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This week's tanda is a set by the Pedro Laurenz with Juan Carlos Casas singing.
This is a very rhythmic set and builds in intensity. Laurenz was a master of the bandoneon and the last two songs have very long and spirited bandoneon solos at their ends. These are lots of fun, especially if you know they are coming. You expect a break in the intensity, but just as you try to catch your breath, they start again.
This week's tanda is a set from the Guardia Nueva period by Adolfo Carabelli and is great for dancing canyengue.
Adolfo Carabelli (1893 -1947) was a brilliant pianist and one of the best orchestra leaders in the early days of tango. As a young man, he studied music in Europe, but returned to Buenos Aires during the First World War. In 1926, he was hired as the artistic director of the Victor label. He recorded many famous tangos under his own name and as the Orchestra leader for Orchesta Tipica Victor. These orchestas were made up of some of the greatest musicians of the time and was only for recording only, they did not play live. This tanda includes two of his orchesta's most famous tangos, "Inspiración" and "El Trece."
This tanda also features two of the earliest singers of tango, Carlos Lafuente and Alberto Gomez. Both of these singers began their careers in the 1920s as refrain singers.
This week's traditional tanda is a beautiful vals set by Miguel Calo with Alberto Podesta singing.
Sometimes I will start this set with "El Vals Sonador" and other times I will end it with "El Vals Sonador."
This week's traditional tanda is a fun set by Anibal Troilo with Francisco Fiorentino singing.
This is a very high energy, rhythmic set. Troilo and Fiorentino were one of the greatest duos in the history of tango and their partnership is often used as the best example of the use of the singer as a true member of the orchestra.Troilo is a favorite of advanced dancers because his music switches back and forth between strong rhythmic sections and more melodic sections.
I normally start a tanda off with the slowest tempo song and then increase the tempo during the set, but here I am doing the opposite. The reason is, hearing the first few notes of "Te Aconsejo Que Me Olvides" tells you exactly what this tanda is. It is going to be fast paced, highly rhythmic and spirited. If that is what you like, then head to the dance floor. If it is too much for you, stay seated, listen and enjoy.
This week's traditional tanda is a fun set by Osvaldo Fresedo with Roberto Ray singing.
This is a playful set, which always goes over well. People are always happy after this set.
This week's traditional tanda is a set by Angel D'Agostino with Angel Vargas singing.
Last week, we looked at a milonga set by D'Agostino - Vargas, so this week we are looking at a tango set.
This week's traditional tanda is a milonga set by Angel D'Agostino with Angel Vargas singing.
I love all of these milngas, but "El Porteñito" is one of my all time favorites.It was originally written in 1903 by Angel Villoldo.
This week's traditional tanda is a elegant and romantic set by Miguel Caló with Raúl Iriarte singing.
Caló had created a unique sound around Berón's smooth vocal style, which was unlike the other singers of the time. In 1943, Berón left Caló's orchestra to join Demare's orchestra. Caló briefly worked with Jorge Ortiz and Alberto Podesta during 1943, but ended up with Raúl Iriarte, who had a similarly silky vocal quality to Berón.
This week's traditional tanda is wonderful set by Juan d'Arienzo with Héctor Mauré.
The role of the tango singer was evolving in 1940, when Mauré joined D'Arienzo's orchestra. The singer was taking a stronger role and combinations such as Di Sarli/Rufino and Troilo/Fiorentino were having a lot of success. Mauré's smooth, lyrical style might not have seemed like a good fit for D'Arienzo's more rhythmic orchestra, but it worked. Between 1940 and 1944 D'Arienzo and Mauré recorded about 50 tracks.
This week's traditional tanda is medium tempo set by Ricardo Tanturi with Enrique Campos.
Tanturi's orchestra, while not standing out musically, can be described as mature, solid, with an understated elegance. The orchestra was more well known for its singers Alberto Castillo and Enrique Campos. Tanturi and Castillo recorded many songs of a fairly rhythmic nature.
After Alberto Castillo left the orchestra, in May of 1943, he was replaced with Enrique Campos. At this time, Orchestras that were moving to a more melodic sound, such as Caló with Beron and Di Sarli with Podesta, were doing very well. With Campos, Tanturi's music became more melodic, but without sacrificing the rhythm. Unlike Castillo, Campos was not a show-off and sang in a calm, simple voice and was at the service of the orchestra.
Many believe that while Castillo had a better voice, Campos is better for dancing. I am more 50/50 on this and very much enjoy dancing to both Tanturi-Castillo and Tanturi-Campos, although they are very different. Tanturi-Campos recorded 51 songs between 1943 and 1946.
This tanda features two of their most famous tangos, "Una Emoción" and "Oigo Tu Voz."
