TÁNGER

This is an unedited live bootleg from 1999, recorded directly from the mixer. There were no overdubs or post-mix, but the sound is very clear. Here the band plays powerful versions from the first album "Tanger" (1999) and two tracks from the following album "La otra cara'"(2002) The performance is energetic and precise, sometimes better than the ones from the studio albums. There's a longer version of 'Mas alla de la noche' with a nice improvising section. This is, maybe, my favorite track from the record. There's only one regret: the CD is a little short, just about 40' A very interesting recording to know early Tanger on its live side.

This is, in my opinion, the best album from Tanger's discography where the all the influences shown on their previous albums seem to flow very naturally arriving to a unique style. Here the band reaches a great equilibrium from hard and subtle moods, always working together as a team. The instrumental performance is quite good, and the sound very clean, with not much overdubs (just a few synths and doubled guitars) Not very long tracks, rich melodies, naturally flowing counterpoints between guitar and flute, well done solos, a solid rhythmic base and well used odd meters make the album coherent and very interesting to listen.

Argentinean ensemble Tánger doesn't seem to leave their`primer, continuing to grow in sound and texture while solidly retaining their signature fusion-oriented prog style. Two years after their magnificent opus "Ciudad" they released their 2008 effort "Mundos Paralelos", again with a repertoire fully written by bassist/keyboardist Luis Colucci. The band remains a robust ensemble, even stronger than on any of their previous efforts. Actually, this factor may not seem so obvious given the largest amount of softer passages, but it is clear to me that the instrumental dialogues established by the musicians have reached their maximum point of energy so far, deliverign in a very calculated manner. The opener 'Ansiedad' kicks off with some spacey synth layers complemented by percussive adornments: the basic pace set by the cymbals prepare the stage for the full ensemble's work. The guitar inputs, the playful flute lines and the particular rhythm section's dynamics show undisputed hits of what Tánger's musica lessence is all about. The lead guitar elaborated all through minute 4 is simply splendid. 'Círculos Concéntricos' goes to more extroverted places: provided with a well-ordained melodic basis, the magical flute lines and the 80s KC-inspired guitar riffs make me wish the track would have been a bit longer than its 3'51 span. The namesake track shifts to a much calmer mood, a tango- inspired one that creates an air of solemnity. The controlled energy of the guitar and the sensual rhythmic cadences help to generate a special, melancholic ambience. This kind of mood is reiterated in 'Siete Pulsos', albeit with a more explicit sophistication in the tempo shifts and a more vibrant overall mood: the listener will notice some influences from Jethro Tull and Focus' classic eras, which have always been among Tánger's main references. 'El Castillo', built on a 9/8 tempo, adds a delicate tension to the album's general atmopshere with its weird, yet gently delivered chord progressions. The augmented flute input is mesmerizing in a way that enhances the track's lyrical focus. 'Metamorfosis' is a mid-tempo piece of pure jazz-rock in which the lead guitar is placed on center stage. For this one, flutist Damián Lois is in charge of keyboards and extra percussion. The Latin-jazz elements are evident, and so are the intimate textures that may remind us of late 70s Weather Report. The Argentinean Creole folk thing returns to the fold in 'Dos Dimensiones', which sets a lighter mood and a more fixed structure than track 3. 'Insomnia' is pure rocking Tánger at their Tulliest: the patent progressive sophistication and the dynamic equilibrium between guitar and flute are beautifully sustained on a clearly jazzy rhythmic sturcture. 'Marquesinas' also gives preferential room to the band's rockier side: a 5/4 tempo, amazing flute flourishes, an almost Frippian guitar lead, subtle synth layers that add some softness to the whole... this is the proghead's paradise. A new version of 'Nova Lisboa' (original from teh debut album), renewed with an enhanced touch of Crimson, closes down the album with a proper high spirit. So fr, the musical trend created and followed by Tánger has been an ascension toward increasingly richer sonorities - "Mundos Perdidos" is their new top achievement , as well as one of the most beautiful prog recordings to come out of a Latin American country in 2008.

