El Firulete

July 2001
Volume 8 Issue 2
El Firulete
THE ARGENTINE TANGO MAGAZINE
1
July 2001
PLUS
Historic recordings anyone?
A handful of emotions
At least you can visit
Tango , our dance
and much more...
$5.00 U.S.A.
Photo by Idalia Battle
2
El Firulete
We want you to sound off, whether it's to complain or to compliment. Or even if it's to elaborate on an article in our
publication. Here are the rules: (1) You must tell us your full name, but we won't print it if you so request; (2) you must give your
complete address - even though we'll identify you only by the city and state- and your telephone number; and (3) we reserve
the right to edit letters for length and clarity or to withhold their publication.
INSPIRED IN VICTORIA
Dear Alberto and Valorie,
Thank you very much for all the information
your include on your website, and for your
passion and dedication to tango. You are an
inspiration!
Best regards,
Konstantin Zahariev
Victoria, B.C., Canada
Thank you for sharing how you feel and for
giving us the positive feedback that makes us try
even harder. Keep the love of tango alive and
don't be a stranger.
CONFIDENT IN TUCSON
Editor,
I have just finished reading Valorie Hart's
Chapters on Tango, Our Dance. The information
is spectacularly helpful and encouraging,
especially since I do not have a dance partner.
I've been taking group lessons and private lessons
for a year and still do not feel comfortable with
the dance. After reading these Chapters I am
much more confident about my abilities and
much less concerned about my "presumed
mistakes". Thank you, thank you! May I have a
copy of your magazine? Again, thank you for
your inspiring words.
Charlotte Waitches
Tucson, AZ
Congratulations for the new horizons you
are aiming for. Keep up the good work and make
us proud.
ENLIGHTENED IN URBANA
Dear Alberto,
I really love to read El Firulete. I do keep up
on Tango Our Dance, which is the most enlightening writing on Tango available on the Internet.
I am so glad you make it available to everyone.
Regards,
Joe D. Barrios,
Urbana, IL
It's a real pleasure to share our experience
with our friends. Thank you for your support.
WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NAWLINS
Hey there Valorie & Alberto!
Just wanted to send you a quick e-mail
letting you know we're settled and enjoying life
here in the Pacific Northwest. Has anyone
moved in next door yet? I also wanted to take the
time to mention how wonderful it was to have
you as a neighbor... Very rarely do you find
people who care as much as you do, and I hope
It is our pleasure to send you this copy of El
Firulete with our appreciation for your kind
commentaries. We're glad that you have joined
the legions of those who know that there are no
mistakes in Tango, just traspies and timely
pauses.
THANKFUL IN NEW MEXICO
Hola Alberto and Valorie,
Thanks for sending the "Naked Tango"
video and El Firulete! I took El Firulete tonight
to the Milonga and they went like wild fire. Jose
and I are really excited about doing the performance for the Maxwell Museum this month!...
Our second paid performance! Yeah! Thank you
both for all you have taught me... When people
ask me who are my teachers, I say YOU!
Baila la danza de la vida con pasion!
Sally Moon
Belen, NM
Dave and Richard as featured in the
Mardi Gras issue of El Firulete
July 2001
everyone else realizes it as much as I did. The
courtyard was so beautiful after you got a hold of
it! We loved the photo in El Firulete. Send us a
"quickie" every now and again to let us know
what's going on in the "Big Easy"! Take care and
hope to hear from you soon!
Dave Esch & Richard Swank
Portland, OR
We miss you guys and we wish that you
enjoy your new life in Oregon. We have new
neighbors already, very nice people who
relocated from California although she is
originally a New Orleanian coming back home.
The Ambush magazine is still being
delivered here and we wonder if you would like
us to forward it to you. Best wishes.
HAVING FUN AT HOME
Dear Valorie and Alberto,
We got your notice about the Labor Day
Weekend Tango Getaway. We love Pablo and
Beatriz, we saw them in February in Madrid at
their great milonga. What a pair of great teachers
and performers they are!
John has retired and we are finally able to do
more things together. We don't get out dancing a
lot but boy, do we have fun at home and at our
local Santa Cruz practica.
We have been attending the Carmel milonga
which is easier for us to get to, as well as the
milonga at the Spectrum in Campbell whenever
we can.
We went to the Miami Fantasy Tango Week
and as always, our favorites where Osvaldo Zotto
and Lorena Ermocida. Fabian and Carolina gave
a superb "jump class" for us old athletic types. It
was one of those special small classes you sign
up for after eight hours of lessons, but it was
worth it! They are beautiful lifts that make John
feel powerful, but are as safe as any tango moves!
Any chance you'll be coming our way after
Reno? Come and visit us... Bring Pablo and
Beatriz!
We love reading El Firulete and finding out
what you're up to. Enclosed is our subscription
renewal.
Love,
Nancy and John
Santa Cruz, CA
We would lie through our giros if we'd say
that we miss California, however every time you
write to us, we can't help remembering fondly the
treasured moments we spent together at home
dancing with the two of you, Ginger, Dick, Doris,
Jean Pierre, Tamara, David , Alisa, Florencio,
and a few others who would join us on Wednesday nights whenever we were home in between
our travels.
We are eagerly waiting for all of you to
make it out our way and see for yourselves why
we have fallen in love with New Orleans.
July 2001
El Firulete
3
Tangazos
The Argentine Tango Magazine
Vol 8 Issue 2
July 2001
Publisher
Planet Tango
Joint Editors
Alberto Paz & Valorie Hart
Contributing Writers
Alberto Paz
Valorie Hart
Tangoman
Cholula Johnson
Photos and Image Processing
Valorie Hart
Alberto Paz
Idalia Battle
Laura Lynch
Teresa Klainer
Ed Cherrie
Graphic Design and Production
Alberto Paz
Editorial, Advertising, Inquiries,
Comments, Questions and Suggestions
Planet Tango
1000 Bourbon St., #202
New Orleans, LA 70116
E-mail to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Website
http://www.planet-tango.com
The information published is intended for
entertainment purposes only and it is as
accurate as you want it to be. All correspondence and manuscripts are submitted at
owner’s risk. All become property of the
publisher.
All rights reserved throughout the world.
Printed in the United States of America. No part
of this publication may be transmitted or
reproduced in any form or by any means without
the express written consent of the publishers.
The opinions and advertising printed in El
Firulete are the sole responsibility of the
authors, and they are not necessarily the
opinions of the publishers therefore we can not
be held liable for their opinions and their
actions.
Cover price $5.00
12 issues subscription
$30 in the US, $40 in Canada,
$50 international
It could happen to you
U
p to now most books written as testimonials of
personal Tango experiences tend to fall under the
category of out of body encounters of the me-silly
kind. Like, "have you ever 'ocho' at the DMV?" Or, "I saw
Santa tangoing with my mommy to Jingle Bells." Or the
implied lunacy of asking the question, "you know you are a
Tango junkie if..."
Alberto Paz
Some day somebody might actually document the real
experiences which most of us have lived from the day the
Tango found us. They may describe the first time they saw a couple dancing Tango.
They may even remember exactly the date, their state of mind, and the circumstances of
their lives at the time. Those with a lot more mileage will doubtless credit Tango
Argentino, the legendary show of the nineteen eighties, with the compelling desire to be
able to Tango, to experience the passion and sensuality, not to mention the prowess
smartly staged by a group of seemingly average, middle aged couples.
Others may remember hearing from a friend, or picking up a flyer where Argentine
Tango lessons were being offered. Trusting, and with a naive sense of anticipation, you
may have begun to take at face value all the cliche ladden coating that accompanied
every lesson, along with every frustrated attempt to imitate the role model being
presented to you. You may not longer remember the names of the teachers that began to
come in and out in a revolving door like fashion, all the while your mind feeling like a
Texas size omelette.
There might be cases where the stories will take on their own spin given personal
and geographical circumstances. There might be accounts of "styles wars" within a
city, mostly the result of shrewd operators in cahoots with ethically challenged professionals prying upon the trust and blind allegiance of eager learners. It would take a lot
of soul searching and a mega dose of self respect and self esteem to acknowledge cases
of blunt breach of trust, disappointment and the realization that no matter how they are
presented, lies and deception have short legs.
However, in spite of the emotional rollercoaster that the exposure to risk creates
when allowing the Tango to take over our lives, there is a moment when we finally get
it, or not. They say that Tango is a very personal thing, that no respectable dancer will
face the scorn of their peers for being imitators, and we have heard of those who have
taken their "secrets" to the grave. On the other hand they say that there are no secrets
in the Tango, only those who refuse to share its simplicity, its infinite set of possibilities,
its endurance through acceptance and rejection, its universal appeal to the human soul
far beyond frontiers and idiosyncrasies.
