Confluence: Balkan Dances & Tango Nuevo (2022)

The title of this release refers not only to a confluence of music but also to the backgrounds of the (married) performers; violinist Zachary Carrettín is Latin American, while pianist Mina Gajic is from Serbia. The juxtaposition of tango music and sounds influenced by Balkan folk music will come as no surprise to lovers of the tango, which had considerable popularity all over eastern Europe in its heyday and still retains some of that. The rhythmic complexities of the tango appealed to eastern Europeans, and the ... Read More

The title of this release refers not only to a confluence of music but also to the backgrounds of the (married) performers; violinist Zachary Carrettín is Latin American, while pianist Mina Gajic is from Serbia. The juxtaposition of tango music and sounds influenced by Balkan folk music will come as no surprise to lovers of the tango, which had considerable popularity all over eastern Europe in its heyday and still retains some of that. The rhythmic complexities of the tango appealed to eastern Europeans, and the fascination is aptly exploited here. The Seven Balkan Dances of Marko Tajc?evic´ (1900-1984) are for piano alone, played by Gajic. Most are short, but No. 4, sostenuto e cantabile, is a slightly longer slow piece with a very tango-like mood. The tangos are by Ray Granlund and would fit nicely into a program of post-Piazzolla tango nuevo with their varied treatments of the form. The strong sound from the Sono Luminus studios is another draw on this release, capturing the energy of the... Read Less