America's Greatest Tango Orchestra
345716
Is it any wonder that President Clinton chose Quintango to entertain the  President of Argentina at a state dinner in the White House?  A musician  himself, the President didn't have to look any further than this stellar  Washington based ensemble.
This quintette of classicly trained musicians  is really passionate about the tango as an art form.  You can hear it in  their playing.  They even travel to Buenos Aires on a regular basis to make  sure that their music is authentic and current.  Their choice of selections  is impeccable and will satisfy even the most ardent of Tango lovers.  If  you love tango, you will love this album.
Even the packaging and art work  of this album are superb.  Don't pass up this album if you are a tango  aficionato.  It is a "must buy."
2352917
Five INVIGORATING Stars! One of my favorite CDs of all time. Dizzy with an all-star United Nation(s) Orchestra in front of a very appreciative audience at London's Royal Festival Hall. How appreciative? The performance received a ten-minute standing ovation at the end.

 "Tin Tin Deo" brings to mind the seminal conguero Chano Pozo with Dizzy and his orchestra in the 40's (Still available on CD). An incredible performance for the arrangement, solos, and the pure fire of the orchestra. The ominious percussion intro by Manenguito, Airto, and Ignacio Berroa is particularly effective. The alto solo by Paquito D'Rivera is hair-raisingly gorgeous, building and building to a grand crescendo. Danilo Perez doesn't solo but his piano is crucial, driving the solos and the orchestra with explosive, percussive comping.

 This is followed by a wonderful display of clarinet mastery by Paquito on the waltz "Seresta" and one of his best compositions: "Samba for Carmen (McRae)".

Flora Purim, one of the best jazz vocalists, is in fine form on "Tanga", as is James Moody on "Kush". He plays a particularly exciting solo here and on "Night in Tunisia". Also of note are the contributions of two marvelous tandems: trombonists Slide Hamption and Steve Turre (complete with his conch shells), and trumpet stars Arturo Sandoval and Claudio Roditi. This CD is Highly Recommended, but I must say a few solos drift off mike but are audible. I turn up the volume, just to get the experience. Trust me, it's worth the effort. The orchestra is sometimes listed without the "s" on Nations, but not here. My Highest Recommendation. Five SWINGING Stars.

 (Also, the concert can occasionally be seen on the "BET on Jazz" cable channel on it's "Classic Concerts" program. Here, those off-miked solos are clearly audible, so it's worth a look to get the full concert experience (and, of course, to see Flora cut loose vocally)).
3598880
This was a live performance that was recorded and turned into a wonderful concert designed for listeners who are not afraid to be called hybrid listeners mainly because this is both classical music and Brazilian music intertwined neatly for the discerning ear. The quality of musicians is superb!

Now, this was recorded 11 years ago. It sounds fresh as ever.  I have the Yo Yo Ma CD of Obrigado Brazil and some of the selections also appear on this CD albeit performed live instead of in a studio. The musical talent of Rosa Passos, her voice and guitar playing are on display here. Paquito Rivera is another superior musician (clarinet) that showcases his talent and practically steals the show from Yo Yo Ma and Rosa Passos. All three of them combined with all the other superior musicians who make up the ensemble is worth the money for a great collection CD.
4693062
This is a wonderful CD! De Larrocha delivers some great performances of many well-known Spanish favourites, some of which you may recognise more by the sound than the title.
The solo piano pieces include Albeniz' Sevilla:sevillanas, which I am sure you will recognise, his Tango and a popular Malaguea.
Granados' Spanish Dance No 5 [sometimes known by other titles] is sensitively performed.
Albeniz' grandfather, Mateo's D major Sonata is the opening track. This music will be recognised by Australian music lovers as the theme music for Margaret Throsby's wonderful music and interview program.
The Montsalvatge Brief Concerto is a most exciting feature of the recording.
Highly recommended. Stunning sound quality.
1392162
This DVD tells the story of the Chicano movement that started in East LA and tells it through the music that evolved into a unique beat and blend of Mexican and American music.  The stories are great and told with skill and sweetness.  You won't be able to resist dancing with joy and welcoming this music into the U.S. story.

