Archive for the 'music' Category

La Cantante launch party

Published on June 2, 2010 in music and News. 2 Comments

La Cantante de Tango is now on the screens (in Brussels: Vendome, Antwerp: Cartoon’s, Gent: Sphinx, Liege: Sauveniere, Namur: Cameo2). I was at the avant-premiere and the milonga afterwards at the Bouche-à-Oreille.

Three good reasons to see the movie:

  • the music: all the songs Helena (Eugenia) sings in the movie are recorded live, no tricks, no dubbing and it makes the music so real you can almost touch it.
  • the images: Diego tells the story with beautiful images: as if every scene was painted by hand so it would be perfect. The streets of Buenos Aires, the beach at Boulogne, the theatres …
  • the dancers: the scenes recorded at Nosotros are filled with faces you know. We know you’re curious, so go check them out.

Launch party

Director Diego and actress Eugenia.

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Tango Toppers: Enrique Rodriguez

Published on December 5, 2008 in history and Tango toppers. Closed

Tango Topper of today: Enrique Rodriguez, responsible for the famous “Llorar, llorar por una mujer es quererla y no tenerla.”

Enrique Rodríguez was a complete functional musician, besides playing bandoneon, he equally played piano and violin or brandished the baton. He was talented and was fast to easily write simple arrangements and versions of consecrated classical and popular melodies of all countries, without depriving them of their essence of international beat. So the success of his orchestra was strengthened not only in our milieu, but also in the whole continent for the delight of listeners and dancers.

(todotango)

The top 10 of songs of his listened to on last.fm is:

#1 Llorar Por Una Mujer 48
#2 Como Has Cambiado Pebeta 47
#3 Suerte Loca 43
#4 Tengo Mil Novias 41
#5 En La Buena En La Mala 34
#6 La Gayola 28
#7 El Tabernero 21
#8 Danza Maligna 19
#9 Despues Si Queres, Habla 17
#10 Amor En Budapest 17

Tango Toppers: Juan D’Arienzo

Published on November 13, 2008 in history, music and Tango toppers. Closed

Today’s Tango Topper is Juan D’Arienzo

Juan D’Arienzo (1900-1976) was an Argentine tango musician, also known as “El Rey del Compas” (King of the Beat). Departing from other orchestras of the golden age, D’Arienzo returned to the 2×4 feel that characterized music of the old guard, but he used more modern arrangements and instrumentation. His popular group produced hundreds of recordings. His music is played often at milongas in Buenos Aires, and the instrumentals are the classic harder rhythmic tangos with a strong staccato dance rhythm.

This is the top 10 of D’Arienzo songs listened to on last.fm:

#1 Sobre El Pucho 861
#2 Mírame En La Cara 549
#3 Lilian 457
#4 Tierrita 443
#5 La Cumparsita 393
#6 Nunca Más 387
#7 Claudinette 373
#8 Enamorado 358
#9 Uno 316
#10 Ya Lo Vés 315

1935 is the key year in D’Arienzo´s career; this is the year when the D’Arienzo we all remember really appeared. That happened when in his orchestra Rodolfo Biagi was included, a pianist who had played with Pacho, who had accompanied Gardel on some recordings, who had also played with Juan Guido and with Juan Canaro. D’Arienzo was performing at the Chantecler by then. Biaggi´s inclusion meant a change of time signature for D’Arienzo orchestra, which changed the four-eight for the two-four; that is to say, he returned to two-four, the fast frolic beat of the primitive tangos.
(todotango)

Tango Toppers: Carlos Di Sarli

Published on November 6, 2008 in history, music and Tango toppers. Closed

Today’s Tango Topper is Carlo Di Sarli.

Carlos Di Sarli (January 7, 1903 – January 12, 1960) was an Argentine tango musician, orchestra leader, composer and pianist. Before starting his own tango orchestra, he played in Osvaldo Fresedo’s orchestra. He developed smooth, clean-sounding, powerful arrangements which his Orquesta típica and recorded 27 albums and 512 recordings are reported. His music is widely used by learner dancers because of its easy, danceable sound, and is played regularly in milongas for social tango dancing.

And what is the Top 10 of Di Sarli’s songs people listen to on last.fm (#1 and #2 are actually the same song):

#1 Bahia Blanca (instrumental) 880
#2 Bahia Blanca 521
#3 Don Juan 232
#4 A La Gran Muñeca 227
#5 Champagne Tango 209
#6 Comme Il Faut 205
#7 El Amanecer 202
#8 El Ingeniero 193
#9 La Cumparsita 177
#10 Organito De La Tarde 166
#11 Milonguero Viejo 145

Tango Toppers: Rodolfo Biagi

Published on October 29, 2008 in history, music and Tango toppers. Closed

Number three in our series of Tango Toppers: Rodolfo Biagi.

Rodolfo Alberto Biagi was born in the Buenos Aires district of San Telmo on March 14, 1906 to Sixto & Ana Maria Gil Landaburu. At the age 13 he graduated from the Conservatory de la Prensa where he had originally studied to be a concert violinist but gradually had converted to the piano. After earning his first money accompanying the silent films (from the piano keyboard) shown at the Colon cinema he was invited by the legendary Juan “Pacho” Maglio to play in his orchestra at barely 15 years of age, sharing the lectern with the celebrated viloinist Elvino Vadaro.

His top ‘hit’ is “Lagrimas y Sonrisas”, a tango vals you probably know.

The rest of the top 10 is as follows:

#1 Lagrimas Y Sonrisas 3090
#2 Adoracion 135
#3 El Entrerriano 113
#4 El Recodo 76
#5 Picante 63
#6 Union Civica 57
#7 Golgota 57
#8 Campo Afuera 54
#9 Cicatrices 47
#10 Racing Club 38