Esprit, Quartango's latest recording, introduces the group's newest member, bandoneonist Denis Plante. At only 27 years of age, Denis brings to the group an impressive diversity of experience ranging from early music to jazz, coupled with his passion for the bandoneon and all things tango.Quartango's four musicians, while classically trained, are by no means classically enslaved. On this recording, they explore the spirit of the tango found in unlikely places, weaving in excerpts from a panoply of musical styles and eras to create a unique sound that is unmistakably theirs.While it finds inspiration in traditional tango, Quartango has never been content to devote itself exclusively to the classics of the repertoire nor does it engage in an endless, slavish homage to Astor Piazzolla. On this CD, the group takes the tango further from the shores of Argentina, with ports of call in Ireland, the United States, Cuba and Italy. The music is seasoned with the distinct flavours of jazz, salsa and opera, and offers a "tango take" on traditional rhythms such as the gig, reel and waltz.The pieces on Esprit spin a delicate web of themes and melodies, conjuring up a kaleidoscope of moods and feelings. There is Piazzolla's Oblivion, which moves like a languorous cat as the music highlights the sultry and sensual side of the tango; the hypnotically rhythmic Yumba and the more traditional Chique; the wistful Berceuse, contrasting sharply with the vigorous Milonga Celtica; and the fanciful Gigolo Jig in G, which plays teasingly with the jig tempo and also features a rare vocal performance by the group's members.The rollicking milonga Taquito Militar has been dressed in carnival attire with the spicy rhythms of Toronto percussionist Rick Lazar. And listen closely to Jalousie II: in among the intricate rhythms you'll catch hints of several well-loved melodies.There is also the quintessence of operatic drama, in the exquisite and majestic E Lucevan le Stelle from Puccini's opera Tosca: It was René Gosselin who first thought of exploring the tango possibilities of this aria. He approached Quebec composer and arranger Simon Leclerc, who gladly took up the challenge, and we are the luckier for it.Blue Rondo a la Turk evolved from a suggestion by Stéphane Allard's musical colleagues Pierre Blais and Daniel Lussier, who sensed the makings of a tango therein. With his usual uncanny touch, Richard Hunt skillfully married the Brubeck classic with Piazzolla's very nuevo Libertango, each mirroring aspects of the other.Esprit adds a new dimension to the possibilities of the tango and further expands the boundaries of the musical imagination. Happy listening!Katrin Sermat