Later on, starting in the 70s and until his death in the 90s, Astor Piazzolla's music evolved into the Tango Nuevo and his jazz influences became clearer, and he started going beyond, into longer, larger compositions. Some of those longer works remind us of the evolution of Ellington in his older years, his concertos and oratorios.

What the years of despair and the nightmares of a twisted social and political life did to the country was prophetically in his early music that very few of us listened to, shocked by the realization that it was the reflection of those things we had in our heart, new things that could be and were being composed by Piazzolla!

The music that Tango Number Nine offers here is Argentine tango at its best, exploratory, open hearted and freely accepting the influences of jazz to the point that at times it's difficult to determine when one ends and the other starts.

It's a rarely performed music and not readily available in the States. This music - not traditional tango dance pieces and not exactly Tango Nuevo - is unique in its appeal to both tango and jazz fans. Using this seminal material as a foundation, Tango No 9 makes it their own, true to the original feeling, retracing the master's footsteps and bringing a fresh perspective to this passionate music.

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Tango No 9 is a rather heterogeneous group. Odile Lavault, bandoneon player, is Parisian and yes, she also plays French cafe music of the 20s and 30s, as many other tango musicians did or were influenced by in the early years, when Paris was where so many Argentinian players and singers were always welcome... After all, our greatest icon, the singer Carlos Gardel, was French. Catharine Clune is the musical director and plays the fiery violin that reminds us both of the early John Frigo and of the Buenos Aires melancholy in the style of Suarez-Paz.

Another original touch: Trombone player Greg Stephens replaces the customary bass and brings his long well sustained support to the melodies. Joshua Raoul Brody is the man at the piano, with the same strong influences of an almost operatic drama that Argentine tango players have kept alive in their styles. His musical ideas result in the cohesive style of the group and its collective improvisations and blending melodies that also remind us of the democratic structure of the best Jazz.

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"Yes but... It's the "real thing" or not?"

Relax, stretch your legs under the table, savor your drink and listen. If you are alive and you aren't ashamed or afraid of your passions; if you don't fear either exploration or discoveries, and specially if you enjoy changing... Then it's "real", as you put it. It's just the next step, that's all.