Javier Rodriguez y Andrea Misse

Simply breathe-taking..

The 1st movie with sound in the history of Argentinian films

This is simply amazing. You can see how milonga looked like in the 30s. See the line of dance and the traffic of the dance floor and how people embraced and imvited lady to dance with cabecio!!!

Emily

The 30 secs that kill everybody

How can we be able to talk after watching this?

New!! Tangotang Tango Preface for Beginners - by Coleman and Fiona

很久已沒有寫blog 了，主要原因是工作忙，第二原因是手寫板似乎還未太熟悉我的寫法，太幸苦了、第三是忙於學習set-up 我和 Fiona 的 blog http://tangoromantico.blogspot.com/

我相信我是古代的人，父母亦給了我一個「古」姓，因此電子媒體對我來說仍然是新科技 (!!!) 知道嗎？還有我的職業是賣來自三億五千萬年前的鑽石，我最愛用1953年德國製造的喇叭........

Anyway, 有重要事要宣佈，我和 Fiona 會再次幫 Tangotang 教 Tango Preface (Beginner's course), details 請參考 http://www.tangotang.com/

一共6課，第一課於8月4日開始，每課 1.5 hours, 全部於 Amico Studio 舉行，全部在晚上8pm-9:30pm, 價格非常優惠....HK$750 include one year Tangotang membership fee!!!!

我與Fiona 都是義務幫 Tangotang, 連 transportation 都是自付的，全因我們熱愛 Argentine Tango，亦欣賞 Tangotang 之宗旨，希望各位可以盡力宣傳一下，讓更多新力軍加入「阿根廷」探戈！！

Coleman

Want to have a look of how Francisco Canaro conducted?

I just wish I were there - what can be more attractive than watching the live show of Canaro with dance at the same time?

The Sound of a Milonga

Salon CanningSuddenly I want to write about the sound of a milonga, mainly because I received a few complains during Javier and Andrea's grand milonga. Actually, not only that milonga, but in J&A's guided practica too. "Emily, your music is great, but would you please turn the volume down a bit? It's too loud."

Every time I received this kind of complain, I always have one of the following response,

(1) "Well, the teachers say this volume is just perfect." (I didn't make this up, this was really true, when Javier & Andrea/Pablo & Dana were here.)

(2) "Ok, will do." (Then I would turn down a little bit, then after a few mins, I would just turn to the "normal" volume gradually without causing others' attention.

(3) "This is exactly the volume in the milongas of Buenos Aires," I said only to my closer friends.

In my memory, Salon Canning has the best sound system. The Salon has very high ceiling, hanging speakers from the above, along the shape of the dancefloor. No matter how crowded the dance floor was, and how noisy the people were, I could always indulge myself into the music in a man's embrace. Since the music is loud enough to overwhelm me - what I conscious about is only - the music, and the bodies. As I remember, Nino Bien has similar sound system too.

Actually a milonga, is similar to a disco - a place of music and dance. Yes, a milonga should be more elegant, calm and romantic, but we have to admit that this is a place mainly for dance, not exclusively for eating nor chatting.

I'm sure some people may feel annoyed by this - but really, this is the authentic culture of BsAs too. Some argentinean teachers told me, "just ignore those people. This is what a real milonga should be."

I have to admit that almost all milongas and practica space in HK don't have a sound system like Salon Canning. The speakers are always put aside of the dance floor, so the sound is always louder at one side of the dance floor, and less loud on the other side.

It is really hard to make a balance.

Samantha Dispari y Andres Laza Moreno

Other...simple bravo!

Andres Laza Moreno y Samantha Dispari

I'm so happy that they are still dancing together!!! I thought Samantha has changed her partner!

