Christmas Eve Milonga with QTANGO

Our community was truly blessed to host Erskine Maytorena and QTANGO for a series of workshops and live music gigs. I must say that Erskine elevated tango musicality teaching to such a qualitatively different level that every class may be a revelation even for such a dyed-in-the-wool tanguero as myself. One of the most amazing ingredients in the "workshop mix" is the direct assistance of live music. Whenever we were asked to distinguish overlayed staccato and legato themes, or to recognize the music cues used by the tango musicians to forewarn us about coming pauses or phrase endings, or to accelerate and decelerate in and out of contratiempo, Olga's violin and Natalia's piano were always there to offer a remixed tango with the right musical components. When we discussed the changes in music style over the tango eras and between the tango masters, the QTANGO musicians were always ready to conjure up the spirit and the sound of the Guardia Vieja or mature D'Arienzo, late-period Di Sarli or Pugliese. The secrets of the craft revealed, one after another, to enrich our appreciation of our tango musical heritage. It's just incredible... Hats off!

QTANGO trio at the North Church

 I DJ'd during QTANGO's final night in Salt Lake, on Xmas Eve in the old North Church. Just two small stretches of recorded music before and after live music, and greatly (and happily) overshadowed by QTANGO's play.
01. Francisco Canaro - Roberto Maida "Recuerdos De Paris" 1937 3:12
02. Francisco Canaro - Roberto Maida  "Nada mas" 1938 3:00
03. Francisco Canaro - Roberto Maida  "Invierno" 1937 3:26
04. Alexander Dolsky  "At last, rainy September! (cortina 1)" 1979 0:15
05. Lucio Demare - Juan Carlos Miranda  "No te apures, Carablanca" 1942 3:29
06. Lucio Demare - Juan Carlos Miranda  "Sorbos amargos" 1942 3:22
07. Lucio Demare - Juan Carlos Miranda  "Manana zarpa un barco" 1942 3:22
08. Eldar Ryazanov - Andrey Petrov "Nature doesn't have bad weather" (cortina) 0:24
09. Enrique Rodriguez - Armando Moreno  "En el volga yo te espero" 1943 2:40
10. Enrique Rodriguez - Instrumental  "Siempre fiel (vals)" 1938 3:38
11. Enrique Rodriguez - Armando Moreno  "Mariquita no mires al puerto (vals)" 1945 3:01
12. Goran Bregovic  "Old Home Movie" 1993 0:25

