Quartango ~ Espresso

Quartango creates music that vibrates in the chest, awakens emotions and plays on the heartstrings.
One, two, three... and four! The last beat lags behind before catching up; the rhythm slides off the metronome for a moment — and the emotions find themselves in disarray. The tango can't be timed according to the measured rhythm of the pulse: its tempo is defined by the spaces in which the heart has its say. The tango sets the feet dancing because it brings to the ear the resonances of the very things that disconcert us in life: the things that make us fall in love, as well as the patterns woven into the carpets of routine.

Many tango ensembles limit themselves to the established repertoire. Quartango, on the other hand, does not rely solely on traditional titles, but takes the risk of including new pieces in its repertoire. In Tango sulla morte d'un eroe, Richard Hunt awakens echoes of a tango already suggested by Beethoven's poignant romanticism. Bernard Falaise's L'Envoi de Pantaleon gives the tango present-day intonations, while Ramon Pelinski's El Expatriado and Neurotango inscribe the tango in the nomadic tradition.

Whether through new melodies or new arrangements, Quartango makes a distinct statement without hyperbole. Rather than simply play the tango, these four "expert" musicians with their classical training bring the full range of their knowledge to every piece they perform. These sons of the Conservatory have chosen the tango as a man would choose to marry against the wishes of his family, but without feeling obliged to play the role of Pygmalion with respect to his lowly protegee. The members of the band are not playing on their own turf, but neither were the immigrants who gave birth to the tango in Buenos Aires! In other words, the tango doesn't always have to speak with an Argentinian accent.

To all those who are tired of swinging back and forth between retro and world music Quartango offers more than a visit to the land of the tango. The group does not mere­ly adapt yesterday's music to today's tastes. At the crossroads between jazz and virtu­osity, at the point where mood and humour meet, this recording provides a springboard for us to plunge into a pool of fresh musical sensations.

tracks

01. A Media Luz (4:07)
02. Canaro En Paris (3:53)
03. Bando (3:24)
04. Tango Sulla Morte D'Un Eroe (6:57)
05. L'Envol De Pantaleón (5:37)
06. Neurotango (7:19)
07. Vassalean (4:56)
08. B.,G. & B. (3:34)
09. Balada Para Un Loco (3:17)
10. El Expatriado (4:31)
11. Zum (5:26)
12. La Milonga De Buenos Aires (3:11)

El Expatriado

Canaro En Paris