The Improvised Music Company's penultimate concert in the current ESB Routes In Rhythm series was given by the acclaimed Argentinian band led by bandoneon player Dino Saluzzi.
Very much a family affair, it also included four other Saluzzis - Dino's son, Jose (guitar), Celso (bandoneon/voice), Celso's son, Matias (bass guitar), and Zenon (tenor/soprano/clarinet) - as well as Horacio Lopez (drums).
Together they produced work of such understatement and subtlety that, finally, it left a faint whiff of boredom despite the undoubted musicianship involved.
A contributory factor, personally, has to be the lack of a detailed knowledge of the music's many sources, among them the familiar tango, as well as other Argentinian folk seams, including milonga and candina. Mixed with these are influences clearly drawn from jazz, with some classical seasoning.
Perhaps because of the language barrier, there was also no effort to identify individual pieces and only a minimal attempt made to explain the music's contexts.
Very evident, however, was the melodic grace of the compositions, presumably mostly by Dino Saluzzi, and their essential emotional and musical unity despite the variety of sources.
The leader, who was in full command throughout, drew a surprising range of orchestral colour from the limited instrumentation, using it to pursue a music of carefully-nuanced moods which, even at its most unbuttoned, carried an air of profound and pervasive melancholy.
On the accordion-like bandoneon, Dino Saluzzi is beyond virtuosity, playing it with the rare kind of skill which leaves the impression that there is no gap between performer and instrument. And in a group where the level of technique involved was generally formidable, Jose Saluzzi also stood out.
A pity one couldn't have liked this graceful music more.
