London Tango Quintet
Five acclaimed musicians drawn together by a love of the tango
‘An outstanding ensemble. A virtuoso display all round and a joy to have as part of the festival.’
Beaumaris Festival
Angelsea
‘The audience really enjoyed the tango pieces, but also very much appreciated
the more classical solos which interspersed the programme.
The evening had a great atmosphere.’
Bradfield Music Festival
Sheffield
‘An exciting, fiery and energetic performance to be enjoyed by all.
I cannot recommend the London Tango Quintet enough.’
Stapleford Granary
Cambridge
Five acclaimed musicians drawn together by a love of the tango. Chart topping guitar virtuoso, Craig Ogden, is joined by the extraordinary accordionist, Miloš Milivojević, described by the Times as ‘a hurricane of musical invention’. Pianist/composer David Gordon tours as a jazz musician, harpsichordist and director of internationally renowned ensembles while bassist, Richard Pryce, works with artists from the Jamie Cullum to Shirley Bassey.
Violinist and founder of the quintet, David Juritz, made headlines when he busked around around the world for charity. His playing has been described as having a quality of ‘aching lyricism … naked expression in the grip of an icy control’ Strad Magazine.
David Juritz, the London Tango Quintet’s director, has brought together this exceptional tango quintet. “Craig, Miloš and I have known each other for years. Their diaries are pretty hectic but, a few times a year, we get together to play tango. It’s fantastic fun, even wild at times, but that’s not to say it isn’t challenging as well. To do it justice you have to approach it just as you would any other great music – with a sense of style and your total commitment, but also leaving enough freedom to experiment. When it happens you feel like you’ve been set free. It’s just exhilarating.”
Juritz adds: “Tango does have a growing following in London. The people we’ve met are quite fanatical about it – and we have really enjoyed their response to our concerts.”
He describes when he first personally fell in love with tango, “I vividly remember, in 1990, a new girlfriend putting on the first track of Astor Piazzolla’s Zero Hour. It was mind-blowing; a kind of kaleidoscope of conflicting emotions played with extraordinary sophistication, virtuosity and, most of all, a raw energy that I’ve never heard surpassed in any other kind of music. That was the moment tango became an obsession for me. 25 and a bit years on, I’ve brought together my own tango band and that girlfriend is now my wife. Tango doesn’t always have a sad ending!”
