Various Artists — Spinettango (Nacional Records, 2022)
Nacional Records released Spinettango in 2022, a splendid tribute that recast songs by Luis Alberto “El Flaco” Spinetta through the prism of tango. The emotive, beautifully crafted album honors one of Argentina’s most influential musicians and songwriters. Although the songs of a rock musician may seem distant from the tango scene, this is not the case. Spinetta was influenced by tango in a number of songs and some tango musicians expressed their deep appreciation of Spinetta’s works.
The project connects Spinetta’s songbook to a tradition associated with Astor Piazzolla, who reportedly admired his music. The recordings feature classic tango arrangements as well as the contemporary sound of today’s milongas and orchestras. Contributors include major names in the Argentine music scene such as Litto Nebbia, Daniel Melingo, Mimi Maura, and Los Altiyeros. Correspondingly, Argentine media responded positively to the release.
Spinetta, a highly talented vocalist, guitarist, and composer, remains a central figure in rock en español. He pioneered progressive rock, jazz-rock fusion, and classic rock in Argentina. His magnificent, timeless songs have been embraced by several generations of Argentine musicians and music fans.
The video for “Durazno Sangrando” features the Premio Gardel-winner Puerto Rican vocalist Mimi Maura, long-based in Argentina along with her husband Sergio Rotman of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. The captivating “Durazno Sangrando” is a Spinetta classic.
Buy Spinettango.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.