Ben Thomas Tango Project: The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle

On The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle, his sixth recording as leader of the Tango Project, composer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Thomas once again invites his audience to put on their dancing shoes and sway to Argentina's unique and emblematic musical genre. In doing so, he affirms that there is far more than one way to tango, eliciting all the warmth and color he possibly can within eight of his luminous and rhythmic compositions.

Besides writing and arranging every number, Thomas plays bandoneon, vibraphone and percussion while leading a sextet whose uncommon makeup includes clarinet, bass, piano and two violins—not what one might envision on a jazz album but well-suited to a session whose raison d'etre is the tango. Rhythmically and harmonically, the tango stands apart from any other dance style, which can be an asset or liability depending on the skill and imagination of its interpreters. Thomas makes the most of that, blending handsome melodies and engaging rhythms that bring out the best in his small yet feisty ensemble.

The bandoneon (which sounds much like an accordion) is out front on most tracks, the vibraphone on "Sonia's Mask" and "Eric's Vials." Improvisation (if indeed there is any) springs naturally from the leader's written scores. Thomas, clarinetist Eric Likkel and pianist Gabe Hall-Rodriguez do seem to be improvising on "Sonia's Mask." Likkel adds color to every number, and Hall-Rodriguez proves to be an attentive and able accompanist. Bassist Steve Schermer abets the rhythm, while violinists Laura Coronel and Elizabeth Phelps comprise an essential ingredient that helps ensure the menu's amiability and flavor.

Thomas is a masterful writer and student of the tango who knows how to showcase its every aspect in the best possible light. Still, when all has been said and written, it is still the tango, and there is only so much that can be implemented within its measured boundaries. In other words, the Tango Project means what it says, and within its precincts the tango is both king and vassal. Quite well done, but nonetheless tango-centered from start to finish—which, by the way, is only thirty-seven minutes.