Erskine Maytorena is, of course, first and foremost a vocalist, an opera singer before he took up bandoneon and tango teaching and reverse-engineering the best tango danceable music in the nation. So you wouldn't be surprised that he repeatedly pointed my attention to the talented tango vocalists of the past, whom I hardly ever featured in my playlists before. Argentino Ledesma sang mostly for Varela's orchestra, but he also recorded very few songs with Di Sarli, including this totally breathtaking "Fumando espero", one of those virtually unmatcheable tracks. Here I combined it with two other Di Sarli singers, united by the period and by the mood, quite seamlessly for my humble taste ... yet I got an impression that for Erskine, my transitions from a singer to a singer sounded totally abrupt and jarring, that he perceived too great a difference in their voices, talents, and manners of singing! Life to learn...
"Verdemar" is of course hard to match both musically and I guess emotionally too, it's so overflowing with sadness ... I wrote about its mystery before on rio Wang's blog.
13. Carlos di Sarli - Argentino Ledesma  "Fumando espero" 1956 4:02
14. Carlos di Sarli - Jorge Durán  "No me pregunten por qué" 1956 3:29
15. Carlos di Sarli - Oscar Serpa  "Verdemar" 1955 3:01
Now it's time for live music! El gente is truly electrified. Familiar QTANGO hits such as Ultima copa de bebida, vocal Gran muneca, best-ever Milonga triste, and some new super-hits, the most memorable of which is probably wonderfully lyrical instrumental Chiquilín de Bachín, Astor Piazzolla's vals lento which has become so un-Piazzolla danceable in Q's arrangement :) Love!
16. Osvaldo Fresedo - Roberto Ray "Niebla del Riachuelo" 1937 2:25
17. Osvaldo Fresedo - Roberto Ray "Sollozos"  3:28
18. Osvaldo Fresedo - Roberto Ray "Recuerdo de bohemia" 1935 2:36
19. Sofia Rotaru  "Autumn Melody"  0:30
20. Donato Racciatti - Olga Delgrossi "Queriéndote" 1955 2:49
21. Donato Racciatti  "Tu corazón - Nina Miranda" 2:32
22. Donato Racciatti - Olga Delgrossi "Hasta siempre amor" 1958 2:57
23. Canaro - Hugo del Carril  "Marcha Peronista cortina"  0:16
people are palpably tired before the holidays and overflowing with live music's energy, and I find that a milonga tanda is simply a no go. Transitioning to a more dramatic tanda with Mario Pomar, another Di Sarli singer we discussed with Erskine the night before, and for a quicker-than-planned wrap up of the night.
24. Francisco Canaro - Roberto Maida "Milonga criolla" 1936 3:05
25. Goran Bregovic  "Old Home Movie" 1993 0:25
26. Carlos di Sarli - Mario Pomar  "Tormenta" 1954 3:38
27. Carlos di Sarli - Mario Pomar  "Patotero sentimental" 1953 3:02
28. Carlos di Sarli - Mario Pomar  "Duelo criollo" 1952 2:30
29. Lidiya Ruslanova  "Valenki 1 (cortina)"  0:24
30. Juan D'Arienzo - Instrumental  "La torcacita" 1971 2:31
31. Juan D'Arienzo - Instrumental  "Zorro gris" 1973 2:03
32. Juan D'Arienzo - Instrumental "Este Es El Rey" 1973 3:10
33.  "Lady Be Good - Sol Hoopii Trio"  0:23
34. Alfredo De Angelis  - Instrumental "Felicia" 1969 2:48
35. Alfredo de Angelis - Instrumental "Pavadita" 1958 2:55
36. Osvaldo Pugliese - Instrumental  "Recuerdo" 1944 2:54
37. Osvaldo Pugliese - Roberto Chanel "Corrientes Y Esmeralda" 1944 2:49
38. Osvaldo Pugliese - Roberto Chanel "Rondando Tu Esquina" 1945 2:49
39. Pedro Láurenz - Pedro Maffia - Instrumental  "La cumparsita" 1926 3:01
(39 total)

