Non Solo Tango

In the 19th century, the salons of the well-to-do and the aristocracy hosted spectacular virtuoso piano versions of favorite opera tunes of the day; this project puts a contemporary spin on this enchanting tradition with the unforgettable melodies of the tango of Argentina. An increasing number of music lovers have found in the tango an art that cuts across barriers of language and culture and the genre has made it's mark forcefully in the media and mass communication. The prime mover in this was Astor Piazzolla who broadened the horizons of the tango by taking it out of Argentinian folklore and into concert halls throughout the world. And audiences everywhere have been won over by the richly passionate character which has ensured the tango's universal appeal. "Not Just a Tango" is a crossover project for concert performance encompassing tango, classical music and jazz. The historical, stylistic and musical foundation is, of course, the tango of Argentina. A masculine element (the piano) and a feminine element (the violin) have been added to mirror this harmoniously sensual dance in sound. What makes "Not Just A Tango" special is that arrangements assimilated the tango of folk music and popular song and expanded it with variations that take in jazz and hints of musical forms which might at first seem unusual, such as the waltz or rumba. Yet the spirit of the tango always comes through in the ever-growing excitement of these brilliantly intense virtuoso musical dialogues between soloists who are fully each other's equal in timbre and line.