Piove en San Telmo - Lunfardo Songs

Don't be misled by the name. This quartet is actually a quintet these days, with more years under its belt than most groups mange -- over 40 years and still going strong. Cuarteto Cedron are from Buenos Aires and obviously proud of their roots, since they sing in the B.A. dialect of Lunfardo. Musically they cover the local waterfront with tangos (of course), condombe, and milonga songs, all performed with a warm acoustic perfection on guitar, cello, viola, violin, and, naturally, bandoneon. There's nothing to fault at all in the instrumental performances of the group, which sometimes border on the inspired. The only real fly in the ointment is the singing of leader Juan Cédron, which is -- to put it mildly -- an acquired taste. It's possible to get that taste, although it takes several plays. And if you like Argentine music, the effort is worthwhile.