Emily

Guided Practica by Javier Rodriguez y Andrea Misse - jiaotong

Thank you very much for jiaotong for allowing us to publish her article here. - Emily

第一次見Javier Rodriguez，我還以為他會像其他的老師一樣，在Guided Practica示範難度高的舞步，然後在學生旁邊點撥一下。出乎意料，他請男女生分開來坐，然後跟Andrea Misse一起，告訴學生一些應當知道的舞會的規矩和社教禮貌。
**以下文字，可能跟老師的原意不盡相同，如有出入，以本文為準。
男生如何請女生跳舞?
首先是眼神接觸，不論兩人是咫尺距離，還是天各一方，先要透過眼神接觸，這是含蓄的暗示，如果你喜歡對方，可以回應默許的眼光，否則，假裝看不見就是了。
男生有什麼是不應該做呢?
例如出其不意走到女生面前邀舞，「她大概不會不給面子吧。」
我已經望著她，但她好像沒有注意我，「還是直接走向她，漂亮的女生比較搶手。」
拉著對方的手臂，「老兄，人家有權選擇耶，你不要強人所難。」(女生)
雙手拉起女生，「我跟你好像不太熟，不用太熱情吧!」(女生)
得到女生的默許了，當你差不多走到她前面的時候，忽然有另一位女生站起來，誤會你想請她跳舞，這個時候該怎麼辨?首先我們要明白，近視眼，焦距模糊的人比比皆是，若你不想令對方尷尬，可以將錯就錯，跟她跳舞，或者可以跟屬意的女生先跳，再禮貌地請她。不過遇上膽小的男生，可能會裝著看不見，繞路就走。假若事情真的發生，女生用不著太難過，畢竟這是令男人想破頭的哲學問題!
在跳舞的時候，男士們，請務必使出你的風度和耐性，跟隨舞場的方向和路線。打個譬喻，你跟心儀的女性約會，正在公路上開車，剛巧前面有位不爭氣的仁兄，以蝸牛爬行的車速，一直擋在前面，你會怎麼樣?你可以用靈活的技巧越過他，或者繼續忍耐。相同的情況，發生在舞場上，你也可以用高明的技巧，越過前面的舞者，不過搞不好，對方可能誤會你很的莽撞，又或者，你可以從容自若，與女伴享受細膩的每一步。
你有超凡的舞技，不在眾人面前炫耀就太可惜了，縱然如此，亦請認清環境，三思而後行。例如，在擁擠的舞池，或旁邊有其他人，大動作的bolero，實在不適宜，別忘記你的女伴穿著心愛的comme il faut，被尖細的鞋跟踩踏了，可不是開玩笑。套用Andrea的講法，跟粗魯的男生跳舞而踩著別人，覺得很沒面子。
這時有人提出，我可以在第三首tango的時候，請女生跳舞嗎?我先說出自己心裡的想法，如果你很喜歡某女生，為何讓伊人等到憔悴?應該在第一首音樂響起的時候，就馬上請她。Andrea說出另一種看法，「第三首音樂才請我跳舞，是out of pity」，意思是出於好心或憐憫，不想見我坐冷板凳，所以請我跳舞。坐了整夜冷板凳的女生，心情一定不好，難免自怨自艾，覺得自尊心受損。
cortina響起了，男生應該帶領女生返回原來的座位。如果各人有固定的座位，就最好不過了，至少男生知道心儀的女生在那裡，否則也不應該佔去別人的座位。然後趁短暫的過場音樂，尋覓另一位舞伴。
「我很喜歡她，可否連續跳兩set音樂?」
以下四個方案，你認為哪一個比較可行?
一、可以，不過先要領她返回座椅，得到同意，再返回舞池。二、可以，兩人約定，晚一點再跳舞。三、可以或不可以，因為可能有特殊的暗示。四、不可以，你只顧跟某一人跳舞，其他人就不會再請你。
萬一男生有任何不合體統的行為，Andrea給女生的提議，最好是以退為進，「你跳得太好了，讓我不好意思，不如我練習一下，有機會再跟你跳舞吧!」說罷，離開。如果那不知好歹的傢伙，繼續死纏，就要發揮girls power，提醒同場的好姊妹，謹慎提防。
基本上男女雙方，基於禮貌都會接受邀請，Javier說，「不過如果我心裡不願意，會跳得很差，對方也不會好受。」
後來我看到他跟一位女士跳舞，舞步很溫柔，沒有花巧的動作，像謙謙君子護照懷裡的舞伴。我見過太多超卓的舞者，他們跟任何人跳舞，都是使出慣用的舞台動作，好像在告訴對方，我就是這樣，你想跟我跳舞，得看你的本領。當看到Javier專注和誠實的態度，就特別值得欣賞。
我想起有些老師說，舞場其實是人生的縮影，你跟某人跳舞，是一種愛和關懷的表達，有些人只會跟幾個要好的朋友跳舞，雖然玩得開心，但對其他人卻視若無睹。 cortina的出現，大概是出於好心慷慨而建立的社交秩序，使你有機會認識不同的朋友，跟他們跳舞，不想跳的時候，也可以互相交談。因此，如果男生坐了很久，都不出去跳舞，特別是旁邊也有女生坐著，就算是不禮貌。再說，這份互相傳遞的關懷，會能tango社群發展得更成熟，人們的相處更輕鬆和諧。
PS Javier幾次提到星期六的milonga，我沒有出席，不知道有什麼令他看不順眼的事情，因而要在guided practica花了近兩小時，解釋舞場上的禮儀，或者是做人的道理。
我以前覺得阿根廷的探戈舞會，規矩繁多，阿根廷人真太迂腐，這樣的舞會讓人很沒趣吧!我最近改變了想法。

