Although Argentinean-born jazz pianist Carlos Franzetti is well-versed in both South American and Cuban styles, don't think of Mambo Tango as strictly a Latin recording. Sticking exclusively to solo piano for this session, his take of "Have You Met Miss Jones" could easily be mistaken for one of the neo-bop players who emerged during the 1980s and 1990s, with inventive improvisations against a walking irregular bassline. It is surprising that relatively few pianists have recorded Gary McFarland's moving "Gary's Waltz," a favorite of the late Bill Evans, who played and recorded it numerous times. But Franzetti's approach is less dramatic and alters the melody in a subtle, infectious way that is far removed from Evans' interpretation. He also tackles Evans' popular "Waltz for Debbie," shading it with an Erroll Garner-like bouncing rhythm for a time against his dazzling improvising in the upper keyboard. Franzetti's originals are equally of interest. His delightful "Mambo Tango" combines the two styles in a masterful performance, while "Milonga del Adios" is a bittersweet Latin ballad that deserves to have lyrics. To wrap this top-notch CD, Carlos Franzetti offers a tantalizing, deliberate setting of Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)." Highly recommended.
Mambo Tango
Carlos Franzetti
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Mambo Tango Review
by Ken Dryden
Track Listing
| Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Franzetti | 04:23 | Amazon | |||
| 2 | Carlos Franzetti | 04:18 | Amazon | |||
| 3 | Carlos Franzetti | 04:15 | Amazon | |||
| 4 | Carlos Franzetti | 05:36 | Amazon | |||
| 5 | Carlos Franzetti | 03:13 | Amazon | |||
| 6 | Carlos Franzetti | 03:55 | Amazon | |||
| 7 | Carlos Franzetti | 05:04 | Amazon | |||
| 8 | Carlos Franzetti | 05:04 | Amazon | |||
| 9 | Carlos Franzetti | 05:11 | Amazon | |||
| 10 | Carlos Franzetti | 04:28 |
