World music

Chango Spasiuk

Union Chapel, London
4 out of 5 4

For two hours he sat playing his accordion, concentrating intensely, but saying nothing. Then, as the audience greeted his final instrumental set with a standing ovation, Chango Spasiuk called for an interpreter and launched into a lengthy speech. He didn't always talk at concerts, he said, but tonight he felt he should. Superficially, what he was playing was folk from north-eastern Argentina. But for him, music was a means of communication between peoples and generations, and could be "a torch to see beauty". Not many artists risk an emotional outburst like that, but Spasiuk has succeeded by being different, transforming chamamé, the region's dance music, into a style that can be subtle as well as rousing.

  1. Chango Spasiuk
  2. Union Chapel,
  3. London
  1. At Wesley Memorial Church, Oxford tonight
  2. Box office:
    01865 243 216

Dressed in black, he looked like Argentina's answer to Roy Harper and treated his folk-influenced compositions with delicacy and intensity.

Spasiuk was the star, but he was surrounded by an impressive band. Many of the finest sections involved improvisations between himself and the equally emotional and versatile violin work of Victor Renaudeau. They were joined by two brothers playing acoustic guitars, with Sebastian Villalba providing occasional sturdy vocals, and Marcos adding delicate percussion work, either by beating on a box-like cajon or an earthenware pot. This was folk music treated with passion and sophistication.

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