Mar 9, 2007

Foursome puts twist on tango

Combo blends traditional, modern elements

Paul Freeman / Entertainment Writer

In this case, it takes four to tango. Violinist Catherine Clune, trombonist Greg Stephens, accordionist Isabel Douglass and pianist Joshua Raoul Brody form San Francisco's Tango No. 9. This unique combo takes listeners on a journey through both the romantic traditional tangos and the more modern directions of the genre.

Their first album explored the works of composer Astor Piazzola, incorporating elements of improvisation.

"He's the father of modern tango," Clune explained. "For Americans, it's a very accessible point at which to get into tango. Vibe-wise, it's got a sort of cool jazzy thing going on, that Miles Davis-y thing, but with Latin beats. It's pretty dark. Piazzola was like the Charlie Parker of tango. He took the song form and turned it into something else."

The band's second CD, "Radio Valencia," delves into the traditional tango, which presented the musicians with new challenges. "It's a totally different skill set," Clune said. "It's interesting, because you have have these really old recordings, they sound very old-fashioned. How do you find the core of what makes the music in it interesting?"

The group weaves its own personality into the music. "Some tango groups just re-create either a time period or maybe a specific orchestra leader, and that's their thing. Tango No. 9 really likes to do that American thing and mess with it a little bit. We want it to be relevant to us."

When Clune was just out of college "there was a lot of talk about the imperialism of Americans in music," she said. "Why should we, as Americans, play music from Africa or Argentina or Mexico? But music is an international language and I'm just drawn to what I'm drawn to. I don't have a choice."

Clune has been playing violin since age 4, growing up with classical music living in Davis. As a teen, she became fascinated by rock and punk sounds.

"There was this huge divide in my life," she said. "I loved the music I listened to and I loved the music I played, but there was no connection."

In the '80s, after college, she moved to San Francisco and joined a pop band. Then free jazz captured her imagination. "I think violin in jazz is cool, but I like it better as a sort of flavor, rather than the main instrument."

A 10-year stint in Club Foot Orchestra - an eclectic contingent that created soundtracks for silent films - proved enlightening. "It was a very cool band."

In '98, Clune founded Tango No. 9. "I've been in a lot of big bands. I wanted something smaller, because it's more intimate," she said, and added "It makes it easier to rehearse."

Though some purists cringed, Clune conceived of the tango group with a trombone as a key component. "The trombone keeps us from getting gigs. If I were to fire the trombone player, my life would be easier," she laughed. "But the trombone really works great in the jazz - the more modern stuff. It's like a cello. It brings you that brassy sound."

To fully appreciate Tango No. 9's innovative approach, go see the group perform at the Red Poppy tonight. "It's a rare chance to come listen to this great art form of tango without distraction. It's a quiet place," Clune said.

If you'd like to throw yourself into the passionate dance moves, head for Belmont on Saturday night and take a lesson prior to the performance.

The various forms of tango have developed a fervent following.

"It's seductive. People want to try tango lessons. They come and they try. And they can get totally addicted. Next thing you know, they want to spend all their spare time on tango."

This genre is seductive to the musician, as well. "Discovering tango for me has been like discovering this lost form of jazz. Over 30,000 tangos were written in the 1930s alone; the golden era of tango. I find this music endlessly fascinating."

"Each time I play it, I discover more about it," she said, laughing, "We don't even know what rules we break half the time."