Chango Spasiuk

The first internationally released recording of chamamé, a little-known form of music from the rural northeastern corner of Argentina. Spasiuk is an accordion virtuoso, and his ensemble uses percussion, bandeon, guitar, bass and violin to present contemporary renditions of songs with roots in a fusion of the musical styles of the Guarani people, fugitive African slaves and the Eastern European polkas of his Ukranian ancestors. For the most part, it is a spirited, swinging dance music, although songs such as “Escenas de la Vida en el Borde” are characterized by a wistful longing. It’s a poly-valent music, one which functions on many levels. The ensemble’s instrumental inventiveness crafts a remarkable collection of tunes, capturing the old and new spirits of the tradition with a melancholy passion similar to that of Astor Piazzolla’s tangos.