_{12 October 2021, by Cosima Díaz Campos}

El Molinete is the name of the 'windmill' figure in tango.  Classically, the molinete consists of a side step, front step, pivot forward, side step, pivot backward, and back step. The molinete can start in any of the four directions. When four steps are made around, we get a giro (full turn). When only three of the four steps are being made, we usually call it a media luna (half moon).

Although there are also combinations in which the leader walks the molinete around the follower, in most variations the follower walks the molinete around the leader in tango. The leader is in the middle, and can dance many different variations while the follower walks the molinete. The leader invites the follower to dance around him by continuously keeping the rotation in his spine to one side. The leaders' steps are build from combinations of changes...

1 October 2021, by Cosima Diaz Campos

In memory of the legendary tango singer Ikuo Abo (20 April 1937 - 1 September 2021).

Today I invite you to listen to the tango En Esta Tarde Gris (in this grey afternoon) played by Orquesta Típica Masaichi Sakamoto with singer Ikuo Abo, recorded in the 60's.

Ikuo Abo did not speak Spanish. He learnt all the lyrics of the tango phonetically.
His pronounciation is amazing, and his phrasing is impressive. Phrasing in tango singing is one of the most difficult aspects, and also one of the most important. The orchestra also plays impeccable, their timing and phrasing, their accents, the play with volume is wonderful.

_{26 September 2021, by Mariano Diaz Campos}

"When should we start teaching navigation on the dance floor to our beginner groups?" This is a question we regularly get from Tango teachers who join our lessons. Navigation on the dance floor is a special skill to learn, that can be supported by the teachers. 

For us the answer is undoubtelty: from the very first step. With an elegant balance and a caminada the navigation can be practiced really well from the very beginning. The caminada helps to dance in the ronda, and the balance is great to use to dance on the spot. Next is the cunita, a simple turn on the spot. This is useful for the leaders to learn to scan the dancers around them, and get a sense of the flow on the dance floor. Depending on the flow of the group of dancers, the leader can decide to walk forward, or to stay on the spot (turning or not). It is just as important to be...

Merceditas

12 Sep 2021 by Cosima Díaz Campos

Merceditas - Tango

Orquestra Símbolo Osmar Maderna
Direction: Aquiles Roggero (originally violinist)
Singers: Adolfo Rivas & Raúl Aldao
Composition & lyrics original chamamé: Rámon Sixto Rios
Arrangement for tango: presumably Osmar Maderna made the arrangement
Recorded in 1958.

Tangomusic & tangodance aficionados alike love the tango 'Merceditas'. The intro of this tango starts with the intense descending glissando by the violins, to continue with the peaceful and calming melody of this piece in e-minor. If the melody would be a landscape, I would see fields of granes waving in the wind.

After this intro the beat is picked up by the whole orchestra, with the sharp sounds of the bows of the violins on the string, to emphasize the rhythms. In this part, the violins continue with fast and accentuated...

Osvaldo Pugliese & Astor Piazzolla   
 

6 September 2021 by Mariano Diaz Campos ©
Mariano is a certified journalist who writes about tango culture & history.

 
Musicians mentioned in this blog:

George Gershwin (1898 - 1937)
Julio de Caro (1899 – 1980)
Osvaldo Pugliese (1905 - 1995)
Anibal Troilo (1914 - 1975)
Astor Piazzolla (1921 -1992)
Luis Aravena

Finally Together

If you bring two of the biggest names in tango together, you are writing history. That is what Luis Aravena, musician, producer and theatreman, thought when he brought the two maestros of the Epoca de Oro of the tango to Amsterdam in 1989 to share the stage together in the Royal Theatre Carré. The only place and moment in history, where these two legends shared the stage. A unique event in the history of music & tango. The title of the concert was Finally Together.

When you...

Amurado

1 September 2021 by Cosima Diaz Campos

The tango Amurado is composed in 1927 by   Pedro Maffia &  Pedro Laurenz. 
The lyrics are written by  José De Grandis.

Below in this blog you can listen to different versions of this piece. 

Both Pedro Maffia and Pedro Laurenz recorded this composition with their orchestras.

Carlos Gardel recorded the piece as well, completely sung, in 1927.

Julio Sosa (1962) and Roberto Goyeneche (1990) recorded this piece completely sung.

Julio De Caro made an instrumental arrangement of this musical gem.

Osvaldo Pugliese (Decariano), arranged it for his orchestra later, also instrumental.

The version that is played very often for tango dancers is the version by Pedro Laurenz and his orchestra. Pedro Laurenz was orchestra leader / composer / arranger, and he played in his orchestra as a bandoneonist. He...

Octeto de Buenos Aires

26 August 2021 by Cosima Diaz Campos

When I  studied the year at Rotterdam Conservatory (tango violin) in 1996 my violin teacher gave me casette tapes with Troilo, Pugliese, Di Sarli, D'Arienzo and more great maestros from the Golden Era. Also a casette with Octeto de Buenos Aires. I loved the classics of the golden era immediately. But Octeto de Buenos Aires was not so easy for my ear, especially the electric guitar. I listened to all the cassettes a lot, every day, to really feel the music, and eventually I learnt to appreciate and love the music of Octeto de Buenos Aires. And of course especially the genius interpretations of violinist Enrique Francini (also wellknown for his own orchestra Francini-Pontier). The sweet and passionate sound of his violin is just incomparable. Always when I hear Octeto de Buenos Aires it brings me back to those days, and I...