Di Blasio, Gardel-Tango

Raul Di Blasio's tribute to one of the most popular proponents of the Argentine tango is an emotional valentine to one of his musical heroes, perhaps overly respectful and just a bit too evocative for its own good. The arrangements are lush and clever, though a few have too many synthetic instruments for their own good. Di Blasio's shines on "Volver" and "Cuesta Abajo," his intricate piano figures dramatically conveying the majesty and grandeur of the tango for the modern audiences -- either overly familiar with the form, or not at all. He also invited a few guests along, including the group El Consorcoio, Michael Bolton, and Fernando de la Mora. Bolton's appearance on "El Dia Que Me Quieras" is quite good, too; he proves himself quite an adept vocalist for the tango, and his closing note on the song is simply astounding. Though the arrangements and production -- polished to a fine sheen and often missing the emotion necessary for a good tango -- tend to drag down Di Blasio's tribute to the tango, there are several fine performances present. ~ John Bush