Reader, Review

The world recognizes a lineage of tango instrumentalists, from Juan D'Arienzo through Astor Piazzolia, to Juan-Jose Mosalini, but the best-known tango singer outside Argentina remains Carlos Garde, who died in 1935. Sandra Luna is poised to change that: her album Tango varon (Times Square) earned a Grammy nomination last year, and its title alone ("male tango") indicates that she's not content to merely preserve the tradition. Her singing can be throaty and dramatic as well as diminutive and lyric, and she nails a combination of classics and new compositions both traditional and progressive a la Piazzolla - backed by bandoneon, guitar, and well-deployed orchestral swells.
This gig marks her Chicago debut. 7 PM, HotHouse, 31 E. Baiho. 312-362-9707

-Peter Margasak 02/19/05