Mosalini Teruggi Cuarteto: Chamuyo

The Mosalini Teruggi Cuarteto is one of the outstanding ensembles of the contemporary tango scene. Juanjo Mosalini (bandoneon), Sébastien Surel (violin), Romain Descharmes (piano) and Leonardo Teruggi (double bass) are brilliant musicians who play with a rich sense for dynamics and with all the tonal colours of a quartet. The 12 compositions on their second album are written by Juanjo Mosalini and Leonardo Teruggi - and they are definitely worth it. It is not easy-listening music to please the dancers, but multifaceted narrative songs located somewhere between tango and chamber music. Virtuosity combines with temperate sensibility to stage this ‘post nuevo style’ music. 
I prefer their ethereal pieces, such as the beautiful “Mar y Sol” and “777”, but “Nada casi”  also attracts me. Mosalini´s “Code 18” and also Teruggi´s “Era de esperar” start with a ‘strumming mandolin’ sound played by the violin, and a haunting melody dominated by the bandoneon and violin. Piano and double-bass give these compositions the necessary structure in the sense of the ensemble. Touching is also Teruggi´s “Milonga del eco” (dedicated to Astor Piazzolla), a highly atmospheric piece of music, starting slowly and thoughtfully, before unfolding to something quite fragile. 
It is wonderful to hear how the four musicians carefully listen to each other and how they uncover the ‘soul’ of these songs, to make them speak to their listeners´ heart.