Tango 1-8

Deceptively minimalist and surprisingly indebted to Carla Bley's composition "Reactionary Tango," each of bassist Hannes Enzlberger's loosely constructed pieces builds on the tango as a prototype. The writing is refreshingly devoid of cliché (except when used as irony), and through subtle nuance lays a carpet of atmospheric layers that are spellbinding in their originality. The hand of the label's artistic director, Franz Koglmann, is clearly evident, and if you close your eyes you might confuse flügelhornist Thomas Berghammer's delicate, even effeminate tone with that of Koglmann. This is program music, in that every other piece is a take on the tango, interspersed with freely improvised selections for solo, duo, and trio. Although Enzlberger wrote all the tango numbers, Berghammer, who is the only horn, is the dominant voice as his breathy, spare, and light timbres infuse the music with a deep and golden loveliness. Every now and then he breaks forth with a growl (for example, on "Tango 5") or with a startlingly ferocious distorted run (hear him on "Duo 1" with Enzlberger), but the flügelhornist is more likely to sing through his horn with simple beauty than to mesmerize with technique — although it still good to know that he has the chops to do what he wants. Otto Lechner is a treat to hear, as he chooses his notes carefully, and uses silence and a pre-bop sentiment to explore hidden roots.