892 Tango DJs
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 13:08:59 -0500
From: Andrew <andrew@AALLISON.COM>
Subject: Tango DJs
Unlike Russell, I couldn't agree more with Manuel. First, IMHO there
should be continuity within tanda. Second, for most people there's
(tango) music for listening to, and for dancing to; and there's a very
good reason why the surviving "Golden Era" tangos did so. For the
majority of dancers, a little arythmic music goes a long way on the
dance floor. As Manuel wrote: "The milonga is for social dancing." I
think that means limiting the amount of more arcane, i.e., difficult to
dance to, music played.
Regards, Andrew
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 10:39:32 -0800
From: Bugs Bunny <bugsbunny1959@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Tango DJs
Music might be a good thread for community building. I've seen differing,
extremely strongly held opinions, cause unhelpful behavior, fractures, bad
feelings. I've seen it on this list. Some of which I'm sure I've been apart
of. Lots of dancers are open to lots of different music. Ask them. It
doesn't make sense to say that Tango should only be one era of music &
hardly anything else. I hope that there is a Megallan/Einstein of
sound-engineering quietly working away somewhere on the fidelity issues of
the Golden Age. I can only imagine how wonderful it must have been to dance
to the music live years ago.
If there isn't room for such beautiful music as the following, that speaks
to my soul & is so satisfying to express through dancing/my_partner, than
I'm not sure if I would want to be apart of Tango.
Here's some of what I've been listening & dancing to. There's more, late
Troilo, DeSarli & lots of others. All post-Golden age. Listen to the sound
quality of the bandoneons, strings, bass, keyboards of Color Tango
Orchestra's "A Evaristo Carriego" or "la mariposa" or DeAngelis "mi dolor" &
'pavadita", to how it fills a room. It is so incredibly beautiful. An open
mind & imagination go a long way. I'm not suggesting pitching the golden
age, just more variety. Most dancers will respond favorably. People that
throw tantrums & give ultimatums, will have a golden opportunity to do some
soul-searching & learn something about themselves. More to come...
Alfredo DeAngelis
-----------------
* mi dolor
* pavadita
* el tango club
* la cumparsita
* nueve de julio
* re fa si
Color Tango
-----------
* a evaristo carriego
* chique
* el andariego
* gallo ciego
* illusion de me vida
* la mariposa
* mala junta
Los Reyes de Tango
------------------
* a media luz
* el chocolo
* el huracan
* felicia
* la cumparsita
* la punalada
* loca
Rick
Portland, OR
PS: I'm not an expert on this music yet, but I know people locally that are.
Some can probably pick a few nits here & there, but I'm learning.
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 12:01:26 -0800
From: Ward Stevens <wcstevens@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: FW: Tango DJs
Dear list:
I think that my response to the excerpt below is NOT
picking at Rick's message but addresses one of his main
points if not his central theme.
I'd suggest that the search for variety IS the reason
for playing golden age tango music and golden age bands
recorded after the golden age.
There were so many bands playing Tango DANCE music in so
many ways then that the experience will probably never be
duplicated.
Now, there are a few groups playing Tango dance music in
Osvaldo Pugliese's style (eg Color Tango) and a number of
groups trying to imitate the concert style of Astor Piazolla
and not a lot else that's even good concert music.
Should we play the good modern Tango dance music and try
to adopt concert music to dance where possible?
OF COURSE!
However, if we limit ourselves to that course, we are left
with much LESS variety than if we play the richness of the
golden age.
-Ward.
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 10:40 AM
To: TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [TANGO-L] Tango DJs
Excerpt:
I'm not suggesting pitching the golden age, just more variety.
Rick
Portland, OR
PS: I'm not an expert on this music yet, but I know people locally that are.
End of excerpt.
It74&SU
mf
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 12:58:55 -0800
From: Bugs Bunny <bugsbunny1959@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Tango Djs
I may have only caught the last 1/2 of the evening when Ward was DJing,
which had music more suitable to my tastes. I had a great time..
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 13:51:23 -0800
From: Bugs Bunny <bugsbunny1959@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Tango Djs
This medium of communcation drives me nuts sometimes. What I meant to say is
that Ward should be an DJ the entire night or perhaps 2 nights. Up to him or
not to play a non-Tango set. I'd love it late at night. Alex has some
incredibly beautful music for this, as does Ward. No one is going to die
because people are enjoying this beautiful dance to other kinds of music.
Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 11:51:36 -0700
From: Rick McGarrey <rickmcg@FLASH.NET>
Subject: Tango DJs
Pichi mentioned some good Buenos Aires DJs. I'd like to ad that Osvaldo
Natucci at Monton de Tango does a great job (now in El Beso), and it might help
to mention where the others play. Daniel Borelli is at Lo de Celia (and
Gricel?), and I think Frederico Rodriguez is at Canning and Maracaibo. Mario
Orlando is at Nino Bien. My only complaint about him is that he has played the
same depressing cortina (short breaks between tango dance music) for a long
time. I've heard other people complain about it also. The guys at Afiche, and
Saraza are also good. The La Viruta DJ is creative and pushes the limits for
his younger audience.
For those very amateur DJs like me who don't want to spend a lot of time
fooling with the music, most of the pros sell CDs with tandas and cortinas that
are very good. Natucci has a 20 CD set that is excellent (and so cheap that I
felt guilty buying it from him), and some of the U.S. DJs also have some great
stuff that they sell.
Type of music: It's always the same. The experienced dancers who've been to
BA want the traditional dance music that is played there, and newer dancers
want a lot of Piazzolla and Seal and everything else. I think a solution is to
give the newer dancers what they want early or late in the evening, but to stay
with mainstream BA milonga music most of the time.
Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 21:16:25 -0800
From: Bugs Bunny <bugsbunny1959@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Tango DJs
One last little clarification about the good experience I had dancing the
other night. I checked my day-timer & it looks like I was there from 11:00P
to 12:30P. Let's see, x/100 = 1.5/4. x = ~38%
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 05:06:04 -0800
From: Bugs Bunny <bugsbunny1959@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Tango DJs
One last, last little clarification, sorry for using all this bandwith.
Spoken/written English, typing off the top of my head directly into email (&
not sitting on a draft for a few hours/days), points/ideas come out
different than expected. Ward certainly doesn't need the label of
pioneering alternative Tango music, nor my endorsement for that matter. When
I said set, I meant tanda (& it may have only been just 1 or 2 songs that
night). I've had good/great experiences late on other Monday nights as well.
I've been Scandinavian Folk dancing early at our nearby Sons of Norway Hall
latelly. Ok, that's it, I'm going to go work on my new garage...
Rick
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 16:30:03 -0500
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tango DJs
I was just reading the message about the music played in BsAs at the
milongas. It's no surprise to me to hear that it is always the same. The DJ
could play from the same 100 or so songs and never go wrong.
I do not agree with playing non-tango or "alternative tango" music in the
milongas. No need to ruin the milonga by playing crap, particularly late
when the die hards are dancing. If one must play "non-tango" keep it brief
and make it near the middle of the milonga.
Pugliese is very good when the mood is right (could be any time), but should
not be over done or indiscriminately played. All Pugliese is not good for
dancing either. Nor should (IMHO) be played too many times too close
together.
I just came from the Christmas Milonga in Nijmegen (Hi Eric) and Robin is
right, the music played there was not very much like the music of the
milongas of BsAs. Those who prefer "alternative tango music" might find it
much to their liking. I guess people have different tastes but to my taste,
I rather keep it more authentic. To me, it is much more pleasant and easier
to dance to the 4X4 of the golden era music. It might be that non-Spanish
speakers do not appreciate the music the in the same way. Or it could be
that some folks just do not feel the music like the milongueros do. To each
his or her own, I'm not arbiter of tango taste but for my pleasure I play
what I play and make no apologies. I cater to the milongueros who feelthe
tango the same way I do. I let the other DJs play the music that they like
for whoever they want.
Good music to all
Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 11:01:36 -0800
From: Marisa Holmes <mariholmes@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: : Tango DJs
I prefer the golden age music, and the more rhythmic
music, but I am coming to like more orchestras as I
hear them repeatedly. So I would never say a milonga
should have only the music I like and that I feel
comfortable dancing to. I would appreciate it,
though, if the less rhythmic music were scattered
through the milonga, rather than being concentrated in
a series of successive tandas.
I know some dj's are trying to build the evening and
that they want to avoid radical jumps in the mood of
the evening. But I am a lot more appreciative of
music I have not yet learned to like if it is preceded
and followed by music I find comprehensible and
amusing. Look at it this way - three tandas of tense,
dramatic music that plays with the rhythm, etc., with
cortinas, is somewhere between thirty and forty-five
minutes. That's a long time to spend chatting and
snacking at an event which you attended bacuse you
wanted to dance. If I sit out one tanda I usually
enjoy the music and the company; two, and I'm getting
antsy; three and I'm wondering if music I find
danceable is coming back; four and I'm really going
home.
Marisa