The essense of a milonga

"A good milonga needs two things - one, the atmosphere, and another, the music," said Andrea.

"La musica, es el corazon (para una milonga),"Javier said. (The music, is the heart. (for a milonga) )

That is what they told me in the Grand Milonga last Sat. What they said really gives me more energy to keep djing... millions thanks for them...

Emily

A site listing tango videos on youtube - Emily

http://eng.tango.info/videos/

This site offers a list of tango videos (I'm not sure if it is a complete one) on youtube, listing by the names of performers. You can also get the names of the song that them performed with. But mind you, the names of the songs are not always accuate. It is a good reference though.

Emily

ladies dancing excellent milonga...

Coleman asked me to put this...I feel stunned! i recall the old days when I danced with Royce!!

Emily

Pensalo Bien - Think it well - Emily

I guess many of you may have heard D'Arienzo's "Pensalo Bien", which became popular after Sally Potter's "Tango Lesson" using it as part of the soundtrack.

The lyrics of this song, I think, is very touching...and it means so much for me, as a tango lover.

Think it well,

before taking that step,

that perhaps tomorrow may be you may not go back.

Think it well,

I have loved you so much

and you have sent me into the past perhaps for another love.

My little thoughts on Close embrace - by Emily

Otros Aires DOS is finally released! Otros Aires is always regarded as one of the rare electro musicians who mix traditional tango and milonga music with modern lyrics or melody in an interesting way. Unlike many electro musicians who completely deconstruct the rules and sequences of traditional sound (it doesn’t mean that their music is bad though), Otros Aires definitely draws more on the traditions and seems to have a happy marriage with it. It is even regarded as an “electronic-archaeological tango band”! They are very well received in Europe and BsAs, and their albums are always the top sellers in Zivals. (visit http://www.otrosaires.com/ for their website and the cd cover)

The claim of their archaeological mission sounds valid to me when I see their cover design of their second album. There is a couple embracing closely in milonguero style, on a funky electro music album!

May be the graphic sounds nothing special to you. But the design carries a lot of meanings to me. Because nowadays the role of close embrace (not to mention milonguero style particularly) gradually become less and less important as it was with the tango evolution in the recent decade– the new technique, music style…etc. My feeling on this grows even stronger after I watched the wonderful performance of Esteban and Evelyn on their website- they don’t have any forms of embrace but simply connected by their holding hands! (go to http://www.eyetango.net/video1.htm for the video)

The “new style” has become a big hit in many places including Hong Kong, and many dancers (I was one of them actually) are easily attracted by the technique like opposite energy and many other fancy steps. At the same time, I hear some people talking about their conceptions about close embrace. “It is old fashioned, “it is boring”, “I can’t even turn when I’m embracing”, “I can’t play with steps at all”, “I don’t do close embrace because it is totally different from the style that I learn”, etc. Gaston told me that Buenos Aires actually encounters the same phenomenon, where new dancers tend to appreciate the embrace less than the older generation does.

Then I start to wonder – don’t we really need the close embrace from now on? Has the embrace, perhaps, gone with Gavito?