Shirley Fredricks
2682823
Under the direction of Antal Dorati in the late 1970s and 1980s, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra was very much involved with 20th century music, particularly that of American composers.  This recording allows us a glimpse into our Amercian music spirit via works that are sometimes dismissed as pops concert items.
Dorati and his orchestra give us a great performance of the Gershwin "Porgy And Bess Symphonic Picture", as arranged by Robert Russell Bennett.  It captures many of that great American opera's classic themes brilliantly.  It is the most popular symphonic imagination of the opera, superceding even Gershwin's, and the Detroit Symphony's performance shows why.
But the orchestra really shines on Ferde Grofe's celebrated "Grand Canyon Suite."  Grofe knew a lot about orchestration, having been a violist with the L.A. Philharmonic in the 1920's and being the one responsible for the orchestration of Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue."  This suite, which premiered in 1931, captures America's greatest natural trench in all its splendid glory, and comes up with some spectacular moments, including "The Painted Desert" and the extremely vivid "Cloudburst" movement.
This recording of two of the greatest examples of musical Americana comes highly recommended, not just for the works themselves but for the way the Detroit Symphony performs them.  Not to be missed!
863854
I've heard Gotan Project at my friend's house. And loved it suddenly.
If you like Tango and modern music formats and jazz, then this is the album for you...
  Interesting is, in almost every mood you can love the songs in this album. No matter you are sad, bored, happy, cheerful, angry songs will touch to your soul.
  La Revancha del Tango, another album from Gotan Project is also advisable strongly. Nice listenings :)
2446903
The Central Park concert has the best version of "Adios Nonino" I ever heard, the best version and the most virtuous introduction to both "Mumuki" and "Contra Bajissimo", and you will have the  plus that Astor himself will explain you in two minutes what is Tango. As  an argentinien I have been listening Piazzola's music since I was a teen  and the Central Park Concert (and also the Vienna Concert) are the best of  him. Close your eyes and when you will open them everything will be  different.
2614816
This CD entitled Strictly Dancing--Cha Cha offers an excellent introduction to cha cha dancing for people who want to dance the cha cha. The music bears that distinctive early 1960s Latin American beat and you will enjoy learning the cha cha as you listen to the music on this CD. Naturally, if you wish to just enjoy the music without dancing there's nothing wrong with that, either!

The CD opens with "El Musico;" this number uses the drums, percussion and horns to carry the bulk of the musical arrangement. The piano is great, too! The melody is infectiously catchy; and then the CD goes into a cha cha rendition of "Tea For Two" although this particular arrangement uses the drums and percussion more than the horns. The pace also increases somewhat so that you can begin to dance faster as you increase your ability to do the cha cha. El Gato's Rhythm Orchestra plays these two numbers very well.

Other great numbers on this CD include "Dance Of The Hours" with its lush intro and great horns; the relentlessly upbeat rendition of "Amada Mia" and even a cha cha rendition of Stephen Foster's classic entitled "Swanee River." Great!

"Volar" is an excellent example of how El Gato's Rhythm Orchestra could fuse together an Italian classic with a distinctly Latin cha cha beat. The drums, percussion and horns again carry the melody; you will not be disappointed by this track. "Hello Dolly" continues in the same vein; this time El Gato's Rhythm orchestra blends together a classic American Broadway show tune with their wonderful Latin cha cha sound. Impressive!

The CD ends with "Blue Cha Cha;" this number has something of a Mexican flavor to it and the tempo is faster than ever for this last number. The horns are wonderful.

Although some reviewers give this CD only four stars I think I will make this a five star review for two reasons. First of all, the liner notes tell very clearly how to dance the cha cha. Although this is done from the man's perspective it was customary at the time for the man to "lead" the woman around on the dance floor. These cha cha dance instructions impressed me. Second of all, the tempo increases as the CD progresses; this offers everyone a chance to gradually increase their ability to dance the cha cha faster and more proficiently with time. The liner notes also give a brief history of the development of the cha cha dance.

