Ruth Roshan & Tango Noir
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | INDIE
Music
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Healing balm
Beautiful instrumentals from Aussie duo Nougat at Coffee Gallery Backstage
By Bliss
SWEET SOUNDS: Nougat’s Tania Ravbar Costantino and Ruth Roshan are coming to Altadena.
Does anyone, anywhere, really and truly care that Britney Spears was “embarrassed” by her soulless, barely there turn on the VMAs? Seriously. The awards show itself is little more than a schlocky pop star parade. And this is not an artist whose work speaks meaningfully to the national mood or consciousness. So why are news services blasting her visage across the ether nationwide? It would be humorous if it weren't so sad — tantamount to watching silent film heroine Pauline strap herself to the tracks as a train comes bearing down, no rescue in sight — and if it weren't so offensive, coming at a time when there are so many more legitimately pressing concerns. Whatever the hapless Spears is paying her publicists, they're worth their weight in gold.
To her, that is. Not us. Because it's precisely this kind of oversaturation that feeds into the mistaken notion that being a successful musician in 2007 is about fashion, media manipulation and strutting past paparazzi with the right romantic accessory. Perfecting the craft of music making just doesn't seem as sexy in comparison if all you're looking for is a quick, hot image.
But music lovers are tuning out awards shows — not to mention their radios — and searching for something more. Thanks to YouTube, MySpace, iTunes, Rhapsody, Epitonic and sundry other Internet resources, music hounds jonesing for something new to feed their need can find fresh sounds from around the globe with just a few taps on their laptop. The lack of imposed pop formats, moreover, means that more real, meaty music can be uncovered, ripped and burned with relatively little effort.
If you're seeking more reflective musical pools, check out Aussie duo Nougat, who have songs and videos posted online and are also making a brief tour of Southern California this week. Based in Melbourne, guitarist Tania Ravbar Costantino and mandolinist Ruth Roshan aren't likely to play the VMAs anytime soon. They don't sport bikinis onstage. Their two most recent CDs, 2004's “Breathe” and last year's double-disc “Illusions,” don't cop poses or try to be quirky for the sake of appealing to hip tastemakers. Instead, quite simply, they showcase two musicians playing from the heart. Costantino and Roshan are breathtakingly adept at wielding their instruments, melding diverse genres — classical, tango, Celtic, pop, Italian and Spanish standards, South American folk — into one elegant, moving sound as impressive for its instrumental proficiency as its beauty. If the electricity went out, they'd still be able to perform by candlelight, and still connect with their listeners. Sometimes, when we're pummeled by noise from this hyper-connected world, that's just the quiet balm we need.
Nougat perform at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2927 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, at 7 p.m. Sunday; $15. Call (626) 398-7917 for reservations and info. www.nougat.com.au , www.myspace.com/nougatduo .
- Pasadena Weekly (bliss)
Discography
Ruth Roshan & Tango Noir (Self Titled) - 2009
Second Album (currently in development) - 2011
Photos
Bio
Bringing you the atmosphere of a 1930's French salon, laden with flair, elegance and sauciness, Ruth Roshan and Tango Noir take you on a musical journey into the thrilling world of tango.
Originating in lower-class districts of Buenos Aires, Argentina in the late 1800's, tango is a fusion of various musical forms from Europe. It was the music and dance of an underclass - the dispossessed and the outcast. In the early 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires and Montevideo travelled to Europe, and the first tango craze took place in Paris, soon followed by London, Berlin and other capitals.
Ruth Roshan began learning the mandolin at the age of five, and has played professionally since she was a teenager. Whatever the style or tempo, Ruth plays her mandolin with a great deal of musicality and style, showcasing the often underrated instrument's full potential. She is also an accomplished singer with a gentle and beautiful voice.
Ruth is also known as one half of the duo Nougat, and along with guitarist Tania Ravbar she has regularly toured for Musica Viva, playing original pieces and fresh arrangements of music from around the world, particularly from Spanish and South American traditions. Nougat's most recent double CD is entitled Illusions. Ruth has also performed with international harpsichordist, Elizabeth Anderson, the Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra and the Saba Iranian Orchestra.
Her love of tango began when she heard this style of music as a child, as her parents had both lived in France at times during childhood and had many original recordings. She played Italian and French tangos with a mandolin chamber group, and when Ruth was introduced to live Argentinean tango in Paris at the age of 23, she was hooked.
Recently forming the Melbourne-based Tango Noir quintet, Ruth has gathered together an exceptional ensemble of award-winning musicians. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2009, featuring fresh arrangements of classic pieces by Astor Piazzolla, contemporary tango adaptations of Leonard Cohen and Macy Gray, plus Ruth's own original compositions for the genre. They are currently in the process of recording their second, entirely original, album.
In 2010, Ruth performed her "Tango Noir" compositions and arrangements in St Petersburg (Russia).
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