I still remember in one of the writings of Daniel’s blog – he was asking Miguel Angel Zotto about his perception about the recent changes in tango. Daniel quotes from M. Zotto, "En el escenario se puede entrar y salir del abrazo, pero siempre hay que volver a la esencia." Daniel translates in Chinese, “舞台上可以在舞姿上面做變化，但總是要回到探戈的本質。“本質是什麼呢？應該指的就是“擁抱“吧（abrazo，也就是阿根廷對於探戈舞姿的稱呼）。(for the full writing, please visit: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/tanguero&article_id=4752078)

I am very touched by Daniel’s comment. What make tango different from other dances after all? Tango is the only dance who requires a man and a woman embracing each other (please correct me if there is other) But now more and more people seem underestimate the importance of close embrace of all styles, having no interest of feeling it and knowing how it works. Now, one can easily tell others that he or she knows how to tango – without experiencing the intimate embrace of tango and its magical energy behind.

It is undeniable that embrace closely is never a Chinese culture. We seldom embrace each other in every day’s life, unlike many westerners do. But we also can’t deny that that embrace is one of the most important elements in tango. If you want to have a fuller picture of tango, I think everyone, no matter what style you like, should at least have a taste of it and experience different styles of close embrace, and have a basic understanding of how the embrace works. Nowadays many people adore some masters like Pablo and Dana or Gaston and Mariela and want to dance like them. If you know them well and observe carefully how they dance, you will find out the way they dance is different with some younger dancers who have never had traditional dance training. These masters have a sense of unspeakable elegance underneath their footwork and technique, that they benefit from the so called “boring and old-fashioned” way of dance.

Many teachers, like Dana Frigoli, dances with close embrace in social dancing. These masters seem to have a clear distinction the difference between performance and social dancing. They know that dancing in a milonga with their friends is not the same as performance - it is not the time to show off. Since the milongas in BsAs (especially those famous one in peak seasons) are always full, you will be easily annoyed by bumping if you don’t embrace your partner closely. Actually it is rather easy to understand why we need close embrace in tango – cos we simply don’t have enough space to dance if everyone doesn’t embrace closely with each other! The embrace, in this sense, can be regarded as a form of manners which is used to respect other dancers on the same dance floor. Of course in BsAs nowadays there are milongas like La Viruta where you are have more freedom for fancy steps. But the dance floors in Hong Kong is far less crowded than those in BsAs, but we still always encounter bumpings (of course it is solely because of the style of embrace but also the lack of traffic too…)

When people praise the new elements in tango, shall we also respect the treasures of the traditions – regardless you like to dance with it or not? Sometimes I feel frustrated when people criticize about something before they really have experienced what it really it. Can you imagine someone says he hates chocolate given that he never has a taste or it?

I always think we should learn tango like those masters who can have the flexibilities to handle different forms of embrace – just like Pablo and Dana, Julio and Corina or Javier and Andrea. They change their form of embrace regarding different dance environments, partners, steps, mood or music. Very often, they tend to dance with both open and close embrace with the same song. Indeed, the change of embrace can add colors and variations to the dance.

Totally denial of other styles, I believe, would only limit our understanding of tango. That is why I always appreciate those young dancers like Matias who devotes to study the embrace again after years of Nuevo tango training.

To be a good follower, as Corina de la Rosa told me, should be well-prepared to leaders of different embraces. She should know how to adjust her embrace with different leaders.

I still remember before I went to Buenos Aires, I knew very little about the different styles of close embrace. I was annoyed when teachers like Fernanda Ghi, Leandro and Andrea asked me to lean my chest forward – I didn’t feel comfortable cos I was new to the technique and I couldn’t handle it.

But I told myself I should not give up when I saw how elegant they dance, especially when I cannot enjoy dancing with milonga music with open arms as much as with close embrace. Since the rhythms of milonga music require us to move fast with the music, I realize I just cannot enjoy the milonga if I sense the lead in a less prompt and less efficient way without the close embrace.

Two years ago, I got a chance to spend 5 weeks in Buenos Aires. At one night in Salon Canning, I saw a very old and famous couple dancing milonguero style – I was so touched and moved! I wish one day I can still dance like them when I’m as old as them. Cos I know I cannot jump and move like I can now when I’m 60 years old.

Then I told myself, I should learn, seriously, how to embrace.

