JP Jofre's Hard Tango Chamber Band at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
by Robert Leeper
Don’t be fooled by the picture above: JP Jofre is no typical accordion player. In fact, he doesn’t even play the accordion. The Argentine musician is a young star and advocate of the bandoneón, a member of the concertina family known for being an essential part of tango ensembles in South America. Last night, Jofre and his Hard Tango Chamber Band brought a bit of their tango flair to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Balcony Bar, presenting three sets that included works by ubiquitous tango composer Astor Piazzolla, Cuban guitarist Leo Brouwer, and original music by JP Jofre himself.
Jofre roundly refutes the stereotype that his chosen instrument is strictly for buskers and raucous dancing; coaxing a tender vibrato throughout the evening, he brought a nostalgic and melancholy sound to a number of slower songs, like Astor Piazzolla’s classic “Oblivion” and the Jofre original “After the Rain.” These mellower, passionate songs showcased the talent of his group—often featuring sweetly singing violin and viola lines—as well as their ability to create intimate moments of overwhelming beauty, even while throngs of people packed into the Met’s Great Hall.
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