Joe Ross
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"Chamber Tango" with considerable drama but delicate balance
QuinTango is a Washington, DC-based quintet featuring two violins, cello, piano, and bass. Members are Libby Blatt, Joan Singer, Phil Hosford, Jennifer Rickard, and Kerry Van Laanen. This project showcases their “new chamber tango repertoire,” and the group invited two guests - vocalist Carina Losano, and percussionist Luis Garay. Closing the CD, the title cut, “Triunfal” (Spanish for “triumphant”) was written by Astor Piazzolla. As the final notes draw to their conclusion, we’re left with the realization that QuinTango has given a new depth of emotion and power of maturity to these pieces. The stellar musicians masterfully succeed with such smoldering pieces as Horacio Salgan’s tribute to Don Agustin Bardi, and five arrangements by violinist Mauricio Marcelli. QuinTango also shows a fondness for such crowd-pleasing favorites as Saludos, La Trampera, and Nunca Tuvo Novio. They feature arrangements by Osvaldo Berlinghieri, "one of the greatest living tangueros in Buenos Aires." A cohesive group, they can also practice restraint when it’s called for, as in segments of Piazzolla’s “Otono Porteno.” Vocalist Carina Lozano provides the narratives for “Balada Para un Loco,” the “story of a crazy but captivating character who meets a lonely woman, awakens her heart, and promises love if accepted as the “loco” he is. QuinTango has passionate conviction for a genre that incorporates considerable drama, and requires a very delicate balance of the musical elements to succeed as they do. (Joe Ross, Twentynine Palms, CA)
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Peters at CD Baby
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Put this album on, then just try to resist the urge to put a rose stem in your mouth and to take the person nearest to you for a spin. It ain\'t easy, because this album is that fantastic and engrossing. QuinTango are a quintet of two violins, cello, bass and piano from the Washington, D.C. area who call to mind Portland\'s explorers of Latin and cocktail music, Pink Martini. The primary difference is that as a quintet, QuinTango stay focused on their instrumental, chamber-centric interpretations of a variety of sounds under the \"tango\" umbrella. Classical music fans will like them for the emotive strings, Latin music lovers will like them for their playful and passionate approach to a traditional music form. The music is highly dramatic and romantic and it\'s easy to get drawn in by the sound, giving in to nostalgia and wistful memories of passionate kisses on the terrace, warm embraces under the streetlight, or melancholy drinks at a booth in a night club. It\'s just the kind of stuff that filmmakers use to highlight and evoke pretty specific emotional scenes in their movies, and the music of QuinTango will resonate with the romantically-inclined listener. It\'s wonderful, charming music, full of excitement, danger, and passion.
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Mark Hammond
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Excellent orchestral tango
I probably own all of Quintango's discography, and I have purchased many of their disks as gifts for my friends. I actually purchased two of these CDs so that I could send one to a friend in Montreal. I was not disappointed, and I am sure he will be pleased.
This is the music I enjoy listening to. I know of no greater pleasure than sitting and enjoying an expresso while I listen to this music. I was delighted to see Carina Losano's picture on the cover and hear her singing. What a talented woman! And to think I had previously considered her to be only a tango instructor based in the Washington area.
This disk is orchestral tango at its best. Check it out ! You can listen to sample tracks on the internet. This is a CD you should add to your collection.
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