I ended up spending 4 weeks studying milonguero style in BsAs. It was not only because Royce recommended me very good teachers, but simply, I want to learn something that I knew nothing about it. For me, the embrace of milonguero style is the trickiest one among all kinds. When I started to manipulate the technique, gradually I started to enjoy the movements and the postures that Fernanda and Andrea taught me before (their technique is not totally milonguero, but having similar logic) - something that I once felt strange and uncomfortable with. Once I can handle the logic of close embrace, I find myself enjoy tango in a different way – I start to feel the subtle signals and energy that I receive from the leader’s chest, and the magic of merging with other’s body in tango with my eyes closed. I start to feel that tango can really combine two units into one. The embrace also demands me to polish every steps that I walk, helping me to be a better dancer.

I wish, for those who really love tango, can have a taste of all different elements of this sophisticated dance.

Leandro y Andrea Misse dancing Milonga

I think this is the best interpretation of Canaro's "De Mis Tiempos" so far!

Emily

Blacklist "Magenta"! - by Emily

Yes, I always know that "Magenta" is a problematic tango label. It offers wrong song descriptions, saying their music is from famous orquestra XXX but is actually not. Yes, I know it! But I always believe there may be exceptions...like Magenta's collection on Canaro. But as a music collector + a tanturi lover - I really couldn't stop myself to buy the final two Tanturi commencial cds that I still did't have...Then eventually I received these two dXXm cds saying Tanturi on the cover but I can't find a single trace of Tanturi's style of any period in any of these music. (though the singer does sound like Enrique Campos...)

So, please, with my wasted money and frustration........"Blacklist Magenta"!

Argentine Tango 真正意義之隨想 (一) by Coleman

這次是我第二次在網誌上與其他人分享我對 Argentine Tango 之感想。上一次已是2006 年12月30日的事。

但這次卻是我第一次用中文，我不懂中文輸入法，工作了十多年都是用英文，即使是MSN 及 email 都一向以英文溝通。但是，即使是甚為崇洋的我，到了2007年的今天，都要承認用中文更user-friendly，接觸面更廣，同時亦由於工作上越來越須要多用中文，因此最近買了手寫板回來，順便利用寫blog來當練習。

我的中文水準自20 年前的中學畢業後便一直退步至今，因此請大家指教指教!!!

最近義務幫香港Tangotang 主持了一次Tuesday Guided Practica 及 Intensive Leaders Workshop，在準備工作時，想到究竟在我的tango知識及體會裡，有那些是我最希望能與新加入argentine tango之舞者分享，及即時能帶來一些改變呢？與他們分享一些新奇有趣的招式? 還是一些技術上之解構?這些似乎其他本地及外來之老師們都做得很足夠，甚致開始有些吃不消似的……..

想啊想……想對了!

一個好像很簡單的哲學 –“ Tango 是一種舞蹈!”

但越簡單的道理似乎越容易被忽略。被忽略的原因可能是大家在學習的道路上都只被一些新奇有趣、古靈精怪、令人目瞪口呆的招式吸引著，被一個個發音非常酷的西班牙語舞步名稱如 Colgadas, barridas, Volcadas, boleo, secada, parada, planeo, abrazo, gancho, nuveo, milonguero…etc 弄過頭昏眼花。

回想自己，一跳argentine tango便4年，那是2003年2月的一個晚上，一位朋友想學tango，想找多一個人陪她，便帶我到 Helena May的 Tangotang參觀。當時做了近30年人都從來不喜歡跳舞的我，甚致討厭去disco，但我卻被當晚所看見及聽見的深深打動著。那時的師兄師姐，舞步簡單而優美，沒有什麼踢上天的腿、沒有360度10次大回環 giro, 沒有八爪魚腳…..有的都是良好的embrace、充滿音樂感的身體擺動，舞者面上流露出正在享受親密而溫暖的擁抱(abrazo)及細嚐浪蔓感人的音樂的表情。一個月後，SARS襲港，一直到5月底，香港跳tango的人少了近一半，我卻在這時正式加入argentine tango之journey。自始之過去4年內，我幾乎沒有一個星期是沒有tango 的，而且….似乎跳得越來越密，真的有些不好意思 :P