The story I'd like to write is about every door that opened to show another set of
doors which in time opened themselves into larger universes where men and women
who lived and danced longer gave a mole or a mountain of their own experience, their
imperfect, yet special human qualities, their internal energy and their intimate expression of a rhythm. All within the context of making you aware of your own possibilities,
your own achievements, and your fragile humanity.
I would qualify many cynical attitudes as coming from passionate men and women
who might be afraid to be disappointed again, but I would continue to pass along what
has been given to me, as an unexpected (and may be undeserved) gift: the privilege of
looking into other's Tango life experiences and learn from them. It could happen to me
that I'll be inspired to tell the story of my appreciation for those who opened my eyes
and guided my steps. Or it could happen to you.
4
El Firulete
July 2001
On Our Cover
n Thursday, May 3, 2001, the
day awakened with another
explosion of blue skies, blinding sunshine and a collage of clouds to
remind us that Spring time in New
Orleans was in full bloom.
O
history, the event that is, according to
the New York Times, "inseparable from
the culture it presents," invited Tango to
be part of the cultural feast, the music
and dance of the city of Buenos Aires,
its South American sibling.
Planet Tango's Alberto Paz and
Valorie Hart show their appreciation
to a receptive audience at the end of
their performance of Vicente Greco's
OJOS NEGROS
At 1:05 PM CST, New Orleans'
Milonga Tango Band opened on the
Lagniappe Stage of the New Orleans
Jazz & Heritage Festival with Francisco Canaro's EL INTERNADO and
thus begun the celebration of the joy of
being able to dance, kicking up another
notch our young community's awareness
and love of the Argentine Tango and of
all the people who partake of it. As
Warren Mc Crocklin and Mary Anne
Fischer stepped onto the stage, thousands of spectators were drawn to the
enjoyment of the essence and allure of
our dance for the first time.
It was a glorious day for Argentine
Tango, for those who were privileged to
represent it, and in particular it marked a
major milestone for the Tango community of New Orleans. Tango dancing
friends continue to reach out to the
community with the all inclusive
proposition of the embrace.
The entire fairgrounds are lined with
food stands, arts and crafts booths, with
theme stages spread over the entire
periphery of the race track. The Tango
program was assigned to the Lagniappe
Stage which is located in the paddock
area of the race track. It is beautifully
surrounded by a manicured garden and a
On this day, the first of the second
week of Jazz Fest, musicians, chefs and
artisans welcomed again thousands of
visitors for another celebration of a
cultural feast at the New Orleans Fair
Grounds Race Course. For seven days,
split between two weekends, the open
air Heritage Fair combined the joy of a
Jazz parade with the fervor of Gospel
music as the New Orleans Jazz &
Heritage Festival offered an unforgettable tribute to the authentic heritage of
the state of Louisiana and the city of
New Orleans.
For the first time in its 32 years
Septeto Milonga Tango Band
July 2001
El Firulete
5
home made gumbo to the soul.
The Festival began in 1970, when
three hundred musicians entertained an
audience half that number in New
Orleans' historic Congo Square, site of
today's Armstrong Park (as in Louis
the Satchmo). Music legends Duke
Ellington, Mahalia Jackson, Al Hirt,
Sweet Emma Barrett, Percy and
Willie Humphrey, and Pete Fountain
performed.
Warren and Mary Anne dancing to EL
INTERNADO
high rise glass enclosed building that
houses the "official" boxes. With plenty
of space to dance, those tangueros who
came to join the orchestra and the
dancers, brought their dance shoes and
spontaneous dancing erupted during the
hour long presentation.
Jazz Fest 2001 (April 27 - May 6)
marked the 32nd celebration of Louisiana music, cuisine and crafts that each
years trumpets the arrival of springtime
in New Orleans. With its magical blend
of sights, sounds and emotion, the New
Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has
become a symbol of a diversity of
cultures and brings the pleasure of a
This year, thousands of musicians,
chefs and artisans welcomed 618,000
people for a 10-day cultural feast held
again at the Fair Grounds Race
Course. The two-weekend, open air
Heritage Fair, offered a dazzling series
of evening concerts, and an important
program of educational workshops
making the event unique among Americans festivals.
Jane Harvey Brown sang the Tangos
CAMINITO and MADRESELVA
On May 3, 2001 the recorded
attendance was 59,000 and the estimated
audience at the Lagniappe Stage during
the Tango presentation exceeded 3,000.
New Orleans' Septeto Milonga,
which was listed as Milonga Tango
Band is directed by John Lutz (bass),
and features Dave Ellington (piano),
Matt Rhody (violin), Kat Fritz (violin), Chris Kohl (clarinet), Cale Pellick
(accordion) and Alan Kapulski (guitar).
Singer Jane Harvey Brown makes
occasional appearances with the group.
JAZZ FEST SOUVENIR GUIDE LISTING,
OFF BEAT, New Orleans' and Louisiana's
Music Magazine. May 2001 issue,
Milonga Tango 5/3, LAGN, 1:05, Milonga is actually the
name for the traditional songs of Argentinian cowboys, better
known as gauchos. According to tango enthusiast/novelist
Jorge Luis Borges, "My informants all agree on one fact - the
tango was born in the brothels." Therefore, this local tango
band combines the best of two worlds, home on the range and
whore houses, where dancing is not usually the primary thing
on people's minds.
A partial view of the "popular" where
Aaron, Catherine, Sabina, Joe, Gwen,
Myra, and a few others tangueros
cheered, danced and had a great time
The group has been playing regularly on Sunday evenings at Le Pavillon
Hotel in the Central Business District,
steps away from the French Quarter.
The NOLA Dance Troupe LOS
CHE, is directed by Alberto Paz and
Valorie Hart, and it was created to
provide additional opportunities to
dancers who want to expand their dance
participation in events and functions
alike. The group meets regularly at
various dance studios around the city for
classes and rehearsals. Their first public
appearance took place on April 9, 2001
at the Tango Show and Party held at
the Rock 'N' Bowl Cafe.
For Jazz Fest, the restricted space
on stage limited the number of couples
dancing to three. Valorie and Alberto
were joined for this performance by
Warren McCrocklin and Mary Ann
Fischer, and Gary and Phyllis Breaux.
Photos by, Eva del Cid, Catherine Laspersches
and Idalia Battle
6
El Firulete
Jazzed up about Tango
A Handful of Emotions
P
reparing for the performances at
Jazz Fest involved hours of
rehearsal, practice and enjoyment.
We were six individuals, each one with
a personal perspective, six sets of
expectations, emotions and anxiety.
I was the only one dealing with a
special handful of emotions as I realized
that among thousands of people enjoying a Tango show, I was perhaps the
only Argentine native there, and I was
feeling once again that unique appreciation of the Tango that can only be felt
three feet or three thousand miles away
from its birthplace.
Having lived the first half of my life
in Buenos Aires I am able to understand
the metaphysical queries of those who
originally created a music for the
dancers, then the lyrics for the listeners
and eventually the dance we were about
to recreate far away from the living
source of the Argentine Tango. The
MTV like images flashing through my
mind had an understandable degree of
context. Our dance group arrived early
and we walked a good quarter of a mile
on the sand of the race track to the only
permanent structure, where on a regular
day at the races, the public sits, the
jockeys get ready and the noble breed of
horses parade before and after each race.
I can think of a few admirers of Al
Pacino's "Tango dancing" in a Scent of
a Woman, who at this point would be
humming Por una cabeza with their
eyes getting moist. I was getting moist
because of the high humidity and the
dark clothing I was wearing, but this is
what occupied my mind.
I was humming Leguisamo solo, the
Tango that in three minutes describes
the prowess of legendary jockey, Ireneo
Leguisamo, a personal friend of Carlos
Gardel. The Tango has always been a
unsuspected witness of the social
injustices taking place in Buenos Aires.
So there I was, singing about the momentary truce of an otherwise bitter
class struggle. I could see the blue collar
workers standing on la popular, the
cheap ticket section of the stands,
trading cheers for the great jockey with
the well-to-do aristocracy occupying la
oficial, the luxury sky boxes.
