Austin Chamber Music Festival: Raul Jaurena & the Texas Tango Five
First Unitarian Universalist Church, July 23
Around this time last year, five musicians, led by Uruguayan legend Raul Jaurena, came together to play some tango. It was an experiment for the 2009 Austin Chamber Music Festival, a chance for tango to shine alongside classical, jazz, and the other styles explored throughout the festival’s eclectic run. And man, did it work. Thus was born the Texas Tango Five, back again this year to rediscover the very magic that brought the house down last year.
Joining Jaurena on bandoneón (the accordionlike instrument synonymous with tango) were Michelle Schumann on piano, Korine Fujiwara on violin, Chris Maresh on bass, and Russ Scanlon on electric guitar. Jaurena was a player in tango master Astor Piazzolla’s orchestra and brought with him the aching, passionate performance style associated worldwide with his mentor.
Piazzolla, who had aspired from childhood to be a classical composer, famously brought his symphonies and sonatas to Nadia Boulanger in 1954 for advice. Upon hearing his music, Boulanger struggled to locate the young Argentinean’s true voice. After much prodding, Boulanger discovered that Piazzolla was a bandoneón player and tango performer in nightclubs throughout Paris. Against his wishes, Piazzolla took out his bandoneón and played a few lines of a tango. Boulanger responded: “You idiot! That’s Piazzolla!” With that, the legend was born.
Judging by the crowd that gathered Friday night to hear the Texas Tango Five, the legend stands strong. With the sanctuary of First Unitarian already filled to capacity, audience members stood along the aisles and crammed the tiny entrance lobby, making this the first standing-room-only chamber music concert Austin’s seen in a long time.
The opening notes of Piazzolla’s epic “Michelangelo 70” cast an immediate spell over the audience. The furious urban tango led into the soulful, yearning “Mumuki,” which showcased Fujiwara and Jaurena’s inspired back and forth. Later in the performance, following an inspired piano improvisation that linked the furious “Fugata” with “Milonga del Angel,” Schumann wowed in “Contrabajissimo,” an exciting piece that opened with cool unison material and built into a nostalgic showcase for the pianist. The highlight of the night was Jaurena’s mini master class on the bandoneón, which built into an inspired, virtuosic solo. Watching Jaurena was quite a sight – the gasping, aching sounds that escaped from his bandoneón came at you in a visceral way, as if the instrument itself were alive. The only minor hiccup came with Jaurena’s own composition, “New York Gotan,” which had all the right pieces but lacked the inspiration and meatiness of the works surrounding it.
The ensemble experienced some slight balance issues throughout, particularly with Fujiwara, whose effective violin work was often smothered in the denser sections. As a whole the five players did a tremendous job considering they came together for this one concert. Thus my hope for the group: May the Texas Tango Five find a way to stay together, explore one another musically, and tighten and refine their awesome material. If the audience’s wild response to their performance portends anything, what a bright future they’d have. I realize this is a pipe dream, but why not indulge it?
This article appears in July 30 • 2010.