milonga.co.uk - Oriente

This Mexican label are reissuing the CDs on the Music Hall label, although its not at all clear whether they have acquired the rights. Music Hall and TK which contains the works of artists like Troilo and Di Sarli when they left Odeón and Victor respectively in 1950, following these companies' destruction of their archives.

There are no liner notes, there are spelling mistakes in the track titles, and Orfeón may not even own the copyright, but, hey! Who cares? There are some real gems in here - buy them whilst they're still available.

	Carlos Di Sarli - El Señor del Tango CDL-13361 Between Nov-51 and Apr-53 Di Sarli cut 84 tracks on the Music Hall label. Although not as distilled as the versions cut on RCA Victor in 1954-57, these are still some great interpretations. It was also the last time that Di Sarli would record half of the tracks presented here, including the instrumentals Pimienta and Mi refugio. Strongly recommended. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 17 tracks Track List Clavel del aire; Champage Tango; Tu palida voz vals; La capilla blanca; A la luz del candíl; El amanecer; Organito de la tarde; Pimienta; Nido gaucho; El ingeniero; El choclo; Mi refugio; Don Juan; La cachila; El once; A la gran muñeca; La cumparsita Cantan: Oscar Serpa (1); Mario Pomar (3,5,9);

	Lo mejor de Carlos Di Sarli CDL-13372 With only 14 tracks, four of which are duplicated on the other Di Sarli CD on Orfeón, this second disc may not be as good value as the first but it's still worth getting for these great instrumentals. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon price: $12.98 1999 release, 14 tracks (not 12 as listed at both Amazon and the Orfeón site). Track List A La Gran Muñeca; Milonguero Viejo; El Recodo; El Choclo; La Cachila; Bar Exposición; El Incendio; Don Juan; El Pollito; Quejas De Bandoneón; Didi; Marianito; Re-fa-si; Los 33 Orientales

	Lo mejor de Carlos Di Sarli CDL-16xxx This third CD from Orfeón is already deleted - a shame, as it contains some great tracks, including Di Sarli's last recordings of Royal Pigall and Tierra Negra, neither of which are available elsewhere. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon price: $12.98 deleted 2000 release, 12 tracks Track List Cuidado con Los 50; Chimentos; Cancion Mas Triste; Royal Pigall; Asi Era Mi Novia; Misma Tarde; Tierra Negra; Se Muere de Amor; Fulgor; Mi Refugio; Poema Triste; Porque le Llaman Amor; Cantan: Oscar Serpa (3,6,9,11,12); Mario Pomar (2,5,8)

	Aníbal Troilo - Sus Mejores Momentos CDL-13359 In the early 1950s Troilo began to experiment. Piazzolla was the arranger, and it shows. Particularly fascinating are the orchestra's recordings of Piazzolla's own compositions, Triunfal and Contratiempo - a canon he would later repudiate. Meanwhile, the version of Ojos Negros is definitely the best Troilo, or anyone for that matter ever recorded, far surpassing his concertised 1970 interpretation, and whilst the versions of Quejas de Bandoneón and La Bordona sound better in their 1957-1959 recordings on Odeón (available on EMI's From Argentina to the World series) these are the most danceable versions. I'd say the same of this recording of La Cumparsita as well. Piazzolla's arrangements of El Pollo Ricardo and El Irresistible are simply fabulous, and just go to show what he could do when shackled to a dance orchestra. This is audibly an LP transfer, and it shows not just in the fidelity, which is good to fair, but also in the occasional wobble in pitch which spoils the opening chord of Chiqué. If you just want the best fidelity, don't buy this CD. But, if you want to hear what Troilo's best work as a dance orchestra, in an extremely innovative period: buy this astonishing and neglected disc. Essential for lovers of the genre. As a final note, for the geeks out there: pop this disc into a computer with the Windows Media Player and watch it acquire the track titles. Look at the composers. You will see that the data provider has not realised that Ed. is short for Editorial, i.e. it indicates the publisher, and therefore all the tracks are co-composed by someone called Ed, particularly the famous Ed. Ricordi! normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 14 tracks Track List Quejas de Bandoneón; Ojos Negros; Triunfal; Entrerriano; Bordona; Marne; Chiqué; La Cumparsita; El Irresistible; Don Juan; Fuegos Artificiales; Pablo; El Pollo Ricardo; Contratiempo

	Aníbal Troilo / Jorge Casal CDL-13369 Poor fidelity - dedicated collectors only normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 10 tracks Track List Una Cancion; Barrio Viejo Del 80; La Mentirosa; Amigazo; Milonga Del Mayoral; La Cantina; Carmin; Patio Mío; Los Cosos De Al Lao; Vuelve La Serenata

	Aníbal Troilo / Jorge Casal CDL-13378 Poor fidelity - again, dedicated collectors only normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 10 tracks Track List Che Bandoneón; Mi Vieja Viola; Uno; La Violeta; Buenos Aires; El Patio De La Morocha; Flor Campera; Ventanita De Arrabal; Del Suburbio; Araca Corazón

	Aníbal Troilo / Raúl Berón - Dos Inolvidables del Tango CDL-13380 Troilo, the best orchestra for singers, and Berón, one of the greatest singers of the 40s, was always going to be a special combination, and its a shame they didn't get together until 1951. Their interpretation of Malena and the vals Un Momento are very special, but don't expect these recordings to have the fidelity of those Troilo made just a few years on Odeón - they don't. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 14 tracks Track List Malena; Corrientes; Ivette; N.P.; De Vuelta Al Bulín; Pero Yo Se; El Choclo; Un Momento vals; Mensaje; Discepolin; Tango Para Esthercita; Cualquier Cosa; Medianoche; Milonga del Mayoral milonga