Francisco Canaro (El internado),
Eduardo Arolas (La cachila), Vicente
Greco (Ojos negros), Juan de Dios
Filiberto (Caminito, Quejas de
bandoneon), Gerardo Matos
Rodriguez (La cumparsita), never
dreamed that almost one hundred years
after they penned some of the greatest
Tangos ever composed, a talented group
of foreign musicians would blast those
melodies through the power and intensity of a high quality, high fidelity
concert sound system.
July 2001
Growing up in Buenos Aires, many
times I fell asleep as a kid listening to
the sounds of King Oliver, Louis
Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, Bix
Beiderbecke and Sydney Bechet. I
never dreamed that one day I would live
in and walk the streets where those great
Jazz musicians lived and played. Dancing Tango on the stage of the major Jazz
Festival in New Orleans, in front of an
curious foreign audience and surrounded
by dear friends who have learned to love
our dance, brought a handful of emotions that squeezed the ticking muscle
on the left side of my chest.
In the city of New Orleans many
people believe in the spiritual presence
of those mortally departed. Many souls
regularly make their aura felt in and
around the nooks and crannies of the
Vieux Carre. Believing in ghosts is not
required here. They exist.
How could I explain otherwise the
confused face of my mother or the proud
tears in my father's eyes as they materialized for a moment from behind a
billowy cloud that was being carried
away by the trade winds?
What about Vicente Greco's
puzzled looked when OJOS NEGROS
was introduced as a "Troilo Tango?" I
winked at him with one of those que le
vachache looks and hugging Miss
Valorie we danced the best we could for
all the boys sitting up there on the
popular section of the clouds.
By Tangoman
July 2001
El Firulete
Rolling with the good times
7
the old cobblestones near the river bank.
Chronicle of the first Tango Show and Dance Party at the Rock 'N'
Bowl Cafe featuring live music with Quartet MALA JUNTA from Uruguay, and the debut of the NOLA Dance Troupe "Los Che"
On Monday, April 9, 2001 a sound
that was missing arrived to New Orleans. It came from the Eastern shores
of the Rio de la Plata, another mighty
river that unites Montevideo and
Buenos Aires, two cities fraternally
related by the common sound of the
original Tango. With its bragging and
sentimental accent, lazy and inciting, the
moan of the bandoneon was heard in
New Orleans.
T
At 9 PM, in a run down hall reminiscent of neighborhood clubs of
Montevideo or Buenos Aires, the night
shivered with the anticipation of a first
A Sound That Had Been
Missing in New Orleans
hose who hit the road on the
endless journey on the path of
the tango, travel through wellknown avenues where the emotions
intersect at every corner and
meet the happiness of the
encounter with old and new
friends.
There are also less frequently traveled roads. Some
wanderers, whose hearts beat
to the sound of a tango, carry
a flaming torch that blazes
new trails so that those who
come behind may warm their
hearts before moving on in
search of their destiny waiting
ahead.
traveler walks through traditions; the
narrow streets; the balconies overflowing with flowers; the street lights that
illuminate the night for wanderers as
Gerardo, Julio, Juan,
Gloria and Jorge
Roz, Aaron and Linda
One such footpath leads
to New Orleans, the Big Easy
that rises defiantly on a
crescent of the mighty Mississippi River. This is a harbor
Alberto Paz and Valorie Hart
city; a melting pot of races; a
Gloria, Julio and Nelly
Graciela and Enrique
"Bohemian soul" with a
resonant echo of old and new
they look for, and find, in every door,
love affair. Gerardo Perez squeezed the
sounds that celebrates the musical
the sounds of pistons; of strings; of
sounds of La Yumba from his instruessence that gave the world the happiaccordions; of drums and of voices that
ment and the floor filled with dancers,
ness and the sadness of Jazz.
sing the experiences of life.
many hearing the phrasing of the
When reaching New Orleans, the
This is a city of celebration. Brass
bandoneon for the first time. Quartet
bands lead the paraders Mala Junta began to write a new
through the streets of
chapter in the imponderable history of
NOLA DANCE
the French Quarter
TROUPE "Los Che"
the music of New Orleans. The Tango
marching with the joy had its party and it had dressed up for
(Left to right)
that the music creates
the occasion.
Valorie, Phyllis,
ahead of the second
There is a new Tango port-of-call
Aaron, Sabina,
line of dancers and
by the river, closer to home. Open arms
Sean, Catherine,
with the ever present
awaiting to offer the fraternal embrace.
Mary Anne, Warren,
spirit of those who no
Along with the traditional sounds of
Gary, Melissa, Ed,
longer exist, but have
Alberto
New Orleans, the yumba of the Tango,
left their footprints on
live or from digital tracks.
8
El Firulete
Collector's Corner
Historic Recordings Anyone?
The Tango is the quintessential music genre of the River Plate region
in South America, and the result of the fusion of the Creole and
immigrant cultures that collided in Buenos Aires at the dawn of the
Twentieth Century
By Alberto Paz
Member of the International Tango Collector's Club
I
t had been another beautiful
morning in New Orleans with the
usual daily parade of beer delivery
trucks replenishing the stock of the
countless watering holes which locals
and visitors alike will begin to empty
again as the sun goes down with crimson flashes behind the Mississippi
River.
The cleaning crews have been busy
bagging and hauling away the debris left
behind by the last night-owls, who
hiding their eyes from the golden rays of
light rising from the East, headed for
shelter who knows where.
Soon, the sounds of Hot Jazz,
Dixieland, Blues, Zydeco and Cajun
tunes will blast from sidewalks and
clubs blending into the day to greet the
appreciative strolling crowds as they
make their way through the art galleries
of the Rue Royale, the antique stores of
Chartres St. and the decadent store
fronts of Bourbon St. to eventually
settle down for a leisure lunch enjoying
the many culinary offerings that the
Crescent City proudly boasts about.
From where I normally sit, there is
Tango music pouring out the open
windows of Planet Tango to the surprise and curiosity of many unsuspecting passersby on their way back from a
tour at the St. Louis cemetery, heading
for Jackson Square two blocks away,
and possibly planning to stop by at Cafe
Du Monde for chicory coffee and
beignets.
Life couldn’t be better for a Tango
bum. Let's see, I woke up, I can stand up
and walk, and the CD player still works.
Who could ask for anything more?
Day Dreaming Interruptus
Just about this time of the day, a
knock at the door surely seems like it is
time to make the daily contribution to
the brewsky funds of early risers on
their way to the pub. There is something
about honesty in panhandling that just
warms my heart.
But it is the postman delivering the
mail. I inspect the small package and
upon opening it, I am pleasantly surprised at finding two CDs sent from
Buenos Aires by Ricardo Garcia
Blaya, who is the Director of Todo
Tango, an Internet based International
Tango Collectors Club which I had
joined a while back. Now I remember
that one of the many benefits for members was the promise of receiving
periodical issues of compilations of hard
to impossible to find Tango music from
the private collection of an exclusive
group that call themselves the
Coleccionistas Porteños de Tango.
A Treasure of a Gift
The day immediately took upon
another purpose, as I began to listen to
the music while reading the well documented liner notes that inspired the
following account of my enlightened
education.
The first CD is named, De los
Origenes a su Esplendor (From Its
beginnings to Its Greatness), and the
second CD is named, La Epoca de Oro
(The Golden Years), in both cases
referring to the Tango as the main
protagonist.
July 2001
Both CDs carry the common label:
Grabaciones Historicas (Historic
recordings) and the product presentation
is first class; from the selection of
themes itself, the mastering of the
music, the attractive packaging and the
accurate, knowledgeable and educational information contained in the
liners in both English and Castellano.
With a commanding authority that
research and knowledge affords, Blaya
begins to explain in the liner notes that
in the early 1900’s two very different
cultures began to blend in Argentina, (I
believe that to be more so in the city of
Buenos Aires than in the rest of the
country).
The local Creoles and the European immigrants arriving everyday
provided the metaphysical environment
for the hybrid development of the Tango
dance which led to a fusion of existing
musical rhythms into the Tango of the
Beginnings.
This Tango Collection is Todo
Tango’s tribute to the thousands of
gifted, passionate artists who made it all
possible.
In De los Origenes a su Esplendor
(From Its beginnings to Its Greatness),
we are shown the Tango’s technical and
musical progress. The contents sum up
the creative process by means of an
academic and chronological approach.
Thus, you will first hear acoustic
recordings obtained with mechanical
systems where a live orchestra was
captured by a gramophone, to be
followed by electrical recordings
starting in 1926.
The disk highlights the Tango’s best
decades, a very special time with an
amazing production in terms of quantity
and quality of songs played by numerous performers. For the first time the
Tango was successful outside its birthplace, reaching audiences in Europe
and the rest of America.