Practilonga del Centro playlist, 11/18/2013

This time Del Centro hosted an afterparty for Salt Lake's first mini-festival, Wasatch Tango Exchange, and both the length and the format of the event were supposed to be special: 3.5 hours of music and no class. And something else special in the air - in addition to a post-fest sweet vibe, there must have been a palpable element of physical exhaustion among the sleep-deprived organizers and volunteers. The more excited we were to greet and hug those of us who came to dance on this beautiful full Moon Monday night!
01. Osvaldo Fresedo - Roberto Ray  "Araca la cana" 1933 2:26
02. Osvaldo Fresedo - Roberto Ray  "El Once (A divertirse)" 1935 2:40
03. Osvaldo Fresedo - Instrumental  "Tigre viejo" 1934 3:01
The warm-up quality early Fresedos in the still-empty loft didn't get any feet on the floor, and it was still really cold in the room, so I'm like, how about something more drastic for a warm-up? Thanks Juianne for smiling it through with me :)
04. Enrique Rodrieques - Armando Moreno  "Se ve el tren"  3:11
05. Victor Tsoy  "Spokoynaya Noch' (cortina)"  0:49
06. Ricardo Tanturi - Enrique Campos  "Una emocion" 1943-11-17 2:37
07. Ricardo Tanturi  "Que Nunca Me Falte"  2:42
08. Ricardo Tanturi - Enrique Campos / Oigo Tu Voz 3:07
09. Victor Tsoy  "Gruppa Krovi (cortina)"  0:36
10. Rodolfo Biagi - Teófilo Ibáñez  "La loca de amor" 1938 2:12
11. Rodolfo Biagi - Jorge Ortiz  "Cuatro palabras" 1941 2:20
12. Rodolfo Biagi - Jorge Ortiz  "Tu melodía" 1945 2:51
13. Victor Tsoy  "Spokoynaya Noch' (cortina)"  0:49
Who needs D'Arienzo when there are Di Sarli's tracks of such rhythmic quality :) :)
14. Carlos Di Sarli "La Trilla" 1940 2:23
15. Carlos Di Sarli  "La Cachila"  2:46
16. Carlos Di Sarli Instumental "Nobleza de Arrabal" 2:07
17. Victor Tsoy  "Spokoynaya Noch' (cortina)"  0:49
18. Lomuto, Francisco  "Quiero verte una vez mas"  2:29
19. Lomuto, Francisco  "Nostalgias"  3:05
20. Lomuto, Francisco  "A la gran muñeca"  3:01
21. Victor Tsoy  "Gruppa Krovi (cortina)"  0:36
One can hardly make a full milonga tanda of either OTV's or Pellejero's records, but I think that the two orchestras go really nicely together!
22. "Orquesta Tipica Victor - Milonga De Los Fortines - Mariano Balcarce" 1937, 1937 2:52
23. Orquesta Tipica Victor  "Cacareando"  2:45
24. "Emilio Pellejero - Mi Vieja Linda - Enalmar De Maria - 1941" 1941, 1941 2:26
25. VictorTsoy Victor Tsoy "V staryh kvartirakh (cortina)"  0:44
26. Juan D'Arienzo - Héctor Mauré  "Ya lo ves" 1941 2:39
27. Juan D'Arienzo - Alberto Reynal  "Almanaque de ilusión (2)" 1941 2:55
28.  Juan D'Arienzo "Dime mi amor"  2:40
29. Victor Tsoy  "Spokoynaya Noch' (cortina)"  0:49
30. Miguel Caló - Raúl Berón  "Jamás retornarás" 1942 2:31
31. Miguel Caló - Raúl Berón  "Al compás del corazón" 1942 2:48
32. Miguel Caló - Raúl Berón  "Corazón no le hagas caso" 1942 3:00
33. Victor Tsoy  "Gruppa Krovi (cortina)"  0:36
34. Alfredo de Angelis - Carlos Dante, Julio Martel  "Soñar y nada más" 1944 3:08
35. Alfredo de Angelis - Carlos Dante, Julio Martel  "A Magaldi" 1947 2:50
36. Alfredo de Angelis  "Pobre flor" 2:42
37. Victor Tsoy  "Spokoynaya Noch' (cortina)"  0:49
At this point there was a really nice crowd on the floor, and it properly cleared the space during the cortinas, but I couldn't help thinking that the floors fills up to slowly at the beginning of each next tanda. Maybe it's a Monday night, with chatting friends and beer and food; or maybe the running tradition of Del Centro is cortina-less. Anyway from this tanda on, I'm doing away with the "special format" and with the cortinas planned for it. La vida es corta; just keep dancing, my friends!
38. Osvaldo Fresedo Roberto Ray "Isla de Capri" 1935 3:16
39. Osvaldo Fresedo Roberto Ray "Vida mia" 1933 3:23
40. Osvaldo Fresedo Roberto Ray "Nieblas del riachuelo" 1937 2:25
