Buffalo Tango Orkestra (Spring 2017)

As the audience first sat down in Montante Cultural Center, the climate of the room seemed serious. It was not until The Tango Orkestra began playing the first song, that the mood was lifted. The first few melodies seemed playful and fun. One could not help but to move lightly as the music continued. Tango dancers were strategically placed around the stage, which helped to add a new layer of authenticity to the performance. For the most part, the dancers fit the bill of the ‘normal’ sensual couple of tango. It would have been more visually appealing if the connection between the dancers and the music could be felt. While they move to the beat, the emotional aspect seemed to fall flat in comparison to the musicians.

Across the entire concert, the music was emotionally versatile. Sometimes it seemed like the pain was palpable, other times the audience was swept up into some silly narrative. The story of two strangers was especially accentuated by the instruments, which seemed to be telling the emotional story behind the words. There were parts when the instruments seemed to be speaking to each other. The ability of the instrumentalists to communicate so impeccably was quite impressive. The music contained some very complex and challenging time signatures, making the performance even more enjoyable. It was difficult to know what would happen next, equating the experience to an exciting musical adventure. The music would start as a tune full of long, sad notes. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, it would switch from legato to staccato. These changes within songs kept the experience interesting and unpredictable. 

During the second part of the concert, there was an original piece which shattered the expectations of the audience. It could be described as a deconstructed tango song. All the elements seemed to be present. However, the fluidity was missing, it seemed to be disassembled. The story portrayed with this song left the listener with a feeling that something tragic happened. At the same time, it felt like a story of rediscovery and love. It really encapsulated the heart of Tango, as it is known today.