Great composers such as Angel
Villoldo, Ernesto Saborido, Eduardo
Arolas, Ernesto Ponzio, Agustin
Bardi, Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and
Vicente Greco created some of their
July 2001
best work during this period including
timeless classics such as La cumparsita,
El choclo, La morocha, Don Juan, El
lloron, Mi noche triste, La cachila,
Ojos negros and many more.
On the second CD we are invited to
explore the consolidation of the musical
and rhythmic structure of the Tango
from the late 1920's on.
The world’s most important recording labels set up shop in Buenos Aires
and Argentina’s own recording companies started to grow at a very fast pace.
Tango was the world’s favorite social
dance.
There were hundreds of performers
and orchestras and they recorded
everyday, bringing thousands of new
records to the market. Without a doubt,
these were Tango’s Golden Years. We
start by experiencing De Caro’s innovation, who dramatically increased the
quality and sophistication of the arrangements, predicting the end of the
old structure where several musicians
played the same melody, often without a
score, harmonic arrangements or
variations (this old structure of Tango
playing is called among musicians, a la
parrilla, if you can visualize a barbecue
grill loaded with ribs, steaks, shrimp,
chicken, sausages and everything you
can throw into the barbi to cook all at
once).
El Firulete
ence them for the first time in a rich
“digitally remastered” sound.
He has been making tapes and
selections for his closest friends for over
forty years. This selections on CD are
by far the best he is ever done, a very
special collection for his new friends,
among which I am very proud to be not
only one of them, but also an admirer of
the respect and integrity with which
Ricardo Garcia Blaya has approached
this ambitious project for the good of
the Tango.
The Return of the Vultures
Not a week had gone by when
Ricardo wrote me a note of appreciation for having made public my enthusiasm about the release of the first two
CD's from the International
Collector's Club.
He also was letting me know that
the International Tango Collectors
Club has suspended its activities until
further notice because of unexpected
legal problems with the recording
industry. Although the law clearly
supports the sharing of recordings in the
public domain (they are more than fifty
years old), some record companies have
seized the opportunity to present legal
arguments that will slow down the
activities of the Club, while their
lawyers make "interpretations" of the
law hoping to receive a percentage of
something they do not own and that is
part of the world's heritage.
Two tendencies forever divided the
Tango and its followers, while sharing
the spotlight during this period: the
avant-garde, represented by Julio De
Caro, Juan Carlos Cobian, Osvaldo
Fresedo, Cayetano Puglisi, and the
traditional tipica of Francisco Canaro,
Francisco Lomuto and Roberto Firpo.
The period also witnessed the debut of
the estribillista, the chorus singer, based
on a Canaro’s idea, previewing for the
first time what would become el cantor
de orquesta, the orchestra singer of the
40’s.
This turn of events is highly disgusting and it is particularly sad in this case
because of what the Club represents: an
opportunity to preserve Tango for
enthusiasts and lovers of the genre all
around the world. As Garcia Blaya puts
it, Our economic model does not allow
money for lawsuits on acquired rights,
neither we can accept further delays on
the whole process of delivering music
to our members.
As Blaya sincerely acknowledges,
putting together a unique collection like
this, is a collector’s dream, a chance to
revisit classic recordings that were
supposed to be lost forever and experi-
The main objective of the Club is to
give its members even more music,
hoping to obtain in return a modest
economic support that will help them to
digitally remaster collectible Tango
9
masterpieces - that otherwise would be
further damaged as time goes by until
they are lost forever- and to keep the
TodoTango.com website active and
updated. Before launching the Club we
made every effort to get support and
funds both official and private, writes
Garcia Blaya, and we continued to do
so even after it's official opening. But it
seems that in Argentina no one cares
about Tango or values our work of
love. TodoTango.com still has no
sponsors, and because of these reasons,
it is now impossible for them to keep
going even with the support of its
members.
We have no words to thank the
encouragement that you gave through
your membership, Blaya wrote to all
the members, and we cannot ask for
anything else at this point. If you know
of any company or individual that loves
tango and would like to help the site we
will appreciate them contacting us.
Meanwhile, the site is still active in
the best possible way, but it is clear that
the current Tango portal already represented a significant investment for the
group, and they cannot afford to keep
growing without new funding.
We would like to state that even
with all the unexpected problems and
delays, they fulfilled their initial compromise with everybody, and they even
added additional time of free on-line
access for all members. We also want to
make clear that due to the Club's unfortunate interruption they did not charge
any payments for the second quarter.
They ask to be contacted in case
they accidentally debited any service
they could not provide, or in case
somebody paid their fees for a full year
and still have not been credited yet.
Questions, commentaries, etc. about this
article are welcome. Write care of Planet
Tango, 1000 Bourbon St., #202, New
Orleans, LA 70116
For more information regarding TODO
TANGO, Ricardo Garcia Blaya, and the
International Collector’s Club, visit
<http://www.todotango.com>
10
El Firulete
July 2001
The DJ Report
destroying them, along with the masters.
De los Origenes a su Esplendor
11. DERECHO VIEJO
(Eduardo Arolas)
SEXTETO FRANCISCO PRACANICO (1927)
This is probably the best version ever
recorded of this classic tango. It was
dedicated to the School of Law alumni, by
Eduardo Arolas in 1916 and it soon
became an overwhelming success.
cencerro. He dedicated this Tango to actor
Pablo Podesta. The Tipica Select orchestra
recorded all their repertoire in the United
Sates and their members were the amazing
Osvaldo Fresedo (bandoneon), David Tito
Rocatagliatta (violin) and Enrique Delfino
(piano).
PLAY LIST and LINER NOTES
1. EL INCENDIO
(Arturo de Bassi)
ORQUESTA TIPICA CRIOLLA GRECO (1911)
This composition is part of De Bassi's
outstanding trilogy, which includes El
Cabure and La catrera. Vicente Greco
coined the name tipica, to designate orchestras which played only Tango.
2. VIENTO EN POPA
(Rosendo Mendizabal)
ORQUESTA TIPICA PACHO (1912)
A classic from the same composer who
brought us El entrerriano.
3. CHAMPAGNE TANGO
(Manuel Arostegui)
ORQUESTA TIPICA CRIOLLA FIRPO (1914)
Roberto Firpo exhibits his extraordinary
talent on this composition from Manuel
Arostegui, who also wrote El apache
argentino and El cachafaz dedicated to
actor Florencio Parravicini.
4. ADIOS BUENOS AIRES
(Eduardo Arolas)
ORQUESTA TIPICA EDUARDO AROLAS (1917)
Eduardo Arolas, Tango's most inspired
writer, died at the very young age of 32, yet
he left us over a hundred Tangos (Derecho
viejo, Una noche de garufa, Comme il
faut).
5. PABLO
(Jose Martinez)
ORQUESTA TIPICA SELECT (NEW YORK, AUGUST
25, 1920)
Jose Martinez El Gallego was a talented
musician and composer who wrote classics
such as El pensamiento, Canaro and El
6. SHUSHETA
(Juan Carlos Cobian)
ORQUESTA TIPICA JUAN CARLOS COBIAN (1923)
This Tango was targetted by the censors in
the early 40s so its title was changed to El
aristocrata. Both monikers make reference
to a wealthy man, but the second is more
politically correct while the original is more
deprecatory. It was recorded by Cobian
right before his American tour, where he
opened shows for Rodolfo Valentino among
other great stars.
7. SILBANDO
(Sebastian Piana - Catulo Castillo/Jose
Gonzalez Castillo)
ORQUESTA FRANCISCO CANARO (1925)
The most famous and cohesive orchestra of
the 20's, Canaro's Orchestra played Tango
in a very traditional way, by strictly respecting its original rhythm.
8. RISA LOCA
(Pedro Laurenz/Jose de Grandis)
ORQUESTA JULIO DE CARO (1926)
De Caro's orchestra innovates exhibiting a
completely different style compared to
Canaro's classic conception. Julio De Caro
was the leader of the avant-garde and Juan
Carlos Cobian and Osvaldo Fresedo
followed De Caro's steps shortly after.
9. ABRAN CANCHA
(Jose Maria Mendizabal)
ORQUESTA TIPICA AGESILAO FERRAZZANO
(DECEMBER 9, 1927)
Ferrazzano shined as a virtuoso violinist
and his skills in the art of improvisation took
him all around Europe, Asia, North Africa
and New York. After these long tours, he
remained in Italy working as a show
manager and never returned to Argentina.