What do you get when you blend King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Brand X? Probably the closest answer would be "Mundos Paralelos" by the very good Argentinean band TANGER.

The real problem with this album is to categorize it, because the Jazz influences are more than obvious, but there's too much happening to limit them to a single sub-genre as Prog Fusion, so the word Eclectic describes them perfectly.

But let's check the tracks one by one:

The album starts with "Ansiedad", a song that impresses me most because the way the band managed to make it flow from start to end without any problem, despite the different sounds and moods you can find. The main reference would be obviously Jethro Tull because of the preeminent role of the flute, but the Jazz structure is more than clear, very good starter.

"Circulos Concéntricos" is a different blend and flavor, the Psyche intro collisions with the development of the song which sounds reminiscent of "Larks Tongues in Aspic", it's amazing how the guys from TANGER are able to blend, what seems impossible to blend.

"Mundos Paralelos" begins with an acoustic guitar intro that leads to a softer track with some Bossa Nova aroma, the sweet flute is evidently the lead instrument, soft and melancholic, maybe too simple for some progheads, but not everything has to be ultra complex to be good.

"Siete Pulsos" brings us back to Prog Fusion territory, even when the folk element is always present, the drum, bass and guitar interplay make a good background for the flute, at the end a FOCUS inspired section reminds of Jan Akkerman, not as strong as the previous, but still good.

"El Castillo" strangely starts with a vague resemblance to ALAN PARSON'S PROJECT, but when the flute enters, the sound dramatically changes into some kind of Ambient/Jazz with a touch of Folk and a hint of Anglagard, strange track, but nice.

"Metamorfosis" begins with a very good guitar work "a la FOCUS", but again you can feel many different things happening there, soft Jazz enhanced wit the electric piano and then a rhythmic section with bass and bongos, a bit too soft for my taste.

"Dos Dimensiones" is a totally different business, closer to Folk than to Jazz, a dreamy and mysterious track with some "Bossa Nova" aroma, again too simple for me, but still good. There's a song by the Peruvian band FRAGIL called "Lizzy" that sounds very close to "Metamorfosis".

"Insomnio" is more my kind of song, more elaborate, complex and closer to Rock, the keyboards, drums and bass interplay is very efficient, still some folksy touches, but the aggressive sound is more of m taste, excellent material.

"Marquesinas" reminds me of King Crimson from "Three of the Perfect Pair" era, of course with some Latin Jazz tones as usual in TANGER, but as in the previous track, this guys prove they are ready for more demanding stuff. The flute semi-solo inspired in Ian Anderson is simply magic, another good track. When the closer "Nova Lisboa" starts, I thought I was before a King Crimson album, seems inspired in "Starless", the bass and guitar work is excellent, this is the kind of song you need to close an album.

Would love to give 3.5 stars to "Mundos Paralelos", but our rating system doesn't allow it, so I will have to go with three stars, because the album is way ahead of the average, but still I feel they can give more.

I sincerely recommend this album for Progheads with a wide taste, who love Folk, Jazz and King Crimson.

