Although the label has released several albums with essentially the same title from the late Hugo Diaz and his trio, it doesn't appear that this is an obvious reworking of previously released material. With bandoneon, piano, and bass, it is indeed a very classical look at Argentinean tango, both old and new. You can hear the new in "Berlin 89" and
Astor Piazzolla's "Otoño Porteño," which crackle with experimentation as the relatively rigid trio format sparks up against the more flexible, wider-ranging sound. Curiously -- or perhaps not -- Diaz and crew never sound completely at home there. They're more comfortable with the selection of waltzes and the melancholy of "Que Noche" that put them on firmer, more familiar ground. Musically, they're superb, with wonderful interplay between the lead instruments and the bass liquid and busy -- but never overly so. It might never be tango album of the year, but to aficionados of the style, it's a very worthy addition to the canon. [Arc issued a 20-track edition in 2004.] ~ Chris Nickson