10. PENITENCIA
(Anselmo Aieta)
ORQUESTA TIPICA FRESEDO (AUGUST 3, 1927)
Osvaldo Fresedo, also known as El pibe de
La Paternal, the neighborhood where he
was born, recorded for the most important
labels. Some of his records are very difficult
to find. While still under contract with
Odeon, he decided to start recording for
Victor. Odeon Records retaliated by
recalling all his records from the market and
12. MEDIO Y MEDIO
(Mario Castro Calatayud/R. de Castro)
ORQUESTA TIPICA JUAN GUIDO (1928)
There are only two known versions of this
beautiful Tango: this one recorded by Juan
Guido's exquisite orchestra and another
version that appeared a few years later with
Libertad Lamarque singing the lyrics.
13. DE PREPOTENCIA
(P. Pereyra)
ORQUESTA TIPICA LUIS PETRUCELLI (SEPTEMBER
17, 1928)
Petrucelli stands out as an excellent
conductor and highly stylized bandoneon
player. He wrote La mal querida and Negro,
el veinte among other Tangos.
14. T.B.C.
(Edgardo Donato)
SEXTETO CARLOS DI SARLI (NOVEMBER 26,
1928)
If you pronounce the three initials in the
title, you'll be saying te bese or I kissed you
in Castellano. The amazing Carlos Di Sarli
delivers an accurate rendition of this classic
written by the author of A media luz and
Muchacho.
15. DISFRAZATE MUCHACHITA
(Alejandro Schujer)
ORQUESTA TIPICA CAYETANO PUGLISI (AUGUST
2, 1929)
Cayetano Puglisi was a refined violinist and
a conductor born in Italy. Despite his classic
roots he shined as a symbol of De Caro's
avant-garde movement.
16. BARRIO VIEJO
(Guillermo Barbieri/Eugenio Cardenas)
ORQUESTA TIPICA FRANCISCO LOMUTO (JULY 5,
1929)
Francisco Lomuto, just like Francisco
Canaro, encouraged the use of new instruments to the tipica formation: the horn, the
saxophone and the clarinet. Like Pirincho,
Lomuto explored styles like Jazz, and his
traditional style was very suitable for
dancing.
By Tangoman
July 2001
El Firulete
The DJ Report
La Epoca de Oro (The Golden Years)
5. ESTAMPA DEL SUBURBIO
(Luis D’Andrea)
ORQUESTA FRANCISCO CANARO (FEBRUARY 23,
1929)
This Tango features the unmistakable and
powerful style of Francisco Canaro made
possible by the strong bandoneon sound of
Minotto di Cicco.
PLAY LIST and LINER NOTES
1. PATERNAL
(Prospero Cimaglia)
ORQUESTA TIPICA FRESEDO (NOV. 15, 1927)
La Paternal is the name of a quarter of the
city of Buenos Aires. This is where
Osvaldo Fresedo grew up.
2. YIRA, YIRA
(Enrique Santos Discepolo)
ORQUESTA TIPICA VICTOR (SEP. 4, 1930)
DUO ALBERTO GOMEZ - AUGUSTO VILA
Enrique Santos Discepolo has been quoted
saying, "This is the most spontaneous Tango
I've written. It's mine more than any other."
This is another Tango that at one time fell
under the hedious thumb of the censors
because of the lunfardo description of the
vagrant act of roaming around, which was
used for its title.
3. BARRIO REO
(Roberto Fugazot/Alfredo Navarrine)
ORQUESTA TIPICA JUAN MAGLIO (MARCH 11,
1927)
The author dedicates this song to the Reus
quarter of the city of Montevideo. In the
late 20's, Juan Maglio's records, (he was
better known by the nickname of Pacho)
were all best sellers. People asked for
"pachos" instead of "discos" (records).
4. MILONGA PORTEÑA
(Luis Brighenti/Mario Cesar Gomila)
ORQUESTA TIPICA ANTONIO BONAVENA (1930)
NICOLAS GIANASTASIO
Antonio Bonavena's records are almost
impossible to find. This is one of the tangos
that best describes Luis Brighenty's style,
along with Ensueños and Quimera de amor.
Mario Cesar Gomila wrote the lyrics.
6. CARILLON DE LA MERCED
(Enrique Santos Discepolo/Alfredo Le Pera)
ORQUESTA ROBERTO FIRPO (SEPTEMBER 17,
1931)
PRINCIPE AZUL
The tittle refers to the bell tower of the
church of La merced de Santiago de Chile.
It is a very rare partnership: Enrique Santos
Discepolo and Alfredo Le Pera.
7. FILIGRANA
(P. J. Borraschi)
ORQUESTA TIPICA JULIO DE CARO (1930)
Borraschi was such an anonymous character
that his first name is not known. He created
this beautiful composition, ideal for Julio
De Caro's style.
11
Cadicamo)
ORQUESTA TIPICA JUAN MAGLIO (FEBRUARY 6,
1928)
JOSE GALARZA
The first ever recording of this Tango was an
instrumental version by Orquesta Tipica
Victor. Uruguayan singer Alberto Vila
premiered this Tango composed by the
author of La Cumparsita with lyrics by
Cadicamo.
12. QUE TIPO
(Antonio Polito)
ORQUESTA TIPICA ANTONIO BONAVENA (1930)
A real rarity, this is probably the only
recorded version of this Tango.
13. QUE VACHACHE
(Enrique Santos Discepolo)
ORQUESTA FRANCISCO CANARO (MAY 9, 1928)
CHARLO
Enrique Santos Discepolo's second
composition. It was actually received with
dissaproval in 1926 in its debut in a
Montevideo theater. But the passing of time
proved to be fair for Discepolo: in 1928 the
voice of the actress and singer Tita Merello
changed the luck of this Tango making it a
big hit. The song turned into one of the most
recorded Tangos ever, with the voices of
Carlos Gardel, Rosita Quiroga and many
other performers.
8. CHAU PINELLA
(Humberto Catiglione)
SEXTETO TIPICO DI SARLI (SEPTEMBER 3, 1930)
ERNESTO FAMA
Years before he impressed upon an entire
generation of dancers his characteristic style,
Carlos Di Sarli begins to unfold here his
distinctive "milonguero" rhythm within this
subtle, delicate structure.
14. FALSA ALEGRIA
(Julio Domingo Vanni)
ORQUESTA ROBERTO FIRPO (MAY 8, 1929)
Even though that Vicente Greco is credited
with adding the piano to his orquesta tipica,
it was Roberto Firpo's virtuosity that made
the instrument a fundamental part of the
orchestra.
9. POBRE GRINGO
(Antonio Scatasso/Alberto Vacarezza/Juan
Andres Caruso)
ORQUESTA TIPICA FRESEDO (MARCH 20, 1928)
ERNESTO FAMA
The lyrics of this Tango were written by two
great writers for a theater play. The music is
a gifted creation from the same composer of
Ventanita de arrabal, La mina del Ford,
and Chingolito.
15. CANCION DEL OLVIDO
(Rafael Sanchez/Francisco Brancatti)
ORQUESTA TIPICA JULIO DE CARO (1930)
LUIS DIAZ
Luis Diaz recorded more songs with Julio
De Caro than any other chorus singer. The
Uruguayan born lyricist Francisco
Brancatti also wrote the verses of Amigazo,
Catamarca and Mandria.
10. JULIAN
(Edgardo Donato/Jose Luis Panizza)
ORQUESTA TIPICA VICTOR (JULY 6, 1927)
This is the first recorded version of this
Tango. The title allegedly was inspired by
Julian Gonzalez, the drummer of the
Edgardo Donato orchestra. The Uruguayan
author committed suicide three years after
Julian's big success.
11. CHE PAPUSA OI
(Gerardo Matos Rodriguez/Enrique
16. ALGO BUENO
(Pedro and Alfredo Cagliano)
SEXTETO CARLOS DI SARLI (JANUARY 24,
1930)
Another sample of the great times to come
for Carlos Di Sarli. Violinist Roberto
Guisado performs brilliantly as part of the
Carlos Di Sarli Sextet on this interesting
Tango written by the Cagliano brothers.
By Tangoman
12
El Firulete
July 2001
Fifth Annual Labor Day
Weekend Tango Getaway
Reno Hilton Resort and Casino
August 31 - September 3, 2001
Planet Tango is pleased to invite you to attend the Fifth Annual Labor Day Weekend Tango Getaway, once again to be held at the wonderful Reno Hilton Casino
and Resort in Reno, Nevada. This is still the original and best combination of classes,
dancing and socializing at its best.
