TangoCommute Madrid – 11/03/09

La hada y el gordo

Medialuna Tango Project

From the second album Tango Nińo (2008). Medialuna’s musicians came from the different genres of music – rock, pop, jazz. They are from Milan, Italy and there is no doubt – it is their admiration for Astor Piazzolla that inspired them to play the tango. Both their albums are mix of traditional and original compositions. The style is reminiscent of Gotan Project, but not quite the same. Many tunes that are great to dance to. Medialuna is not pretending to play the Argentine tango – the musicians are searching for their own way to play their own tango.

Ironia del Salon

Luis Borda (musical director)

This original piece came from the soundtrack to the documentary 12 Tangos – Adios Buenos Aires, produced by Arne Birkenstock (Germany).This song is very much a signature of the whole soundtrack – cool, inventive, modern. The old musicians (Jose Libertella, Jorge Sobral, etc) are performing side by side with the younger ones (Lidia Borda, Julio Pane, Cote Sax Quartet, etc). Such a riot to listen to!

The documentary is a one of the best productions which connects the Argentine tango to the trials and tribulations of its mother country (in 12 tangos it is 2000-02 economic collapse). Available in Spanish, German, English.

Yo No Se Que Me Han Hecho Tus Ojos (Avec Dimas Md)

Agnes Jaoui

This track came from 2006 album Canta, recorded by Agnes Jaoui. Canta is a lovely eclectic collection of Iberro-Latin pieces.Agnes Jaoui is a Tunisian-born French film-maker and screen writer. This song is an old Argentine vals, originally written for the enigmatic star Ada Falcon by her lover, Francisco Canaro.

(Ada’s live deserves to be remade into a drama movie. Just watch the documentary under the same name – Yo No Se Que Me Han Hecho Tus Ojos)

Vals for H

Ole Amund Gjersvik

Norwegian jazz musician Ole Amund Gjersvik produced the wonderful album Combo Tango with plenty of tunes to dance to. Style: slightly jazzy, European-style tango.

El enterriano

Zum

Zum is not a tango outfit. It is most likely to be called as a gypsy jazz formation. But they are awsome!!! The track came from their album Gypsy Tango Pasi�n.El Entrarriano is one of the oldest tangos (written circa 1898), which is still performed nowerdays.

El Choclo

Tango Volcano

This track came from the new album Catching Fire, recorded by the group of the British musicians Tango Volcano. The same recording is the theme tune for TangoCommute.

Campo Afuera (milonga)

Joe Powers

Joe Powers is an American virtuoso of chromatic harmonica, seduced into playing tango by… dancing it.The track came from the album Amore de Tango, recorded in BsAs with Nicolas Ledesma (piano, Latin Grammy nominee), Horacio Cabarcos (double bass of Leopoldo Federico Orchestra) and Raul Luzzi (guitar).

Amore de Tango is all classical pieces, great to dance to if you like the soulful, voice-like sound of harmonica.

Silueta Porteńa (Electro Milonga)

Trio Garufa

The track came from the new album La Segunda Tradicion of the spunky Trio Garufa (USA). Those guys play dance tango mostly and in very upbeat style.

Ojos Negros

Alfredo Marcucci

From Argentine bandoneon virtuoso of the Piazzolla’s generation, Alfredo Marcucci.The great rendition of classical Ojos Negros, written by Vincente Greco, was a part of Piazzolla: Timeless Tango album.

L’ete Indien

Quadro Nuevo

Did anybody recognize that it is a tango-ized version of the old French pop song, crooned by long-gone Joe Dassin? It came from 4th (of 5th?) album  Tango Bitter Sweet by Quadro Nuevo, a group of very talented multi-instrumentalists from Germany. Their style – flamenco, French vals musette, European tango and… once in a while – a dash of the Argentine one.Oh, yes… To the lovers of alterna-tango, I also recommend their album Luna Rossa.

Reves D’enfant (alterna-tango)

Nadiya

from album Nadiya.  This tune I found roaming through the European pop music. Wanted something for jogging, found this… Played it for the local dancers and they liked it.

Francia (vals)

Tango Enrosque

A formation of the two British tango musicians produced Histoire du Tango, from where this old Argentine vals came from. It is recorded with the accordeonist and violinist of Tango Siempre.

Bajo un cielo de estrellas (vals)

Vale Tango

This vals came from the album tango baile SALON, which is a milonga-in-a-can. That is, the tracks are arranged just like we play the music at milongas, with a tango electronica to end the hour.

Tus Ojos

Guido Gonzalez

This song came at the last moment from the Argentine-born musician Guido Gonzalez, who lives in Madrid, Spain, and read about TangoCommute project.

He came into the tango from the rock scene and mixes trip-hop and reggae into his tango compositions.

Visit Guido on myspace.

La Cumparsita (TangoChristSuperstar)

Mandragora Tango Orchestra

If there were a prize for the funkiest La Cumparsita, Mandragora Tango Orchestra from USA would be a serious contender. The demo track of this recording can be obtained from the orchestra’s website. Several albums with the traditional and not-so-traditional but very danceable tunes are available, too.