Search - Piazzolla, Tani, Lucche :: Saexotango

Good musicianship, but poor interpretation

01/12/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Having played the Histoire du Tango sax quartet, and winning a competition with it, I was interested in listening to the interpretation of this group. Yes they get the notes right, and they play well as a group, but let me make one thing clear--this piece is NOT jazz. The jazzy scoops into the pretty, slow sections of the Cafe 1930 just make one keel over in pain--any true Piazzolla fan would do the same. This group seems to have a jazz background, which is fine, but they need to pay justice to the music and stylistically. Nowhere in Piazzolla music, even when he's playing with Gerry Mulligan, jazz saxophonist, does ANYONE stray so far stylistically. I guess it's up to them on how to interpret the music, but if they have to do those horrible pitch bends, they could do it the correct, and much better sounding way of lifting a key or two for an extra note instead of bending one note. Good group, but after spending so much time and effort and emotion on this piece myself, hearing it interpreted that way is a stake through the heart."