All classes held all day Saturday and Sunday, and Monday morning, are suitable for
any and all levels of dancers. A concerted effort is made to maintain a balanced number of men and women, couples and singles. Class size is kept to a level that allows
everyone to get individual attention from each teaching couple.
On Saturday night, you will be attending the Reno Tango Ball as our guest for dinner
and a show produced by the teachers.
On Sunday night, you will be attending the Graduation Milonga as our guest for
dinner, and you may even be part of the great performances staged by the student
body. It’s great fun!
Don't forget to bring your video camera to record the class material and the
performances solely for your own personal use.
RENO HILTON RESORT AND CASINO
Five minutes from Reno, NV
airport by courtesy shuttle
Everything under one roof
Large Guest Rooms; Five Restaurants;
Cafe; Fast Food; Elegant Casino; Three
Showrooms; Shopping Mall; Bowling
Alley; Cinema; Health Spa; Pool
All levels welcome
Singles - Couples
Even ratio of men and women
Two dinners included
Tango Boutique
Clothing; CDs; Shoes; Videos; Art work
Spacious wood dance floors
Reasonable class size
Private classes and mini workshops
available at extra cost.
Photo by Ed Cherrie
GLORIA AND EDUARDO
ALBERTO AND VALORIE
PABLO AND BEATRIZ
July 2001
El Firulete
There were no in-flight movies on
the way home, but we didn't need
them; we watched videos of the
Saturday night and Sunday night
performances. It made the weekend
last a few more hours. We really
didn't need the airplane either, we
were flying so high after such a
spectacular weekend.
13
If I were alive, this is the only place
where I would teach.
- Antonio Todaro, Chacarita, ARG -
Thank you for a wonderful weekend
in Reno. I am looking forward to
many more. Your choice of guest
instructors was wonderful and
provided good balance.
- Walter & MariLynne Kane, Harriman, NY
-
- Ron Burke, Albuquerque, NM I had a wonderful time in Reno. I am
already looking forward to being
there next year. You are both
wonderful teachers.
We enjoyed meeting people from all
over the US and dancing at the
evening milongas with new friends.
The teachers were very kind to mix
in and dance with us, as well.
- Nancy and John, Santa Cruz, CA -
Thank you again for having me
there.
- Kana Kubota, NYC, NY -
PRIX FIXE MENU
The only reason I never attended is
because they won't let me blindfold
the orchestra
- Cholo, Mataderos, ARG -
Friday, Aug. 31
Welcome Milonga, 8:30 PM till
Participants only
Sunday, Sep. 2
Classes, 10 AM - 5 PM
Graduation Milonga, 9 PM till
Dinner, Students exhibition
Live music with Sexteto Tipico Arrabal
Open to the public. RSVP
Saturday, Sep. 1
Classes, 10 AM - 5 PM
Reno Tango Ball, 9 PM till
Dinner, Masters exhibition
Live music with Sexteto Tipico Arrabal Sunday, Sep. 2
Open to the public. RSVP
Classes, 10 AM - 12 PM
All instruction was great and the
best I have been exposed to since
starting doing tango. There are no
words to express my appreciation.
- Jack James, Albuquerque, NM -
Book your own room at a special
Planet Tango discount rate
before August 1, 2001.
Call the Reno Hilton at,
1.800.648.5080
Please sign me up for the Fifth Annual Labor Day Weekend Tango Getaway, Aug 31 - Sep 3, 2001
[
[
] Regular tuition is $325. It includes all group classes, two dinners/shows and all three milongas.
] Special Early registration is $295 if mailed before August 15, 2001.
[
[
[
] Reno Tango Ball only, Saturday night dinner/show and dance, $65
] Graduation Milonga only, Sunday night dinner/show and dance, $65
] Both Saturday and Sunday dinner/shows and dance, $110
Print Name(s) _____________________________________________________________
Mailing Address ___________________________________________________________
Please mail payments to
Planet Tango
1000 Bourbon St., #202
New Orleans, LA 70116
504.592.8256
City _____________________________________ State _________ Zip ______________
Phone ________________________ E-mail ____________________________________
I'm attending [_____] as an individual, [______] with a partner
Amount enclosed $ _________ for _________ person(s)
E-mail:
[email protected]
On line:
http://www.planet-tango.com/reno2001.htm
14
El Firulete
July 2001
Tango North America
At Least You Can Visit
To paraphrase the author Thomas Wolfe, who says you can’t go
home again, we say that at least you can visit.
She left New York City, her home for twenty-five years, to follow her heart to the
Tango. He had left Buenos Aires, his home for twenty-five years, to grab a taste of
the American dream and take it back home. Twenty seven years later they left this
planet and created their own, Planet Tango. Six years have passed, five of them
spent in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the last year spent most pleasurably in
New Orleans.
Prior to settling down to the bohemian life of the French Quarter, they had
traveled extensively across the country on a regular basis, for the sole purpose of
sharing the love of Tango and searching for a home port to drop anchors. New
Orleans was that port, but their hearts still long for places and people who along the
way have become a home away from home and a very dear extended family.
Albuquerque, NM
Steve Fox and Donna Lefurgey
decided to bless their partnership with
love, laughter and dance on June 30,
2001. To walk down the aisle of the Old
San Ysidro Church in Corrales, New
Mexico, Steve selected Antonio Agri's
version of Gardel and Le Pera's El dia
que me quieras. Following the ceremony: dessert and dancing.
How does one handle a wedding
when half of the guests are from the
Albuquerque Tango Club and half are
not? For weeks prior to the ceremony,
Steve worked very hard on mixing
music that included Tangos, milongas,
valses and a few other rhythms that
included salsa, swing and merengue.
A week earlier The Tango Club of
Albuquerque welcomed Alberto and
Valorie back for their third visit. Jack
James, current president of the organization made sure that there were plenty
of recreational activities surrounding the
six day tour.
The classes and workshops were
held at the Lloyd Shaw Dance Center,
June 23-25. There were three dance
opportunities. Friday night, they held a
party at Lloyd Shaw to welcome A&V,
who reciprocated the gesture by giving a
Tango lesson prior to the actual dance
party.
On Saturday evening (a wishful
stretch in the land of enchantment where
the sun sets at 9 PM), Kathy Economy
held her monthly dance party in the cafe
Laura Lynch gets to appear in a lot of
pictures because allegedly she owns the
only digital camera in the Club. The
camera seems to love her looks.
area of mega book store Page One. The
social atmosphere and the intimate
setting of the room in a unobstructed
corner of the store provided a pleasant
venue for putting into practice the
concepts learned earlier in the day.
On Sunday, following another
intense class session at Lloyd Shaw,
Marian and Fred Honorio unveiled a
new venue for the ABQ Tango community: The Cooperage Restaurant. The
bar room, next to the restaurant which is
shaped like a barrel, has the touch and
feel of an authentic Tango dance hall
where the space limitations and the
necessary floor craft needed to navigate
the floor separate the men from the
boys.
Monday night was Tango Barre for
the ladies, who always look forward to
spending an evening sharing the insightful, sometimes witty and irreverent, but
always on the money, fundamental
concepts and techniques for women
taught by Valorie.
Donna with Alberto in
Reno last year
The Wedding Invitation
Steve with Valorie in
Reno last year at the end
of the Fourth Labor Day
Tango Getaway
Dancing at 5,000 feet above sea
level proved to be a challenge for the
Tangoman who was heard saying, You
should see me dance six feet below sea
level.
July 2001
El Firulete
folklore dances
with names like
chacarera, zamba
& malambo.
Harriman, NY
The Hudson
Valley Tango community celebrated their
second year of existence last May. Walter
and MariLynne Kane
have been instrumental
in building and maintaining a congenial and
healthy environment
for the enjoyment of
Tango dancing.
15
Another
favorite is Danel
& Maria's
Bailemos Tango,
given in two or
three rotating
venues every
Carlos Quiroga
A partial view of the "survivors" at the end of day two in QQ
Saturday night,
alternating between a
downtown and a
midtown dance studio
and an old ballroom/
auditorium at the
92nd Y. This is a
classic milonga with
live music by The
New York Trio.
They hosted Alberto and
Valorie for their fifth visit to the
Hudson Valley. The workshops
were held in Harriman,
Poughkeepsie and New York
City over a ten day period.
