Astor Piazzolla: Balada Para Un Loco (Vinyl) – Theo Ould

Accordionist Théo Ould describes this new album as “my most shameful — it’s as if I hadn’t let myself play Astor’s music, not got my accordion out of the world of musical clichés, and concentrated on works that were more classical in style”. Théo’s vocation, however, nonetheless became evident when he heard Piazzolla’s Libertango at the age of 6! This Frenchman from Marseille, 20 years later, now tackles this music with fervour, exaltation, tailor-made arrangements, and the complicity of the Bilitis quartet, alongside double bass player Blanche Strombon; the mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti also appears in a generous and beautiful Balada para un loco, Piazzolla’s setting of a poem by Horacio Ferrer. Théo Ould is deeply involved with this music, sharing his passion with us and inviting us to join in Ferrer’s Balada: “Crawl into this tender delirium that burns within me, put on this wig wovrn from larks — and fly! Fly with me now! Come along, fly, come!”