Silvana Deluigi Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Of all the unlikely musical developments that could have taken place in the closing years of the 20th century, the avant-tango movement is probably the second least likely (right after Christian death metal). What was predictable was that Kip Hanrahan would find some way get his hands on it, and sure enough, here he is producing and arranging a strange and lovely album by Argentine singer Silvana Deluigi, a woman who seems to have a powerfully ambivalent relationship to the tango tradition. What gives tango music its tremendous power is the sense of hot passion being kept, just barely, under tight control, and that feeling is what binds most of these songs together, even when they depart quite dramatically from the typical rhythmic and harmonic patterns that typify tango. "La Cumparsita" is the song that hews most closely to the party line -- it's slow, dark, and bittersweet, like good chocolate, and features some wonderful string writing. "Cuesta Abajo" is more emotionally fraught, and the strings are more classical in tone, as if to balance out the raw passion of the singing. On "Tangologie" a strange sort of Broadway-esque exuberance creeps in, and the result feels awkward, but the spy-movie ambience of "Maquillaje" fuses with the tango flavor quite nicely. Throughout the album, Deluigi's voice is a thing of dark and rich beauty, and her delivery is powerful but elegant. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
'Live con "676 Tango"'
Release Date 7/10/2001
Tracks 16
Label Inakustik
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The tango originated in Argentina, but there's no law stating that a first-class tango recording can't be done in Europe. A case in point is Loca, which was recorded in Paris in 1997 and released by the German Inakustik label in 1999. Like the late Astor Piazzolla -- one of her main influences -- Silvana Deluigi is a very risk-taking and progressive tango artist. The dramatic, highly expressive singer is well aware of tango's rich history, but she doesn't feel the need to be enslaved by that history. On this self-produced CD, Deluigi combines tango with touches of post-bop jazz as well as European cabaret. Most of the vocals are in Spanish, and her passionate singing often reminds us just how beautiful a language Spanish can be. But Deluigi realizes that tango doesn't always have to be en espanol. The singer demonstrates that tango can work with French lyrics, on "India Song" (a potent blend of tango and French pop), and she brings tango elements to German lyrics on her interpretation of Bert Brecht and Kurt Weill's "Surabaya Johnny." From start to finish, Loca is stunning. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