New York, NY
She has never totally disconnected from her New York City
"Tango has been good to me," seems to say
home. They visit a couple of
Tangringo as the Kanes sport their tangomobiles
during a break between classes
times a year. Yet as each year
passes, on arrival there is a
and nearby discounted parking." It
feeling that nothing has changed, yet
sounded enticing enough to take a 90
everything has changed. Once you’re
minutes ride from the Hudson Valley,
not a card carrying resident riding the
but the waiters at the restaurant swore
subway everyday; walking the streets
that never heard of such a thing.
with the purpose of day to day life;
Around midnight local and visiting
moving your car from one side of the
teachers
made up most of the dancing
street to the other every morning at 8
crowd. The new wood dance floor is
A.M.; meeting friends for dinner at the
beautiful. Oscar Mandagaran and
neighborhood hot spot; dancing Tango
every night at places, most of which are Natalia Hills gave an excellent performance.
walking distance from
Two other milongas
your apartment, things
are perennial favorites.
change.
One is on Thursday
New on the Tango
nights, the excellent La
scene is Babalu, a Cuban
Nacional hosted by
nuevo style restaurant in
Coco Arregui with
the Broadway theater
Viviana Parra playing
district hosted (and dee
good music. This is THE
jayed) by Carlos
Argentine-in-exile
Quiroga, brother of
hangout in NY, as
Guillermina Quiroga.
attested by the mate
Carlos also publishes
sipping argentino
ReporTango. A large and
professionals in attensnappy ad for Babalu in
dance who true to their
the spiffy looking
original dance training
Oscar Mandagaran and
ReporTango said "$10.
burst into impromptu
Natalia Hills
cover, $15. prix fixe menu
Coco Arregui
A couple of
hundred dancers turn up regularly.
New Orleans, LA
This is a city open 24/7 all year
around for the sole purpose of indulging
in the excesses of pure decadent and
unadulterated fun that includes but is
not limited to, great music, great food,
great shopping and great sight-seeing.
The much overblown tales of high heat
and humidity have been dealt with ever
since air conditioning finally made it to
this understated region of the country. It
has the old charm and manners of a third
world country, except that you need no
vaccines and passports. English spoken,
nous parlons Francais, si parla Italiano,
se habla castellano. They dance tango.
Recently, the Casa Argentina of
New Orleans celebrated 25 de Mayo
with a first class Tango for export dinner
and show at Le Meridien Hotel. Live
music was provided by a trio that
included Pablo Aslan (bass) of the New
York Trio , Mauricio Najt (piano) also
with NY Trio, and David Alsina
(bandoneon) of the Sexteto Tipico
Arrabal. Marga Mitchell from Venezuela via New York, who is married to
16
El Firulete
July 2001
SOCIAL SCENE
By Cholula Johnson
The "Tango dancers"
table at Casa Argentina's
annual social soiree.
From left to right,
Tangoman, Zydeco
Linda, Eddie Traspie,
Miss Kitty, TangoG and
Miss Phyllis, Kid Adrian
and Miss Valorie.
Not shown on the
photo, Aaron the Baron
and Mary De Tulip. Sideline bleachers were also made available for frugal dancers
who skipped the dinner but wanted to watch the show
Raul Jaurena, director of the New
York Tango Trio who didn't make the
trip, sung her usual repertoire of lounge
classics such as Cambalache and
Caminito. Headliners of the floor show
were ex-partners Roberto Reis and
Guillermina Quiroga, who teamed up
once more just for the occasion. They
were joined on the dance floor by
Caroline Jaurena, daughter of Marga
and Raul, and her handsome partner
Francisco Forquera. The exhibition,
that drew spontaneous applause from
the mesmerized audience, was filled
with the
usual
acrobatic
moves and
clean, staged
routines
from the
critically
acclaimed hit
Forever
Pablo Aslan, pleasantly surprised to find
out that Miss Valorie has lived in New
Orleans for almost one year now
Photo by Teresa Klajner
Rekindling a friendship that began four
years ago in San Francisco, Tangoman
greeted Guillermina and Roberto with a
warm New Orleans welcome
Tango, sound tracks included.
At the end of the evening, a group
of New Orleans Tango dancers attending the function wondered if this year
they would be allowed to dance Tangos.
Casa Argentina's ex-president Luz
Caputo, a Tango dancer herself, allowed the Tango musicians to play a few
extra songs. As the general attendance
filed for the door, the dance floor filled
with the joy and the dancing enjoyment
of the New Orleans tangueros.
July 2001
El Firulete
17
TIRED OF WATCHING EGOCENTRIC DJ'S
BEHAVE LIKE KINDERGARTEN BRATS?
Scared that even with your limited knowledge you can tell
(and go home sulking) when the music "sucks"?
MUSIC COMPILATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND PERSONAL ENJOYMENT
Carefully selected and expertly mixed classics of Argentine Tango, Milonga and Vals music for dancing.
OSVALDO PUGLIESE, The Legacy, vol 1 (turn the most recalcitrant DJ into a purring pussycat)
CANARO by Canaro, (hello! he became a millonaire playing this music strictly for dancing)
CARLOS DISARLI, The Lord of the Tango (even the lord is not perfect, so this is the best of his best)
TANGOS WITH HARMONICA, (hey, there is a limit to strict codes and protocols, but don't abuse)
ARGENTINE TANGO TANDAS 1, (dance to what they play in Buenos Aires and be home by midnight)
DONATO RACCIATTI, El Oriental, (show off by pointing out that this was the D'Arienzo from Uruguay)
Each CD is $15, complete set only $80. Includes First Class mailing.
Send your check to,
Planet Tango
1000 Bourbon St., #202
New Orleans, LA 70116
For details, visit http://www.planet-tango.com/music.htm
El Firulete
The Argentine Tango Magazine
A suscription for yourself or a gift to a friend
12 issues for $30 in the USA, $40 in Canada, $50 international
4135 S. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA
8:30 PM - 1 AM
Name: _________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
City: __________________________________________
Spectacular Show at 10 PM
Nestor & Patricia
Alberto & Valorie
State: ________ Zip: ______________
Argentine Folk Dance
Exhibition by Javier Juarez
Phone: _________________ E-mail: ________________
NOLA Dance Troupe LOS CHE
Send check or money order to:
Planet Tango
1000 Bourbon St., #202
New Orleans, LA 70116
Come and celebrate Argentina's Independence Day (July 9);
Bastille Day (July 14); Valorie’s Birthday; Eva's Birthday;
Aaron’s Birthday and the 1 year anniversary of
Valorie & Alberto moving to New Orleans!
Dance to the greatest hits of the Golden Years with DJ Tangoman
Admission $10
For more info call Planet Tango 592-8256 (www.planet-tango.com)
18
El Firulete
Chapter 23, Copyright (c) 2001 Planet Tango
Dance floors come in all shapes, so the challenge of navigating any
floor while dancing the music, protecting the woman, and respecting
the presence of other dancers around, should be the top priority of
any man who aspires to be considered a good Tango dancer. Although the woman's role in the Tango is to ride fully trusting her
partner's skills and his consideration for her safety and the safety of
the other dancers, her aspirations to also be considered a good
dancer should include that she also be fully aware of the directions in
which her displacements are guided by her partner.
Count Basic, or worse, trying the
Flavor of the Month "cool" step
courtesy of the local "teacher," the one
who never takes classes, but somehow
For years people have been taught
manages to keep getting repeated
the Eight Count Basic, a pattern some
business mostly because s/he is so nice,
think was created by stage dancers on
s/he is a pioneer, s/he is so dedicated. It
tour who saw the opportunity to make
may have never occurred to someone, to
extra money teaching foreigners to
give him/her a bouquet of flowers, a box
dance Tango. Choreography is the core
of stage/fantasy Tango dancing, and the of bon bons, a watch, or a certificate of
most used and widely recognized pattern appreciation, rather than continuing to
encourage his/her state of denial.
is the Salida Simple of Juan Carlos
When a man approaches the woman
Copes, which is done in time with the
he has invited or accepted to dance with,
4x8 structure of modern Tango. This
the first thing he should do is to face
became the basis for the Eight Count
towards the outside of the dance floor,
Basic that has shackled the creativity
with the line of dance to his left. He
and kept at a basic level the dancing of
should place the woman in front of him,
many who choose not to rebel.
with her back closer to the outer edge of
In trying to quantify and assimilate
the Argentine Tango, an improvisational the dance floor, her line of vision being
able to see the entire dance floor behind
and very individualistic urban dance
the man, and to her right into the L.O.D.
form, to its methods and protocols,
Tango is a Left Turn
Dance
ballroom studios, their salespersons and
their customers, traded off the unique
American rugged individualism for a
hefty sum of money, and the frustration
of wanting to dance the Tango, but
being able to only talk about it without
showing much for their passion, dedication, time and money.
