Customer Reviews

Libertango: Music of Astor Piazzolla

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I saw the lineup of musicians Burton assembled for this album, I had to buy it. These are guys who play for the love and honor of the great master, not a bunch of egomaniacs eager to show what each can do alone. The technical brilliance of this album makes it seem like these musicians have been playing together for years, which in many instances is exactly the case. I was originally skeptical about how vibes would sound playing music as intricate as Piazzolla's, but I'm here to tell you it worked. Burton's playing does not overshadow the others, rather it complements their playing working particularly well on Fuga Y Misterio and Escualo. I am pleased to see the inclusion of Libertango which has become almost de rigeur for those seeking to interpret Astor's music. This music here is of a quality that you will be reaching for this CD for years to come. If you love Piazzolla, buy this CD today!

On one of his best recordings ever, Gary Burton proves that it's possible to play genuinely passionate music on the vibes. How such intense feeling and lyricism can emanate from a bunch of metal plates struck by hammers is a beautiful mystery. Of course, Burton gets some great assistance from an extraordinary team of virtuoso performers, and all of them are obviously committed to making Piazzolla's music remain a vital part of our musical heritage, combining raw excitement with meticulously executed performances. The perfect choices of tempo and phrasing all show how Burton's musical leadership has matured over the years, making this recording even better than his previous Piazzolla albums (which are also recommended). One of our greatest jazz players, Burton constantly dishes up surprises that transcend any musical category.

I love just about all music, but right now my favorite is jazz. I dance ballroom and Latin. This CD caught my eye on a feature display at a store. I previewed it and had to have it! With Gary Burton vibes and Argetinian tango music played by Piazzolla alumni musicians, it's a mesh of jazz and tango. Percussive, passinate, explosive, and progessive, it will make you want to turn up the volume and dance. This music is captivating and this CD will make you a devoted fan. It is lush and filled with ornamentation. There are feature solo spots in each piece. I particularly like Burton's vibe intro on 'Libertine' and the Pablos Ziegler piano solo on 'Adios Nonino'. I like that Burton allows this collection to be about the music and not just a vehicle for him to display vibe solos with backup musicians. Buy this CD! You will be mesmerized!

Those who don't think vibes work with Tango written by Piazzolla are entitled to their own incorrect opinion, however, it must be
stated that Piazzolla was a man interested in expanding the Tango
and incorporating jazz and other elements into it, and he worked
with Gary Burton, as well as many other jazz and classical performers and musicians to create a constantly growing Tango that would continue into the future. This album has many of the
elements of the other albums Burton made with Piazzolla, a Tango
that added the new with the traditional. It is a gem.

The music featured on this disc is sophisticated, cosmopolitan and international in scope; mind you, this is not to say I am but it appeals to those non-existent sensibilities. The merging of jazz and tango is a perfect marriage of musical styles. The structure of tango, with it's classical and jazz overtones coupled with the free-form improvistaion of jazz may seem to be at odds for some people but under the guidance of knowledgeable musicians the results can be breathtaking. The ferocity, passion and fire of tango mixed with the coolness of jazz creates a unique musical experience, a juxtaposition of sorts that reveals the common patterns of both worlds. This disc by Gary Burton is nothing short of excellent. Burton loved the music of the late, great Astor Piazzola, studied the tango and even played with him. This disc is a tribute of sorts. He assembled a group of tango expert musicians, some of whom played with Astor and created a near perfect set of interpretations of some of his most famous compositions, plus new compositions created especially for this recording. The featured bandoneonist is Marcelo Nisinman who was a protege of Piazzolla and plays an authentic style reminiscent of his mentor. The music is exciting, mysterious, dark and lively, it is full of musical peaks and valley's; part dance music , part listening music, it is one of the most beautiful interpretations of the tango recorded. The outstanding tracks include "Buenos Aires Cero Hora," that begins with a haunting bass line, followed by a creeping introduction of the vibes, slowly integrating the other instruments to create the air of pervasive enigmatic music, the melancholy "Invierno Porteno" that meets or exceeds the original Piazzolla compostion with it's daring instrumentation, the lovely Piazzolla signature song, "Libertango" that begins with a vibraphone introduction followed by flights of fancy on the bandoneon, and "Contrabajissimo" a song written for the number one tango bassist in the world, Hector Console, who is featured here as he demonstrates his versatility and mastery of the bass on this extended(11:07) song. If you are a tango purist you may want to stay away from this one as you may find it almost sacreligious to incorporate the vibraphone with the tango. However, if you are a jazz or tango lover with adventurous tastes ,you will find this disc very worthwhile as a further exploration of the tango. Great stuff and highly recommended for ballroom dancing or your listening pleasure.

Even if I listen mostly to elaborate, fine music, no matter if it is classic rock or new age, I must confess that I'm not a regular jazz listener ... My jazz collection is poor in quantity, but contains mainly cookies, like Miles Davis's "A kind of blue" or similar. But after I have read the reviews, I decided to try and taste it ... Wooauhh! The Germans would say: "Einsame Klasse!". Go for it! Now!

If you think tango is best played on the vibraphone (xylophone) then this is for you. (Isn't that the instrument of choice of clowns worldwide??) OK, I overstate it, but this is "music" your 5-year old would be happy with, making clay creations during playtime. No drama, no danger, no tension... Tango is not kid stuff. (I really don't recall a bandoneon on the album.) I am frankly stunned that Burton dares to call it Tango, whereas it is really some form of Jazz... It is just elevator music, frankly. Not an example of some of the most fervent, longing and melancholy music that is Tango.
If you are a true fan of Tango, I sincerely discourage you from wasting you resources on this.
(This is my first review, and I apologize if it seems brusque, but I'm very fervent about this, and I hope it's useful.) That's it!
(P.S. you can't buy my CD, I've destroyed it in the name of mankind!!! :p )