這4年內，幾乎都是不斷重覆著 「上課 – 去milonga – 去practica – 上課 – 看表演」及最近多了「看youtube」。當中看live performance 及 youtube給了我很好的機會去用第三者的angle欣賞來自世界各地tango大師的舞風。在欣賞之同時，我亦能靜下來用理智assess一下自己對argentine tango的理解，從而找對方向。對的，我是喜歡思巧求真的那類人，相信凡事總有「理性」及「感性」兩面、工作如是、待人處世如是、家庭如是、要tango跳得好亦如是，必須「感、理」兼顧。「感性」是指我們對學習tango之熱誠、在享受跳tango時之忘我、及對超越自己的追求。沒有了這種「感性」一面，我們會失去向前進步的推動力。但與此同時，我們亦耍對學習階段中遇到的每一樣事以羅緝分柝，定期檢討方向，把自己從舞池中抽出來，觀察別人、大師的舞風、多跟訪港的老師聊天、多閱讀網上有關tango之literature，從而獲得更全面資訊，用「理性」去更了解tango文化之意義。

在看過了無數個不同大師表演後的一天，下了一個簡單結論 : 「tango是一種兩個人一起跳的couple dance，leader的舞步必須與音樂緊密結合，才能令follower產生投入感及享受tango獨有之connection。優秀的leader要讓follower跳得「舒服」及「漂亮」。弦耀自己技巧的同時，必須同時照顧partner之感覺!」

信不信由你，這正是nuevo tango之精神所在。真正Nuevo tango不是指跳得那些新奇有趣及funky誇張的舞步，這些只是nuevo tango發展歷史上出現的by-product，但卻常常被初學者曲解為nuevo tango之真締。Nuevo tango並不是一種突然誕生的發明，而是由一群資深舞者(當中有的本身是當律師的，呵呵!)在跳了多年tango後的一種體會，他們走在一起，研究tango之起源及自19世紀初以來的發展，分柝各舞步動作中出現的mechanical structure，然後有系統的歸納出一套工具，及其運用的方法和condition等。Nuevo tango之起源其實似一套經羅緝分折而成的研究報告，但重點是這份「研究報告」的結論卻開拓了argentine tango在後來日子發展之無限可能性，影響深遠，有好的、亦有不好的……

(待續)

A Beginner's Guide to D'Arienzo By Emily

Juan D’Arienzo is one of the most important names in tango history. His music is highly danceable, and it’s hard to imagine a milonga where it won’t be heard. Since he made around 1,000 recordings in his 50-year career, it is not easy to find a small selection of CDs to represent his music. The four disks selected here, however, all have my seal of approval.
The best jumping off point is D’Arienzo’s music from the late 1930s to early 1940s. His music of this period carries a very distinctive rhythm – its mission: to lure dancers to the floor. The piano has a very important role, particularly when played by Rodolfo Biagi, another famous tango musician, who was D’Arienzo’s pianist until he went off to form his own orchestra in 1938.

“Sus Primeros Exitos Vol.1” in the Tango Argentino Series collects almost all of D’Arienzo’s most classic instrumental works from 1935 to 1939. I remember hearing this CD played repeatedly by a group of street tango performers in a flea market in Buenos Aires for nine hours every Sunday. All the tracks are “super-classics”, but especially strong are “9 De Julio”, “La Cumparsita”, “La Viruta” and the famous milonga “Milonga, Vieja Milonga”. If you only want to own one or two D’Arienzo CDs, this should be one of them.

If you prefer music with singing, try “Sus Primeros Exitos” or “Tango Bravo”, also in the Tango Argentino series. Vocals tend not to play the key role in D’Arienzo’s music (very different from Di Sarli’s lyrical pieces, where the vocals almost always carry the whole melody, dominating the flow of the song). The melody of D’Arienzo’s music typically comes from an interplay of voice, piano and violin, making the singer as just one of a trio of elements embellishing the rhythm.

D’Arienzo worked with several tango singers. Héctor Mauré is certainly one of the most important. Although D’Arienzo and Mauré worked together for less than four years, they together created several of tango’s most classic songs. “Sus Primeros Exitos” features such greats as “Amarras”, “Dime Mi Amor”, “Infamia”, “Uno” and “Tango Brujo”.