Look around and see how many
men start the dance facing the line of
dance placing the woman in front of
them, as a weapon to hit or to be hit by
other people. Observe how after eight
steps, they have fallen into the center of
the dance floor from where they will
wander aimlessly repeating the Eight
Even if the man is an Eight Count
Basicochist, they'll end up closer to the
outer of the dance floor rather than
falling into the center. Besides, he will
be protecting his partner with his back
facing the busy traffic coming from
behind. Further, executing a pattern will
always provide the woman with a safe
space of where to move, without risking
her body to the oblivious actions of
others who have not read this article.
Finally, because all figures have a set
up, an execution, and an ending, they
can be thought of as part of the correct
navigation of the dance floor, and both
dancers will be aware of continuing
their displacement into the general
July 2001
direction of the line of dance. This
general direction of the line of dance is
counter clockwise, therefore the Argentine Tango is a left turn dance. This is
mostly the result of the fact that the man
embraces with his right arm bringing the
woman's left arm and shoulder as close
as possible (and comfortable) on the
right side of his upper torso. He creates
a larger separation on his left side by
raising his left arm and holding her right
arm extended forward at shoulder's
height.
The Fundamental Tango Move
When a couple readies to begin the
dance (Salida), imagine that they stand
on different "rings" of concentric lines
of dance (think about the multiple lanes
of a track and field oval). The man is in
a lane closer to the center, say lane 2,
while the woman is on a lane closer to
the outer edge of the dance floor, say
lane 3.
When they move into the line of
dance, they do so always going up and
down different lanes rather than in front
of each other on the same lane. It is a
gentle or sharp zig zag displacement to
the left of the couple. To accomplish
this, the man starts with his weight on
his right leg and the woman with her
weight on her left leg (this should be
indicated, "marked" by the man, even
if they have done the move a million
times already). Every weight shift by the
man should be clear, precise and decisive. Every weight shift of the woman,
change of axis, should be initiated and
controlled by the man. The sooner a
woman understands this, the more time
she can dedicate to learn how to find
and hold her axis, so she can move with
the man NOW, not later after she
wrongly assumed the role of a follower
and took time to figure out the "lead,"
process the proper "follow," and ordered
her brain to move her body. By then the
music is several beats ahead.
Show me lead and follow in Tango,
and I'll show you a couple who is not
dancing to the music.
The most common initiation of the
Salida, is a motion to the left of the
couple, which is accomplished using
July 2001
both dancers natural opening of their
free legs, the man's left and the woman's
right (the side step). The man opens to
his left by going down one lane (he is
lane 1, and she is on lane 2)
Next, to continue moving to the left
of the couple into the line of dance, they
both need to use their other leg (the
man's right and the woman's left) so the
legs MUST cross in order to bring the
weight changes into the left of the
couple. Legs can either cross in front or
behind the other one. The man crosses
his right leg in front of his left leg
stepping up to lane 3, thus marking
clearly the crossing of the woman's left
behind her right leg landing on lane 4
(the second step of the salida). His
lower body is slightly to the left of her
lower body giving the optical illusion
that he stepped into her right side,
however their upper torsos must keep
the shape of the embrace so she does not
end up dancing in his armpit.
The third step to continue the Salida
into the line of dance is again similar to
the first in which the natural opening of
the man's left leg marks the opening of
the woman's right. As with every natural
opening this is a point where changes of
direction take place to make the Salida a
very gentle left turn on a curve with a
radius that extends from San Francisco
to New York, or a very tight one where
the woman actually moves around the
man (yes, you guessed it, the salida is a
component of the left turn giro!).
The range of motion of the man's
opening to his left with his left leg
varies from a straight forward going up
to lane 5, to a square lateral motion
staying on lane 4, as long as the leg
does not cross over his right axis so his
weight change in this step will always
be to his left. The opening of the
woman's right leg MUST be allowed to
fall where it is marked by the opening
decision made by the man, and not
arbitrarily sent back as the third step
learned during the days of the Eight
Count Basic!
Finally the man will bring his right
leg to a close next to his left to allow the
woman to catch up with him. He will
El Firulete
bring her in to his left side placing her
again in front of him by marking a front
cross of her left leg in front of her right
leg. The orientation of her body and
how the left leg crosses in front of the
right leg will be a function of the
direction established by the previous
opening step, and not the stereotyped
figure of the "tight pretty crossing" of
the shoes from the Eight Count Basic
days.
From this point the Salida pattern
can be repeated, using the natural
openings to the left of the couple to
steer the couple around the general
shape of the dance floor.
In a Salida, the woman always
repeats the following sequence with her
legs produced by the rotation of her hips
as she shifts axis: right opens, left
crosses behind, right opens, left
crosses in front. This is for the sole
purpose of displacing her body to her
right (the left of the couple) into the line
of dance. The subtleness of this motion
have caused some to describe it as a
grapevine. It is not. They are still
looking for the unfortunate mouth who
first uttered the term molinete. It is not.
It is the Fundamental Basic Tango
Movement for the woman, that results
when the couple progresses into the line
of dance moving at an angle on different
lanes with the woman on the outer lane.
The crossing of her legs behind and in
front of each other is mostly accomplished by a gentle rotation of the hip
where her axis is. This allows their
upper bodies to stay silently connected
within the confines of the embrace.
A Giro State of Mind
Why do very few dancers use turns
to the left as part of their bread-andbutter bag of tricks is one of those
imponderables that defies logic. Why
most dancers dance into each other's
armpits is easier to understand: they
were taught the "basics" in a vacuum,
out of context with the reality of the
dance floor, sort of dancing by connecting dots. Why is it that those who know
less about the dance feel compelled to
jump at the opportunity of forcing the
Eight Count Basic down the proverbial
19
throats of curious bystanders, like
zealous disciples of some looney tuney
religious sect? One more, why do selfrespecting men/women allow that to
happen?
On the average, it takes the better
part of an hour to teach and learn the
fundamental concept of the Salida as a
component of a Left Hand Turn (Giro)
at the intellectual level of a high school
senior. The times it takes to accomplish
the movement proficiently is a function
of supervised practice, positive feedback
and a healthy mental attitude.
It is understandable that people who
have been there, done that, might resist
the stunning logic of something so
fundamentally simple. But then, most
teachers can't see the connection between a left hand turn and the countless
Salidas they come up with. Well,
somebody had to tell Christopher
Columbus that the world was round,
even though quite a few were incinerated for even attempting to say so
before.
Just imagine having to perfect only
three steps. Think about the enjoyment
and fun you've been missing so far while
trying to process each figure, each
pattern, out of context, with its own
"sets of steps," and the personal spin of
the person who taught it to you. Think
what it would be like to be in that
smooth, elegant, sensual, passionate,
playful, totally in control, special state
of mind, which is called A Giro State of
Mind.
Listen to those who want you to
perfect your weight changes and the
management of your axis, then do it.
Perfect the way you clearly shift your
axis from leg/hip to leg/hip. Then free
your body so it can move naturally. Feel
the rotation of your hip when you are
holding your axis. There is no other way
for your free leg to move but in a gentle
curve, whether it opens, it crosses
behind or it crosses in front. Be aware of
your partner's axis so the trajectory of
your free leg will naturally move around
your partner's axis. In the very special
Giro State of Mind, you can now
dance.
20
El Firulete
1000 Bourbon St., #202
New Orleans, LA 70116
504.592.8256
www.planet-tango.com
[email protected]
July 2001
Alberto Paz and Valorie Hart are renowned for their superb,
thorough, fair and conceptually clear teaching skills. They cut
through the rhetoric and gimmicks that keep dancers from fully
becoming the best Tango dancers they can be, by sharing a time
honored method of learning to improvise the Tango at the social
level. Their classes are considered A Dance Make Over from
Head to Toe, always focusing on elements of floor craft, musicality, creativity and the signature concept of la marca for
improvisation used by experienced dancers the world over. They
have been documenting their teaching tours around the country
in their tutorial Tango, Our Dance, an ongoing series of articles
published in this magazine and available on line at the planet
Tango website. The tutorial has become a valuable source of
references and inspiration for many of today's younger generation of teachers. Fall and winter dates available.
Photo by Ed Cherrie
Planet Tango
1000 Bourbon St., #202
New Orleans, LA 70116
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