Overall, this CD has great music for your easy listening enjoyment. Moreover, this CD also proves to be a handy instructional device you can use to learn how to dance the cha cha. Although the heyday of the cha cha is long gone, this is no reason to avoid learning it. May you get this CD and enjoy it as much as I do!
4474361
Sparkling, full of life and intensity

is how I would describe these concertos

By Camargo Guarnieri. Guarnieri now one

of the best Latin-American composers

of the 20th century composed these

concetos beetween 1931 and 1963, the

Piano Concerto #1 is recorded here for

the first time. In the first Piano

concerto we hear a lot of Brazilian

percussion such as the cuica(Friction Drum)

and reco-reco(a scraper) use masterfully

especially in the final movement of

the first concerto. The Second Piano Concerto

is equally fun to listen to, and with a last

movement that opens with a tune that

one would expect to hear out the Rio

carnival. The last concerto #3, is

is also a great work. The soloist

Max Barros is wonderful, and so

are conductor Thomas Collin and

the Warsaw Philharmonic. Indeed

music full of life, emotion and

intensity. Five Stars!!!
4803886
Both the content and the interpretation on this "Tango" disc are wonderful. Jan Vogler once again works his magic on his fine cello. Astor Piazzola's music is hard not to love!
2705477
There are so many good things about this recording. I'd never heard Giuliani's Grand Overture before and I must say, I was blown away by this performance of it. Romero plays it in such a way that it sounds like a  whole orchestra being consolodated into one instrument. He has a control  over his instrument that I have longed for. Also, one of the smoothest  versions of Recuerdos de la Alhambra I've ever heard. Definately worth the  investment
2603307
This is a recording of Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" and Glazunov's "Stenka Razin," performed in excellent monaural sound by Europe's greatest post-WWII orchestras, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. That fact makes this recording priceless to those whose memories stretch back to the end of the Romantic Era in music and art. But the greatest privilege is to hear Wilhelm Furtwangler, arguably the greatest Romantic Music conductor who ever lived, departing from his beloved Beethoven and Wagner to infuse two great Russian classics with his depth, vision, and blazing boldness. Many people love other conductors in these works, like Mravinski, Stokovski or Reiner -- even Mengelberg. But no one who hears what Furtwangler finds and expresses in this music will ever forget it, and will ever hear the works again without knowing there is far more in these works than contemporary conductors can even imagine.
3875926
The more I listen to this set, the more I enjoy it.  What puzzles me is The American Record Guide's opinion of these performances--not a high opinion at all.  But I love the dark sound of The Chicago Symphony, and the recording itself puts me just far enough back in Orchestra Hall.  The American Record Guide is such a fine publication that I've recently been comparing these Abbado/Chicago performances with Mravinsky/Leningrad, pretty much still the place to begin for Tchaikovsky recordings; what Mravinsky does with the music, Abbado does too.  He even does it a little better--diminuendos, subtle accelerations, and the orchestra's right there with him--never a false step.  I'm not an Abbado fan; actually, I don't like his music-making very much.  But this set is a great set.
3244724
Great unique music that makes you move...they take the Tango to a nuevo level...I highly recommend this,  A must to add to your collection.
4474175
Lalo Shifrin, the prolific Argentine composer of numerous movie and television themes and jazz, created a dandy album with help of the outstanding and enlarged WDR Big Band. Esperanto, as the quasi-fusion artificial language indicates, covers the planet. This is a live concert recording from 2000, meaning that the interaction of performers and audience produces some excitement. Schifrin leads the 35-person ensemble. To further the atmosphere, he invited some guest musicians, including violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, percussionists Trilok Gurtu, Gregory Hutchinson, and Sidney Thiam, reed man Don Byron, synthesizer keyboardist Simon Stockhausen, James Morrison on trumpet, and Nestor Marconi playing the bandoneon. The rich arrangements flavored by tabla, bandoneon, and jazz violin plus a huge brass section bring cheer.  The first track, in 12/8 time, announces that this is not your usual jazz concert (unless you are Don Ellis). Later there is a 7/8 dance. This world jazz fusion sends out global phrases and feelings--a bit of India, a touch of Argentina, a klezmer clarinet, a taste of American blues, a suggestion of Indonesian gamelan, some 'outer space' electronica. The music, so bright, loud, harmonic, and simply joyous, with remarkable performances by the guest artists, and with clever and unusual arrangements, leaves the listener amazed and almost breathless. We share the ovations of the audience. The sonic engineering is worthy of the music, too. 70 minutes!
2760877
I have purchased a many album with the above mentioned orchestra playing. This album is their best as for sound and quality. The music of nino rota was copied quite well. Well done this time!