	Aníbal Troilo - Lo Mejor CDL-13357 Another ungenerous lp transfer. Goyeneche's performance of Bandoneón Arrabalero is wonderful although definitely not for dancing. Piazzolla's Patio Mío is very worn, but the transfer of Orlando Goñi is wonderful. If you've ever bought a CD for a single track, this is one of those moments. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 10 tracks Track List Bandoneón Arrabalero; Que Risa; Corralera milonga; Patio Mío; Para Lucrise; Orlando Goñi; Vamos, Vamos Zaino Viejo; Taquito Militar milonga; Cosas de Al Lao; Tecleando Canta: Roberto Goyeneche (1); Ángel Cardenas (2,7); Jorge Casal (4,9);

	Aníbal Troilo - Don Juan CDL-16035 A too even handed review of these recordings, and just 10 tracks, none of which is not repeated from their other discs. Mercifully already deleted. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 deleted 2000 release, 10 tracks Track List Don Juan; Araca Corazón; Corralera milonga; Que Risa; Tecleando; Medianoche; El Pollo Ricardo; Milonga Que Peina Canas; Fuegos Artificiales; Sur Cantan: Jorge Casal (2); Ángel Cárdenas (4); Raúl Berón (6); Roberto Goyeneche (8); Edmundo Rivero (10)

	Aníbal Troilo - Collección De Oro ORK-21033 Curiously, this Orfeón release does not appear in the Orfeón main catalogue. Possibly its been deleted. The majority of the tracks on this CD appear on others in the Orfeón catalogue, but you'll certainly enjoy the arrangement of El Monito. Also interesting is the innovative Viejo Baldió, featuring the guitar of (we presume) Roberto Grela. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.97 1999 release, 16 tracks Track List Ojos Negros; Viejo Baldio; Chiqué; Araca Corazón; Quejas de Bandoneón; Callejon; La Cumparsita; Milonga Que Peina Canas; El Monito; Mensaje; Responso; Recordándote; El Entrerriano; Ventanita de Arrabal; Don Juan; Chuzas Canta: Pablo Lozano (2); Jorge Casal (4,14); Ángel Cárdenas (6); Roberto Goyeneche (8); Raúl Berón (10); Carlos Olmedo (12)

	Anial Troilo / Roberto Grela - Taconenado CDL-13371 All 12 tracks recorded on TK between 1953-1955 (despite what it says on the album cover). This was not a duo but a quartet, and the personnel were: Aníbal Troilo - bandoneón Roberto Grela - guitar Edmundo Zaldivar - guitarrón Enrique "Kicho" Diaz - double bass normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 12 tracks Track List El Abrojito; Nunca Tuvo Novio; Palomita Blanca vals; A Pedro Maffia; Mi Refugio; Taconeando; La Cumparista; A La Guardia Nueva; Un Placer vals; Sobre El Pucho; Diablito; La Cachila

	Leopoldo Federico / Roberto Grela - Hombres del Tango CDL-13367 An important tango release, but get Troilo with Grela first normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1999 release, 14 tracks Track List De Puro Guapo; La Cumparista; Danzarín; A La Guardia Nueva; El Africano; Minguito Tinguitella; Romantica; Cabulero; La Tablada; Don Juan De Vuelta y Media milonga; El Pollo Ricardo; Nunca Tuvo Novio; A San Telmo

	Hugo Díaz - Folklore For Export CDL-13344 Yes, this really is an album by the real Hugo Díaz, by which we mean the Argentine chromatic harmonica player rather than the Uruguayian bandoneonista. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1990 release, 12 tracks Track List La Compañera; Chacarera Doble zamba Tu Cabeza En Mi Hombro; Tacita De Plata; Isla Saca; Zamba Alegre zamba; Cuando El Diablo Toca El Bombo; Engañera; Cascada; La Salamanca; Misionera; Zamba De Los Cuatro Vientos zamba;

	Rodolfo Biagi - Mariposita CDL-13370 Late Biagi with a thin sound that is drifting towards De Angelis (!) and just 12 tracks, why would you want this - it's a mystery to me! normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1992 release, 12 tracks Track List La Tablada; Arriba Jara!; Milonga Con Variaciones; Estrella; Mariposita; Canaro; Palermo; Si No Estuvieras Tu; Y A Mi Que; Amor De Verano; Duerme Mi Niña; Con Un Silbido En Los Labios Cantan: Hugo Duval (2,4,5,10); Carlos Almago (7,8,9,11,12);

	Alberto Podestá - Al Compas del Corazón CDL-13360 Podestá recaps his hits with Miguel Caló and Carlos Di Sarli in a schmaltzy, nightclub style. This is undanceable, and the heavily filtered lp transfer makes Podestá sound as if he were singing through a handkerchief. Dreadful. normal US selling price: n/a (Mexican import) Amazon US price: $12.98 1992 release, 12 tracks Track List La Capilla Blanca; Bazar de los Juguetes; Temblando vals Al Compas del Corazon; La Vi Llegar; Vida Mía; Alma de Bohemio; Al Verla Pasar; Bajo un Cielo de Estrellas; Nido Gaucho; Si No Me Engana el Corazón; No Nos Veremos Mas