“Tango Bravo” collects the classic songs of D’Arienzo with Alberto Echagüe and Armando Laborde – possibly the orchestra leader’s two favourite singers. Both Echagüe and Laborde recorded more than a hundred pieces with D’Arienzo. Since the album collects recordings made from 1938 to 1954, it offers a taste of D’Arienzo’s pieces from a period when his music became more dramatic than in his earlier days. Again, most pieces are extremely popular, but with the standouts (in my view) being “Trago Amargo”, “Corrientes Y Esmeralda”, “Mandria”, “Olvídame” and a vals called “En Tu Corazón”.

For milonga lovers, I recommend “Milongueando Con Juan D'Arienzo 1935/1962” released by Euro Records. Since D’Arienzo music’s style is very rhythmical, his interpretation of milongas tends to up-tempo compared with most other tango orchestras. This album has an excellent selection of 21 pieces recorded between 1935 to 1962. Particularly worth listening to are “La Cicatriz”, “Meta Fierro”, “Milonga Del Recuerdo” and “Silueta Porteña”. This CD is also the perfect option for anyone who simply wants a collection of milongas.

If you are a serious collector or a DJ, then consider the “El Rey Del Compas/70 Años” collection released by Sony BMG. This series, consisting altogether of 15 CDs, collects about 300 of D’Arienzo’s recordings, in chronological order, from 1935 to 1975. You will find many beautiful pieces not released on any of the Tango Argentino or Coleccion 78 RPM series.

Exploring Fresedo by Emily

Osvaldo Fresedo may not be as famous as other orchestra leaders such as Carlos Di Sarli, but Di Sarli might well have remained unknown if Fresedo had never existed. Di Sarli’s music, especially his early pieces from the late 1920s, were very much modelled on the style of Fresedo, who first formed his own orchestra in 1918.

Fresedo’s music, especially in the 1930s and early 1940s, is characterised by soft rhythms supporting elegant melodies to evoke a totally romantic atmosphere. Many DJs, myself included, like to play his music towards the end of a milonga when dancers, possibly a little weary after dancing for a good few hours, are looking for something a little softer and less demanding.

Fresedo’s most representative pieces come from between 1933 and 1941, with many of them featuring the singing of either Roberto Ray or Ricardo Ruiz.

Ray started working with Fresedo in 1933. Ray’s way of singing – soft and delicate, almost feminine – became a benchmark Fresedo’s later lyrical tunes. “Tangos De Salon” in the Reliquias series collects the most popular pieces of Fresedo with Ray, among them such classics as “Vida Mia”, “Yo No Se Llorar”, “Canto De Amor” and “El Mareo” One rarity is “Isla De Capri”, a tangoable foxtrot rarely featured on other albums that is also noteworthy for featuring a harp to ornament the melody.

Osvaldo Fresedo con Cantores” in the Solo Tango series has many of the same tunes as “Tangos De Salon”, but it also features some songs with Ruiz. Ruiz, who had a similar tenor range as Ray, was chosen by Fresedo to replace Ray after the latter left Fresedo in 1939. Ruiz’s voice is even softer and more feminine than Ray’s – quite easily mistakable for a woman’s. The highlights of this CDs include “Mas Alla”, “Niebla Del Riachuelo”, “Rosarina Linda” and “Vida Querida”; my favourite is Ruiz singing “Despues Del Carnaval” – a piece also adored by many other Hong Kong milongeros after they watched Javier and Geraldine perform to it in Taiwan.

To hear some of Fresedo’s finest instrumental pieces, try “1933/1948”, released last year as part of the Colección 78 RPM series. This album collects many previously unreleased tunes, many of which are popular with DJs in Buenos Aires who previously only owned poor quality bootleg recordings. Fresdeo’s instrumentals are similar in style to his sung tangos, witness his recordings of “La Clavada” and “Firulete”. Also worth listening out for is the subtle sound of the vibraphone in “Mariposita”.

Since the album collects recordings made from 1933 to 1948, it also offers a taste of Fresedo’s pieces from the late 1940s when he experimented with a more grandiose and dramatic sound than in his earlier days. Adding drums and other percussion, however, is not to everyone’s taste; certainly it makes for less tranquil, more abrupt sounding style of tango. For those looking to try a disk from this period, “Y La Perdí” is recommend.

