Tango Orkesteri Unto Finnish Tango CD

An interesting album of tango by way of Scandinavia. The genre of tango has enjoyed reasonable success in Finland now and then over the decades, led by figures such as Toivo Karki and Unto Mononen, European counterparts to Troilo and Piazzolla to some degree. There's a heavy dose of jazz informing the music (largely thanks to Karki's influence, who they play a few numbers from), and some hint of European (perhaps French) song as well. The tango is more jazz-driven in general than most other versions of it, and focuses on the harmonies somewhat more than, say, Piazzolla (who was more often interested in the sheer sonic possibilities and combinations within the melody). For tango in general, a newcomer should go straight to the origin with Gardel, Troilo, Piazzolla, etc. If you are already acquainted with the genre, however, this album of Finns would make a worthwhile addition to your collection. ~ Adam Greenberg