Paquito D’Rivera with the Pablo Aslan Ensemble – Tango Jazz: Live at the Lincoln Center (Sunnyside Records – 2010)
One of the greatest love affairs in music is the one between folk music and dance. This extremely covert relationship has spilled over into contemporary music as well—more so in musical excursions in Europe (where even Igor Stravinsky sang its praises with compositions of his own) and in Latin America. One of the most beloved of all these affairs is the storied one of the tango, a voluptuous one between characters born in countries as far removed as Finland, Spain and France—mixed in with vibrant ones in Africa—then transported across oceans to a brave new world where they came to rest principally in Argentina and Uruguay, where the romance grew until it reached dizzying heights at the hands of Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzolla. The love affair has continued until today with musicians such as the great bassist, Pablo Aslan, who have continued to expand its role in the literature of music.
The Cuban-born, US-based musician, Paquito D’Rivera has been known to be in an interminable dalliance with tango and this album, Tango Jazz: Live at the Lincoln Center is a culmination of sorts and a tribute to his role in the affair. D’Rivera brings his pliant ingenuity to this project displaying every bit of his mastery on the alto saxophone as well as on the dreamy, woody tones of his clarinet, which seems born for the romance of the tango. His phrasing is immaculate and undulates with the rhythm of his heart. Lines and phrases slide into one another with mighty glissando. They begin sometimes with a shrill cry of delight, then swirl and pirouette as they soar and float on their way to the inevitable denouement. On this album, he plays off the wonderful brassiness of Gustavo Bergalli’s burnished horn and the bandoneón of Michael Zisman and Raul Jaurena.
The tantalizing brilliance of “Viejo Smocking” is memorable as is the sweeping indolence of “Milonguinha” and “Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind.” The dark romance of “Bandoneón” is one of the high points of the program just as the hypnotic swirl of “Verano Porteño” another. In like manner, the creativity of “Tanguajira” is one where D’Rivera marries the Cuban with the Argentinean and the Uruguayan as well. And just as “Beto” does, so also “Goodbye” mixes various idioms with the all-pervasive tango. It is almost impossible to stop the feet from sliding and tapping to the music as they prepare to glide and guide the body into the queen of all Latin American dances.
Make no mistake; however, as this is almost as much Pablo Aslan’s journey as it is Paquito D’Rivera’s. The bassist is a towering figure in the world of modern tango and music as well. His complete mastery of his instrument and virtually all forms of music and dance is legion. Here his spirit is all over the music even guiding the mighty work of Michael Zisman and drummer Daniel Piazzolla throughout this memorable album.
Tracks: Viejo Smocking; Beto; Bandoneón; Milonguinha; Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind; Verano Porteño; Tanguajira; Goodbye.
Personnel: Paquito D’Rivera: alto saxophone and clarinet; Gustavo Bergalli: trumpet; Pablo Agri: violin (6); Nicholas Danielson: violin (7); Michael Zisman: bandoneón; Raul Jaurena: bandoneón (7); Abel Rogantini: piano; Pablo Aslan: bass; Daniel Piazzolla: drums.
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Paquito D’Rivera on the web: www.paquitodrivera.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
Pablo Aslan – Tango Grill (Zoho Music – 2010)
To the unsuspecting ear, Pablo Aslan may sometimes appear to be just a fabulous bassist, with sublime technique and a virtuoso of limitless possibility. But dig a little deeper, especially into this album, Tango Grill and the impossible will seem to appear. Aslan takes the relatively rigid structure of the written music and dance form, the Tango, into a stratospheric space where no one else has ever dared to venture. At least this is not since Astor Piazzolla reinvented the form as Nuevo Tango, over 60 years ago. To be precise, Aslan is taking the Tango, a form of music that is played as written into the realm of the idiom of Jazz, a music that is as elastic as an improviser can be. This is where Tango Grill purports to fit in: like playing tocar a la parrilla, without written arrangements, on the grill.
And what a spectacular program Aslan presents here, together with the masterful bandoneon playing of Nestor Marconi, but especially the trumpet of Gustavo Bergalli and the percussion inventions of Daniel Piazzolla, Astor Piazzolla’s son. The musical challenge was immense: Take eleven classic tangos and reinvent them with the feeling of jazz. Aslan presents these swirling pieces as wonderful dancing, pirouetting spectacles that appear before the mind’s eye as they sweep across gleaming floors with just the swish of dark gowns and leather brushing against the invisible wax. Pablo Aslan recreates this classic setting with sublime playing arco con brio. His ability to create the fire of the music at one time, and then dampen it with murky suggestions of elemental dark sadness and loneliness is unparalleled. Although Aslan appears never to stray from the melodies, in fact he turns these pieces into miniature vignettes in the stellar regions of jazz.
The 1920s classic, “El Amanecer,” for instance conjures aural recollections of early Third Stream as the bassist and bandoneonist dance around each other with graceful counterpoint. “Viejo Smocking,” although reverently read is actually quite avant, with a singing bass and harmonic lines from trumpeter, Gustavo Bergalli, who is spectacular throughout the program. By the time “La Trampera” comes around the ensemble breaks the mould completely, with a wonderful, staccato solo from percussionist Piazolla that breaks down the rhythm for the rest of the ensemble. Aslan then brings proceedings to a spectacular close.
Although there are many defining moments on the album, it is “La Trampera” that presents the sojourn in all its glory as the group led by a bassist and musician of singular vision and ability takes the Tango to the outer reaches of possibility. Tango Grill is a rare and memorable album played flawlessly by a bassist destined for great things in 21st Century music.
Tracks: 1. El Amanecer; 2. Viejo Smocking; 3. El Marne; 4. La Payanca; 5. Sin Palabras; 6. Rencor; 7. El Flete; 8. Dandy; 9. La Ultima Cita; 10. Divina; 11. La Trampera.
Personnel: Pablo Aslan: bass; Nestor Marconi: bandoneon: (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11); Nicolas Ledesma: piano (1, 3 – 5, 7 – 10); Abel Rogatini: piano (2, 6, 11); Ramiro Gallo: violin (1, 3 – 5, 7 – 11); Gustavo Bergalli: trumpet (2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11); Daniel Piazolla: drums (2,3, 5, 6, 11).
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Pablo Aslan on the web: www.avantango.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