For those looking to sample Fresedo through a single CD, “Años ’33 Al ’48” in the Buenos Aires Tango Club series features something in just about all of his different styles. The album collects instrumentals and lyrical pieces with a number of different singers. Its stand-out tunes – for me at least – are “Tigre Viejo”, “Cuartito Azul” and “Buscandote”.

Editted by Simon Cartledge © 2006 Hong Kong Tango Lab

Starting with Di Sarli - by Emily

When beginners start to explore tango music, they often ask “Which kind of music is the best for me to try first?” Of course there is no perfect answer, but almost always I recommend the music of Carlos Di Sarli, an orchestra leader often referred to as “El Señor De Tango”. His highly danceable music, especially his recordings of the mid-1940s to mid-1950s, is very popular in many tango classes. So when people who have just started dancing tango go to milongas and hear pieces such as “Bahía Blanca”, “A La Gran Muñeca” or “El Once”, they usually recall them as the songs played by their tango teachers as they attempted their first steps. The reason this music is a favourite for teaching is because of its slow but strong beat and an elegant melody – an ideal combination to train the ears of all newcomers to tango.

The Carlos Di Sarli title in the “RCA Victor 100 Años” series is an all-round excellent album. This CD collects many of Di Sarli’s classics from the 1950s, among them “Bahia Blanca” (which should be familiar to many people after featured as the soundtrack of a Heineken television advertisement), “A La Gran Muñeca”, “El Choclo”, “Comme Il Faut” and “La Cumparsita” (the song usually played at the end of a milonga). The recordings on this CD have had noise-reduction treatment to remove the hiss and crackle of their original recordings. This gives them a sense of newness. Indeed, listening to them it is easy to wonder if the music was recorded a lot more recently rather than around half a century ago.

To hear an older sounding recording, try “Carlos Di Sarli–20 Grandes Exitos” from RCA’s “Inolvidables” (unforgettables) series. It features a similar collection to the RCA Victor 100 Años disk, but has more pieces recorded in the 1940s, among them “La Racha”, one of Di Sarli’s most elegant songs.

Both the RCA Victor 100 Años and the Inolvidables disk comprise mostly instrumental pieces. If you prefer his pieces with singing, then try “Carlos Di Sarli – Sus Primeros Exitos Vol. 1”, “Sus Primeros Exitos Vol. 2” and “Porteño Y Bailarín”, all part of the “Tango Argentino” series issued by RCA.
“Sus Primeros Exitos Vol. 1 ” collects the classics of Di Sarli sung by Roberto Rufino. The combination of Di Sarli and Rufino was one of the great pairings in tango history. Many of their productions are classics, admired as much today as when they were recorded. Among the highlights of this CD are Rufino’s first recording with Di Sarli in 1939, “Corazón”. Vals-lovers are certain to like “Alma Mia” and “Rosamel”. Rufino worked with Di Sarli from 1939-1944, a period when the latter’s beat was faster and more rhythmic than in his lusher, more grandiose works of the 1950s.

“Sus Primeros Exitos Vol. 2” collects lyrical pieces sung by another renowned singer, Alberto Podestá (who, incidentally, is still alive and performing in Buenos Aries). He started as a Di Sarli vocalist before reaching the age of 18. This album includes many classics recorded between 1944 and 1947, among them “Nada”, “La Capilla Blanca”, “Vamos!”, “Junto A Tu Corazón” and “Tu! ... El Cielo Y Tu!”. These songs are as good as guaranteed to pull dancers on to the floor when played at a milonga.

“Porteño Y Bailarín” is a collection of Di Sarli’s music with Jorge Duran as vocalist. Its best-known tracks include “Porteño Y Bailarín”, “Que No Sepan Las Estrellas” and “Tus Labios Me Dirán”. The album also has a few famous instrumental pieces, among them “Marianito”, “El Ingeniero” and “El Pollito”. As the album collects recordings ranging from 1945 to 1958, it has a more varied style than the Rufino and Podestá CDs.

For anyone wondering how best to lay the foundations for a tango CD collection, or simply wanting to have some great music to listen and dance to, any – or all – these five CDs are an excellent place to start.

Editted by Simon Cartledge © 2006 Hong Kong Tango Lab