promises. Piazzolla provided nine further compositions to this CD. The perfect chill-out music accompanying a longdrink or cocktail at sunset - and letting the day's events pass review again before I eventually leave it all behind and allow myself to indulge in the freely floating associations that this music evokes. During spring in Buenos Aires („Primavera Porteña“) I see the lush blue-violet coloured blossoms of the jacaranda trees, perfect beauty beyond comparison.
Piazzollas Four Seasons in Buenos Aires provide the framework for this CD, with further pieces harmoniously arranged within this structure. But I admit, I am understating things here! Listening to this CD again, I consider the structure no less than brilliant! „El aeroplano“ by Roberto Firpo magics the mild spring evening breeze onto my cheeks – I am actually able to say this right now because I am writing this in spring time and in the evening too! Via „Triunfal“ by Piazzolla we continue the journey to the summer in Buenos Aires („Verano Porteño“). What joy! And I can already feel the sweat running down my temples because I cannot remain on my seat when listening to the summer Tangos and valsecitos. Rarely have I enjoyed a more vivid interpretation of „Bordoneo y 900“. I find myself sitting in a theatre - is it the Teatro Cervantes in Buenos Aires? - and barely half into this piece I cannot resist jumping up from my seat and wanting to applaud the orquestra. „Desde el alma“ does not get me back onto my seat but instead I start dancing, oblivious to my surroundings.
Following the subsiding autumn gales of the „Otoño Porteño“ I contemplate Piazzolla's „Ballad for an Insane“ and I find myself levitating into the night carried by the question and answer game of „Nocturna“. „Lágrimas y sonrisas“ is so wonderfully danceable in this smooth interpretation by the Ensemble Libertango, peaking in a fulminant ending. I immerse myself further in the autumn, accopanied by the sensitive approach and, by the same token, so intense interpretation of „Nostalgias“, where the various instruments seem to bring to the fore contradictory thoughts and feelings and at the right time unite them all back to harmony.
Winter in Buenos Aires („Invierno Porteño“) first makes me slide into melancholy and then instils me with newly found confidence and I really think that it is a successful transition to „Libertango“. Here, the piano evokes the sound of the falling winter rain which is then replaced by the supporting bow instruments. This is followed by the accordion intervening and all together they eagerly advance to the grand finale. I just love this piece!
Immediately I listen to „El Porteño“ once again and I discover more magic... Unbelievable!
This CD will definedly accompany me on my next flight to Buenos Aires. At the moment, I can hardly image a more enjoyable transition from Europe to Argentina. “.

Susanne Mühlhaus

Orquesta Típica Misteriosa Buenos Aires - Tango de Salón
3 bandoneons, 3 violins, a contrabass, a piano and 2 singers: This young orchestra of ten musicians have set their sights on following the lead of
Carlos di Sarli, that is to play pieces melodically, in a steady and therefore danceable rhythm and with a romantic touch. And it is exactly that what they have achieved with this CD!
Fresh interpretations of popular Tangos like "9 de Julio" in a slower version, which provides room for a playful piano tune. I listen eagerly to the fresh tunes of "En esta Tarde Gris", "Loca", "Recuerdo" and "Nostalgias".
Thanks to the voices of Marisol Martínez and Marcelo Rey traditional Tangos such as "En esta tarde gris" (Rey) get a contemporary flair. Martínez' voice lets us see the rising mist above the river Riachuelo. slowly meandering its way at the southern rims of the City of Buenos Aires. And we believe Marcelo Rey that he wants to get inebriated in the face of a hopelessly lost love (Nostalgias). The first few lines are particularly catchy "Quiero emborrachar mi corazón, para apagar un loco amor, que más que amor es un sufrir..." ("I want to drown my heart to extinguish a crazy love that is more suffering than love...").
Javier Arias is the musical head of this formation. 4 members of his former enseble Orquesta Típica Fervor de Buenos Aires are part of the Orquesta Típica Misteriosa Buenos Aires.
My personal favourites of this CD are "9 de Julio", "Recuerdo", "Nostalgias", "Felicia" and "Perdóname". Of the 14 pieces 8 are instrumental versions; there are 13 tangos and 1 milonga. And there are also 2 folklore pieces as bonus tracks (Chacarera and Gato).
This thoroughly danceable debut CD recorded by this orchestra will not only enrich the music library of all tango dancers and Tango DJs but it also whets everyone's appetite for furhter recordings of the Orquesta Típica Misteriosa Buenos Aires.
You can also see and listen to this orchestra live in Buenos Aires since they play, as the house orquestra, at the Milonga "La Misteriosa" in Humberto Primo 2758, every Wednesday. The Orquesta Típica Misteriosa Buenos Aires live.
Susanne Mühlhaus