Category: history

¿Who the heck is … ? Lucio Demare (n°1)

¿Who the heck is …? is an intent to talk about some artists I like in Tango, and maybe get you to discover some new stuff. A bit of Tango culture, but nothing too serious 🙂 LUCIO DEMARE You might not know his name, but you have almost certainly danced on one of his tangos […]

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Tango is part of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation aims to preserve a list of legacies under threat from global change. Argentina and Uruguay, where the dance originated, jointly submitted it. UNESCO said heritages seeking approval, transmit from “generation to generation” and give “communities and groups a feeling of identity”. It added that the dance “embodies […]

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Tango Toppers: Enrique Rodriguez

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 […]

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Tango Toppers: Juan D’Arienzo

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 […]

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Tango Toppers: Carlos Di Sarli

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 […]

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Tango Toppers: Rodolfo Biagi

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 […]

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Tango Toppers: Astor Piazzolla

Number two in out Tango Toppers list, and quite a famous one: Astor Piazzolla. Ástor Piazzolla (March 11, 1921 – July 4, 1992) was an Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player. His oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music. An excellent bandoneonist, he […]

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Tango Toppers: Osvaldo Pugliese

Getting to know tango music is quite a task. While you may hear it being played everytime you dance, you don’t always know the names of the composers and performers. Who’s song is ‘Poema’? (Francisco Canaro) Who wrote ‘Llorar por una mujer (“quererla y no tenerla“)? (Enrique Rodriguez) Who plays ‘La Cumparsita’? (just about everyone) […]

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Tango anecdote: Alberto Castillo

Inspired by a story Lucio told me last weekend: the story of Alberto Castillo, famous tango singer, actor but also a practicing gynaecologist, until eventually he had to stop: (…) So in the afternoons, doctor Alberto Salvador De Lucca left his “consulting room for ladies” and ran to the radio to turn into the singer […]

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