Tango Bitter Sweet

This Munich-based quartet takes the tango as their starting point, turns it into jazz with a worldly accents, and creates something delicioius.
They expertly play an impressive array of instruments (sax, clarinet, mandolin, vibes, perc, accordion, bass, bandoneon, piano, guitar, plus some vox). Each track is a fresh, new surprise that leaves you wanting to know will happen in the next minute and just when you think you have a song figured out, it changes. Delightfully unpredictable. One star each track -- maybe two.

1. A sweet, midtempo tango that undergoes some cool changes.
2. Swinging café bounce with a hip vibe.
3. Clarinet, strings, piano. Midtempo lyrical. Picks up energy.
4. Quirky w/an Italian theme-song feeling.
5. Relaxed w/a cool 60s feel.
6. Music box opening. Then a fast, jazzy take on a chestnut.
7. Jangly version of the tango classic. Upbeat, hip.
8. Sax-y and sexy, relaxed and groovy. Very late night lounge.
9. Slow & sophisticated. Great strings, wonderful arrangement.
10. Fun nonsense vocals in a happy, trippy little wiggle. Upbeat.
11. Part bolero, part French western soundtrack, part Italian bar.
12. Sharp clarinet, midtempo, slightly moody.
13. Mostly midtempo. Sweeping and very tango-y.
14. Is that a banjo? Bright, mid/uptempo and great fun.
15. Slow, dramatic intro. A classical sound w/contrabass.
16. Trilling guitar. Slow, emotional, sad. Can go right into 17.
17. Mid/up w/percussive flourishes and sweet jazzy solos.
18. Way fast. Instruments hurdling after each other downhill.