Salon New York

by Alex HendersonOrchesta Nova lived up to the promise of its debut album with the equally inviting Salon New York. Still highly unorthodox and still very difficult to categorize, the band continued to offer a sophisticated, urbane blend of tango, classical and jazz. Astor Piazzolla remained a strong influence on Nova, which acknowledges the tango innovator's influence on "Tango For Astor" and interprets two of his compositions: "Milonga Del Angel" and "Lunfardo." And on this chance-taking CD, everything from the Antonio Carlos Jobim pieces "Este Seu Olhar" and "Modinha" to Trio Matamoros' Afro-Cuban son classic "Son De La Lomo" is also fair game. Superb.