Abrazo Abierto

This London-based octet, led by violinist Caroline Pearsall, play for TV shows, dance events and workshops. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the group specialise in covers of tango standards, and of the 12 tracks contained on Abrazo Abierto, seven were penned by Astor Piazzolla. Osvaldo Pugliese, Aníbal Troilo and Agustín Bardi make up the rest, with two original works by violin-player Ramito Gallo and bandoneonist Nicolas Fontana, who were both based in Buenos Aires.

The arrangements of much-loved Piazzolla hits, ‘Adiós Nonino’ and ‘Soledad’, are respectful, lyrical, rather safe. Guillermo Rozenthuler’s vocals on ‘Jacinto Chiclana’ a song co-written with Jorge Luis Borges, are suitably ponderous. Pugliese’s ‘Negracha’ thumps just as it should. The two original numbers are solid contributions to the repertoire. I can imagine London’s milongueros getting hot, sweaty and mournful to ‘Al Amigo Pablo Rago’ and hot, sweaty and playful to ‘Milonga del Buru’. This is, essentially, a polished, professional sampler of Guardia Nueva greatest hits.

Does it add anything to the tango story, in the UK or elsewhere? Not really. Tango has always allowed its proponents to wallow in nostalgia and that, for (too) many artists is taken as an invitation to plunder the massive back catalogue. The LTO claims to be the ‘largest professional group in the country, a real ‘orquesta típica’.’ That’s pretty cool, but even non-Argentinian tango fans want, and deserve, more original material.