Glover Gill Tango

Yesterday at Verdi club Glover Gill played piano tango. It was a great surprise to discover a talent who so precisely grasps feeling and complex rhythm variations of old 1910-1930 tangos. One could imagine that Glover is himself one of the best dancers. Glover has only one leg, but I want to believe he is one of the true milongueros. How otherwise he can make such extremely complex but prefect rhythms?

One has to know how to dance this music. It may seem slow and calm, but this is not late Pugliese and likes. Energy is splashing on every beat not loudly like in an annoying ad, but sublime: a pleasure for a sophisticated mind. It has to be danced like a real tango: ..stop, accelerate, stop.. with passion and infinite leg-play: one step is a whole figure.. Submerging into an ocean of tango energy waves.

Glover's arrangements are more complex music than originals. Glover definitely moved old tango style to new heights utilizing his modern and jazz experience. No, no, you will not feel any deviation from true tango spirit, but technique, creativity, it is all advanced.

Glover is a very experienced tango music leader. He feels the audience, what they can do and adjust himself to the dancers on fly. This is probably the way old masters played. Glover is a master of fusion to the dance crowd. I was told by another musician, that when good improvisational dancers dance, it is very inspiring and supportive for players. I hope we in San Francisco inspired Glover on his way to restore and convey us true beauty, emotion, and energy of Argentine Tango. Thank you!

2004 September 5. I have received Glover's CDs: "Solo Tango vol.1" and "Touch Tango Ballet". ... I am still holding my breath, this is quite extraordinary tango music as well as perfect classical pieces! I was listening to it, and I could not stop. It is unbelievable, so I rushed for other modern CDs to compare while my impression is fresh. Yes! Glover's music is vividly better: elaborate rhythm, attention to all details, great tango feel, classical complexity but perfectly danceable with some breathtaking effects. What great movements and stops which are very important elements in tango it should inflict in a dance! Again, how could Glover understand so well what is great for dancing? How skillfully he incorporated modern melodic variations into perfect tango structure. The name of one album is "Touch". Isn't it the best name for a tango ballet? I have experienced emotions only comparable to listening to old masters. Well, Piazzolla also. Who else?

2005 January 15. Just the past Christmas, I have discovered that the music for "Waking Life" on a original motion picture soundtrack CD was written by Glover Gill ! I has that CD for years and have not noticed the composer!