Tánger reveals itself as a group capable of surpassing themselves with each new recording, keeping a strong focus on a constant essence of their own while enriching their sound with renewing textures and colors. If their sophomore work "La Otra Cara" brought a more articulated sound than their very good debut album, their 2006 opus "Ciudad" finds them expanding their musical nucleus. The album is quite strong, and there's an additional merit to it: its conception and production took ages, during which two replacing guitarists came and went (after Ignacio Lois' departure), and even bassist/main writer Luis Colucci had to play the guitar parts in a couple of tracks. The opener 'Avenida' starts with street noises, including a pronounced series of hooter blows that sets the rhythm pace for the music, a punchy rocker that turns out to be quite catchy. The softer interlude gives it an elegant air. Just like 'Avenida', 'Entorno' bears a typical Tánger rocky touch, although this time with added jazzy cadences. 'Entorno' is the first track in which newcomer guitarist Eduardo Ferreira, showing that his skill and taste make him capable to fit into the band's overall sound. Of all the rockers in the album, 'Máscaras' is my favorite, since its freshness makes it irresistible. Its 5/4 main motif is alternated with psychedelic interludes delivered with genuine enthusiasm. Between track 1 and 2, 'Luna Urbana' moves into dreamlike territories, with the flute lines and synth layers provoking melancholy thoughts, plus an amazing bass guitar solo that brings some constrained energy right before the coda. Everything works perfectly in this number as integrated in a unit. 'Plaza Mayor' comprises elements from Argentinean Creole folklore: it is a delicate jazz-rock number built upon a tango-inspired tempo. Immediate following is another piece with even stronger folkish ambiences, 'Cortada', which brings the magic of milonga. Yet another example of how this band seems to work effortlessly as a unit, almost as if they were intentionally hiding the subtle complexity of the compositions: the dynamic rhythm patterns, the playful acoustic guitar chords, the elegant flute lines and the extra adornments on melodica (played by a guest) together mingle in a very moving piece. It feels too short to me, but again, it's OK. The evocative nature of music is prolonged in the next number, the two part 'Pasacalle y Fugazzetta' is a delicate jazz-rock exercise that provides a gentler and a less gentle recreation of an effective motif. 'Ferrocarril' (Spanish for railway) gets started with the sound of a train passing. Even though this is an electric piece, the energy is constrained in order to provide images of a mental journey more than just portraying the frenzy of iron on steel through a railroad travel: for that purpose, the band chose to focus on the textures of jazz-rock. 'Ochava' closes down the album with the recovery of milonga- inspired airs, this time more joyfully than 'Cortada' did. All in all, "Ciudad" is one of the most beautiful and cleverly crafted albums to come out of South America during the last months, and indeed, it establishes Tánger as a major (albeit mostly ignored) act in Argentina's current rock scene.

This progrock from the Argentine four piece band Tanger has been recorded between 1998 and 1999. The musical brainchild is bass - and keyboard player and composer Luis Colucci. A first session evokes early King Crimson ("Red"-era): exciting and propulsive atmospheres featuring the poweful Fripperian 'chainsaw-sound" but also an ethnic flavor. These elements are the main ingredients on this alternating and adventurous album, from reaggae and jazz to rock and symphonic. The often sultry and hypnotizing climates evoke Ozric Tentacles, also because of the flute and fiery electric guitar. Although some songs tend to sound a bit similar, this CD is a delight.

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With a new flute player in its line-up, the Argentinean band Tánger recorded their second album, which surpasses their very good debut recording. The main factor for this improvement is basically that the instrumental ensemble feels tighter and more solid as a multi-part unit; concerning the writing, the tendency is the same as in their debut album, basic musical ideas that are only subtly developed in order to allow the guitarist and the flutist travel with some healthy dose of freedom without breaking the very spirit of each composition. The evocative 'Zobeida' kicks off the album with a powerful strike of melancholic lightning: despite its slow tempo and languid cadence, it really works as an effective opening number. Things start to get more directly exciting with the up tempo rocker 'Rock und Rolle' and the jazz rock driven intensity of 'Años' and 'Los Ritos'. The latter two are instilled with an unmistakable Crimsonian air, but Tánger always manages to avoid derivativeness; the same goes for the newcomer flutist Damián Lois (brother of guitarist Ignacio Lois), whose style is somewhat influenced by Ian Anderson's colorfulness, yet there is no cloning nor ripping off on absolutely any of his lines. Tracks 4-6, 10 find the band creating interesting excursion in Crimonian fields (circa 'Red' era), while keeping a sense of delicate instrumental harmony that allows the band to shine mostly as a whole unit: the trick for that is to stick to limited time spans when it comes to the development of the jams and solos, which are restricted to the confines concisely demanded by the main musical ideas written by bassist Luis Colucci. The namesake track is a catchy hard rock piece refashioned with clever touches of funky and blues. On the softer side of things, 'Evocación' resumes the sense of melancholy that had been previously portrayed in the opening cut, taking it to a more introspective level: what a proper title for such an evocative track. 'Chacales' takes the road of ethnic jazz fusion, and immediately after, 'La Trama' lays down an exquisite hard rocking closure to the album. It is clear that the band's credo is: reach for clever inventiveness while dispensing with any temptation of getting too lofty or pompous. All in all, "La Otra Cara" is an excellent example of the immense creativity that takes place in the current South American avant-garde rock scene.

