Carta a mi Amada

The ultimate world music, tango had crossed the globe many decades before any such phrase was coined. It is a genre that always attracts fine musicians of diverse backgrounds and tastes. The three women and two men who make up the Encuentro Tango Quintet bring classical, folk and jazz skills to the mix; their back catalogue features repertoire from the likes of Vicente Greco, Astor Piazzolla, Aníbal Troilo and, more surprisingly, flamenco singer Diego El Cigala, all via original arrangements by their guitarist Angelo Petronio. This results in a satisfying sensation of strange familiarity; the five virtuosos are free to combine the more astringent, jagged effects of modern tango with the dance-friendly trills and upbeat tempo of traditional ballroom milongas. The title-track is particularly beguiling, channelling something of Ennio Morricone's lyricism with romantic, classical-sounding strings and contemporary tango, complete with chicharras – a cicada-like bowing of the strings above the bridge. While falling slightly short of a genuinely novel take on tango, this debut suggests the Encuentro Tango Quintet could go far as both concert orchestra and dance band.