In the '90s, Buenos Aires was considered one of the cultural capitols of Latin America -- a far cry from the oppressive climate that had characterized the pre-Raul Alfonsin Argentina of the late '70s and early '80s, when the country was under the iron boot of a harsh military dictatorship. The Buenos Aires of the '90s was a hotbed of the fashion industry as well as a nightlife mecca where younger listeners went out to hear Argentinean artists playing rock en espanol, dance music, Latin pop and even rap. But more traditional music still had its place, and Argentines still got dressed up to go out and dance to tango bands. One such performance is the one heard on this CD, which was recorded live at Club del Vino in Buenos Aires from November 19-21, 1997. Playing for dancers, the tango quintet,
Tangata Rea, sticks to a mostly traditional repertoire that includes pieces like
Pedro Maffia's "Ventarron," Roberto Firpo's "El Amanecer" and Enrique Saborido's "Felicia." The performances are smooth, elegant and polished -- nothing challenging, but enjoyable. In a nutshell, it's exactly what you'd expect if you went to a Buenos Aires nightclub to dance to a tango band. ~ Alex Henderson