And indeed, hardly anyone stopped dancing when the lyrical Fresedo transitioned into Biagi :)
41. Rodolfo Biagi - Alberto Amor  "Tus labios me dirán" 1945 3:11
42. Rodolfo Biagi - Carlos Saavedra  "Esta noche me emborracho" 1946 2:50
43. Rodolfo Biagi "Todo te nombra" 1940 3:33
44. Carlos Di Sarli Roberto Rufino "La Mulateada"  2:22
45. Carlos Di Sarli Alberto Podestá "Entre Pitada Y Pitada"  2:33
46. Carlos Di Sarli Roberto Rufino "Pena Mulata"  2:27
47. Pedro Laurenz Alberto Podestá "Recien"  2:41
48. Pedro Laurenz Alberto Podestá "Todo"  2:35
49. Pedro Laurenz Alberto Podestá "Garua"  3:12
50. Francisco Canaro Roberto Maida "Ciego"  2:57
51. Francisco Canaro Roberto Maida "Condena (S.O.S.)" 1937 2:39
52. Francisco Canaro Roberto Maida "Invierno" 1937 3:26
53. Miguel Caló - Raúl Berón  "El vals soñador" 1942 3:32
54. Alberto Podestá  "Bajo un cielo de estrellas"  2:35
55. Miguel Calo - Alberto Podesta  "Pedacito de cielo (vals)" 1942 2:21
56. Victor Tsoy  "Spokoynaya Noch' (cortina)"  0:49
57. Carlos Di Sarli Alberto Podesta "No esta"  2:45
58. Carlos Di Sarli Alberto Podesta "Junto a tu corazon"  3:00
59. Carlos Di Sarli Alberto Podesta "Tu!...El cielo y tu!"  2:59
60. Alfredo de Angelis - Carlos Dante "Fumando Espero"  3:27
61. Alfredo De Angelis - Carlos Dante  "Alfredo de Angelis - Carrillon de la Merced"  2:50
With Pavadita playing, don't you already know what shall be coming your way?
62. Alfredo De Angelis  "Pavadita"  2:55
63. Otros Aires dos  "Los Vino"  2:41
64. Otros Aires  "Rotos en el Raval" 2005 3:53
65. Otros Aires  "Un Baile De Beneficio" 2010 3:42
66. Osvaldo Pugliese "Rondando Tu Esquina" 1945 2:49
67. Osvaldo Pugliese  "Gallo Ciego"  3:34
68. Pugliese, Osvaldo Osvaldo Pugliese "Malandraca" 1949 2:52
(We have a few minuted more than I counted on! Aha, so tonight maybe a night to add a second, crowning Pugliese tanda :) )
69. Donato, Edgardo  "El Adios" 1938 3:09
70. Donato, Edgardo  "Sinfonía De Arrabal" 1940 3:07
71. Edgardo Donato - Lita Morales - Romeo Gavio  "Mi Serenata" 1940 3:02
And the format shall be "P-D-P": Pugliese - Donato - Pugliese. I'm adding a couple early Pugliese tracks, but it's about the end of the practilonga so we are going to jump a quarter of a century towards the end of the tanda:
72. Osváldo Pugliese Osvaldo Pugliese "Remembranzas" 1943 3:41
73. Pugliese, Osvaldo Various Artists "La Abandone Y No Sabia" 1944 3:12
74. Osvaldo Pugliese - Instrumental  "A Evaristo Carriego" 1969 3:52
"Everybody" is out there dancing yet it almost time for us to leave. How about not just one but two Bregovic tracks, then ;) (and I'm joining you)? 
75. Kayah & Bregovic  "To Nie Ptak [Not a Bird]" 1999 4:40
76. Goran Bregovic  "This Is A Film (feat. Iggy Pop)" 2003 4:18
77. Various  "Juan D'Arienzo  La Cumparsita"  3:45

Erskine Maytorena. From Qtango website

I totally fell in love with Erskine and QTango band when we visited Albuquerque two weeks ago; I feel that these great musicians and teachers of tango music have finally provided the ABQ festival, this "Costco of tango events" known for its great price and great quantity but little personality, with the soul and the special quality! Can't stop listening to you, guys! And yet, the following super-slow dreamy milonga was intended to be a final curtain and the furniture-moving track rather than a dancing song ... yet so many people continued dancing to it, I had to throw in a additional, totally non-tango record to help us leave the floor nd move the chairs and the tables :)
78. Erskine Maytorena y su orquesta  "Milonga Triste"  4:17
79. Victor Tsoy, Kino.  "Gruppa krovi"  4:46
(79 total)

Nice, sweet night, all! Thank you so much for coming, many many thanks to Julianne for hosting, and please do not forget about our special Milonga Sin Nombre on Saturday!