Gary Burton - Libertango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla (2000)

Gary Burton's Libertango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla continues the vibraphonist's homage to Piazzolla's nuevo tango, which began with 1996's Astor Piazzolla Reuninon: a Tango Excursion. Here, as on that album, Burton collaborates with former Piazzolla players such as pianist Pablo Ziegler, violinist Fernando Suarez-Paz, and guitarist Horacio Malvicino on stylized updates of the composer's best-known tangos. Burton's vibes weave in and out of interpretations of "Escualo," "Fuga Y Misterio," and "Adios Nonino," which dance along on brisk, jazzy rhythms that nevertheless capture the tango's elegant passion. Libertango is another fresh and worthwhile exploration of Piazzolla's music from an artist -- Heather Phares