Tánger is an Argentinean instrumental ensemble that assumes the combined influences of 69-71 JT and 73-74 KC as a fundamental basis for their own prog sound, while not confining themselves to being just mere clones or wannabes. Their peculiarity resides in the inclusion of some light yet easily noticeable touches of jazz fusion, and some added Latin American folk nuances in places: the result is more obviously melodic than KC and less exuberant than JT, so Tánger can be properly described as a band devoted to finesse and subtlety in a prog context well apart from symphonic splendour or epic pretensions. Flutist Daniel Algieri - who also plays occasionally some tenor sax - keeps a healthy balance between a delicate sense of melody and a taste for free improvisations: his is the most relevant role in the ensemble's interplays, with the guitarist working as its most recurrent counterpart, and the rhythm section duet providing a precise foundation for their partners to stand upon. The compositions (all written by bass player Luis Colucci) are somewhat restrained, mostly based on concise riffs and chord progressions: while the actual execution leaves some room for creative jamming, the band members take special care at functioning as a well-adjusted unit, never letting that room for freedom expand itself excessively in order to preserve the integrity of the main musical ideas defined in the compositions. All things considered, it is that JT/KC-based thing that becomes their most notorious signature: accordingly, numbers such as 'Espejos' (an effective opening track), 'Laberintos' and the energetic closure 'El Filo de la Eternidad' turn out to be the most "prototypical" ones in the repertoire. 'Nova Lisboa' shows the band keeping their JT/KC while experimenting with some ethnic stuff provided by a synthesized harmonic sequence. Later on, 'Una Tristeza Nocturna' travels along the seas of electric blues in an introspective manner, and 'Más Allá de la Noche' finds the band turning onto their jazziest side. The eerie 'El Sueño de los Mares Lejanos' comes as a special surprise: it's a most clever exercise in elaborating mysterious ambiences, creating a density so peaceful (as opposed to disturbing) that leaves this reviewer speechless. My personal rating for Tánger's eponymous debut album lies somewhere between 3 and 3 1/2 stars; all in all, this may be a good place to start for those who want to investigate seriously in the amazing current prog scene that is being developed in South America.

P.S.: One year after this release, Daniel Algieri left and was replaced by Luis Colucci's brother Damián. One year after that, Algieri passed away. Therefore, this album is a definitive testimony of Algieri's masterful musicianship.

The second release by Tanger but their first on Viajero contains an altogether more accessible sound.The young flute player Damian Lois excels , and has a style not disimilar to Ian Anderson, but to my ears more similar to S.Dundon of the magnificient folk prog UK band Molly Bloom.. However , Tanger are not similar to Tull or Molly Bloom and bear little comparison to Crimson as is often stated. The sound is unique but owes something to free jazz in parts. Some parts of this CD particularly the more blues inspired tracks remind of Triode.The best tracks on the CD are the more melodic ones such as the wonderful title track featuring bass playing which reminds of Eberhard Weber.This is an enjoyable CD with great playing , but the compositions sometimes appear to need further development.Nonetheless recommended for those who like music which heavily features the flute such as Ergo Sum and Grovjobb