Tango, anyone? There’s enough of that swaying Argentine dance to please almost anyone on Burton’s picturesque homage to tango master Astor Piazzola, which is subtitled “A Tango Excursion.” Burton first met Piazzola in Buenos Aires in 1965, became reacquainted with him two decades later, was a featured artist with Piazzola’s celebrated New Tango Quintet, and toured Europe playing the music he’d learned from the master himself. When Piazzola suffered a stroke and died in Paris, Burton decided during a three–day tribute to his friend and colleague, held in Buenos Aires in 1996, that a recording should be made to honor Piazzola and help keep his music alive (every selection on the album was written by Piazzola). Unusual territory, at first blush, for a Jazz vibraphonist from Indiana, but Burton quickly shows that he had thoroughly absorbed the lessons learned in Argentina, unraveling the intricate rhythms and nuances of the tango with an abundance of tender loving care. Burton’s supporting cast, most of whom are from Argentina, is letter–perfect too. Especially charming are Daniel Binelli and Marcelo Nisinman, who play the bandoneon, which sounds like an accordion’s nearest relative. There are more facets to the tango than readily meet the eye, and the ensemble touches all the bases in a program that is as varied as it is colorful. As a touching finale, Burton has recreated Piazzola’s classic 1970 recording of “Mi Refugio” (written in 1922) as a duet with Astor himself on bandoneon. Burton plays superbly, as always, but this is in every respect an ensemble piece, one that should enrapture anyone who is partial to the tango in all its many guises.

Track Listing: Biyuya; Allegro Tangábile; Romance del Diablo; Caliente; Tanguedía; Triunfal; Soledad; Lunfardo; Revirado; La Muerte del Angel; Decarísimo; Concierto para Quinteto; Mi Refugio. 67:41.

Personnel: Gary Burton, vibraphone; Fernando Suarez-Paz, violin; Horacio Malvicino, guitar; Hector Console, bass; Pablo Ziegler, Makoto Ozone, Nicolas Ledesma, piano; Daniel Binelli, Marcelo Nisinman, bandoneon; Astor Piazzola, bandoneon (on “Mi Refugio”).