Various artists, “The Story of Tango,”**** Metro...

Various artists, “The Story of Tango,”**** Metro Blue. This outstanding compilation demonstrates that the tango is much more than the over-the-top masquerade portrayed in so many Hollywood movies. The genre was born in Buenos Aires, a gray, melancholy city where immigrants from many European countries mixed with the local gauchos. The music speaks of longing for their homelands and the betrayal of the immigrants’ dream.

This is lush, sensuous music that doesn’t rely on histrionics to win you over. The disc brings together recordings from different eras--from Carlos Gardel’s historic ‘30s records to more experimental fare, such as Mariano Mores’ rhythmic “Taquito Militar,” which was recorded in the ‘50s.

It was in that decade that Astor Piazzolla took the genre into another level. Composing and playing the large accordion known as the bandoneon, he added classical influences and his own impressionistic style, creating a new sort of “progressive tango.” His compositions, played here by Sexteto Mayor and Raul Garello, are the most mesmerizing tracks in this highly recommended disc.

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