Tango And

Inspired by a general love of the tango, and more specifically the tango of Astor Piazzolla, on the part of Yo-Yo Ma, the Soul of the Tango album is a masterful work of the nuevo tango, played by Ma's cello and many of Piazzolla's former associates. Piazzolla's old guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad even showed up to work on a pair of tracks arranged by Sergio: the Tango Suite (consisting of Andante and Allegro). The sheer beauty of one of Piazzolla's tangos is generally enough to warrant the purchase of an album involving them. An album such as this one, where all of the songs (save one: Tango Remembrances, where Ma plays along with outtakes from Piazzolla's recording of The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night album) are compositions by Piazzolla is even better. Add to this the masterful playing of Ma, and the surprising facility in which the cello fits into the tango, and you've got what could become a classic album, if only it weren't on the classical label from Sony.

Join guitar master Artyom Dervoed on a musical journey featuring the timeless works of Astor Piazzolla and Cacho Tirao, brilliantly reimagined for guitar and orchestra. This monumental recording showcases the unparalleled talent of one of today’s greatest guitar players. Be among the first to experience world-premiere recordings of new transcriptions, including “Suite del Angel”, “Histoire du Tango”, and the iconic “Libertango”. Immerse yourself in the passion and rhythm of tango as you embark on this unforgettable musical adventure with Artyom Dervoed.

Passion. Music. Emotion. Dance… Tango. Never before has a dance been so closely identified with the concept of the Tango. They say it takes two to Tango and this is very true within the sounds of Otros Aires' The New Sound of Tango - Modem Tango for the 21st Century. The music is a perfect blend of the classic sounds meets the new modern textures. Otros Aires blend modem ambient rhythms mixed with the classic sultry sounds of Argentine Tango. You can play this record at a party, at home alone, while drinking coffee on Sunday morning or when you and your lover are about to Tango!

Argentinian tango, just like jazz, is a classic example of a living, constantly developing musical tradition. Already, when it was in its early stages in around 1900, it combined influences from European, African and Latin American music. And today, more than 100 years later, it is as vital as ever, not only in its traditional form and but also incorporating elements from pop, electronica and jazz. There can be no musician in recent times as important in this process of the tango evolving and opening up as the Argentinian bandoneon player and composer Astor Piazzolla. He was a pioneer and direction-setter, and one of his key works was the album "Tango Nuevo" (also known as "Summit"), recorded in 1974 with the American baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. It was a global success, and it made this form of the tango, known by the same name as the album, popular far beyond the borders of Argentina.

This fine Astor Piazzolla album came on the heels of the tango innovator's universally praised Tango: Zero Hour from 1986. Back again for this outing are Quinteto Nueva Tango members like pianist Pablo Zinger and violinist Fernando Suarez Paz, with guest spots being filled by bassist Andy Gonzalez and Latin jazz alto sax star Paquito d'Rivera. Piazzolla, of course, is in top form throughout, tossing off a wealth of passionate and complex bandoneon solos. Producer Kip Hanrahan also returns from the Zero Hour sessions, providing another spacious-sounding backdrop for the proceedings. Unlike Zero Hour, though, Rough Dancer has more of whimsical feel, with the often perilous shifts in tempo and mood of the earlier record being handled in smoother fashion here…