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Juan D'Arienzo - Tango for Export vol.2

ECD 1037

When stereo recording arrived in Argentina in 1963 the Golden Age of Tango was over, and so the executives at RCA decided to record a series of albums aimed at the overseas market entitled Tango for Export. Troilo recorded an album with this title, but the first album was offered to D'Arienzo who recorded four in all. These were reprinted over three CDs. Thanks to a price reduction by BMG (very much against the grain of recent events - everything else has gone up) we are able to offer it to you as part of our club.

This era is generally dismissed as having little on offer for the dancer, which is understandable when so few people were dancing. Troilo's work is sounding more and more like concert music. D'Arienzo's vocal work is veering towards the camp, but with his instrumentals he maintains the line that he has had from the beginning. The performances are even more extrovert than those from the 1950s, if that were possible. Purists condemn this music as kitsch, even a pastiche of his former work, but put those criticisms to one side and one discovers a music that is more humorous than before in sparkling sound quality.

I think this is a cracking CD, and definitely danceable. The performances are from 1966 and 1967.

Track list

1. Organito de la tarde
2. Que noche!
3. Papas calientes milonga
4. Inspiración
5. La clavada
6. El chupete
7. Pura trampa
8. La payanca
9. Vea vea
10. 9 de julio
11. De mi flor
12. Entre dos fuegos
13. El once
14. Gran Hotel Victoria
15. Rodríguez Peña
16. La viruta
17. Benguria
18. El amanecer

Tango Collection - Ada Falcón

RGS 1669

Ada Falcón is remembered today as one of the greatest voices of the golden age of tango and as the woman who had a long-term love affair with Francisco Canaro that left her emotionally in ruins. Her voice is emotional, dramatic and uncompromising. We are regularly asked for a selection of her music. She recorded very few dance numbers with Canaro and unfortunately none of them are in print, but this CD presents an excellent selection of her tango songs in good fidelity. Just listening to her opening notes on the title track turns my knees to jelly.

Track list

1. Envidia
2. Alma de bohemio
3. Casas viejas (dúo with Charlo)
4. Cascabelito
5. Corazón de oro vals
6. Cuando llora la milonga
7. Destellos
8. Dónde estás corazón?
9. La morocha
10. Yo no se que me han hecho tus ojos
11. La muchachada del centro
12. La última copa
13. Las vueltas de la vida
14. Madreselva
15. Un jardín de ilusión (duo with Ernesto Famá)
16. Nada más
17. Pensalo bien
18. Sentimiento gaucho
19. Te quiero
20. Ilusión marina
21. Tus beos fueron míos
22. Ventarrón
23. Para ti madre vals
24. Yira, yira

Orquestas Olvidadas Vol.1

Reliquias 473893

Orquestas olvidadas means forgotten orchestras and when something has been forgotten, you always have to ask yourselves why. On this CD of 50s recordings the answer is mostly because the orchestra arrived on the scene just a little bit late and didn't make that many recordings. In particular, Ricardo Pedevilla, who sounds a bit like a cross between D'Arienzo and Di Sarli, is eye-poppingly good - but unfortunately he only made 24 recordings, and these on the now forgotten Pampa label. On this evidence, he should have a CD of his own. Antonio Rodio is another find but he made even fewer recordings. Jorge Caldara's Lorenzo is a work of genius - soft and strong at the same time.

This CD is a reminder of the strength in depth that existed in Buenos Aires back in those golden years and will have you hungry for more from these artists.

Track list

1. La cumparsita - Antonio Rodio
2. Chiqué - Eduardo Del Piano
3. El caburé - Ricardo Pedevilla
4. Mal dea amores - Mario Demarco
5. Sábado inglés - Edgardo Donato
6. Siete palabras - Ricardo Pedevilla
7. Lorenzo - Jorge Caldara
8. El entrerriano - Carlos Demaria
9. El amanecer - Ricardo Pedevilla
10. Fuegos artificiales - Edgardo Donato
11. La rayuela - Eduardo Del Piano
12. Organito de la tarde - Ricardo Pedevilla
13. El negro pintos - Alfredo Attadia
14. Bienvenida - Mario Demarco
15. El pollo Ricardo - Ricardo Pedevilla
16. El chupete - Edgardo Donato
17. El irresistible - Jorge Caldara
18. El incendio - Ricardo Pedevilla
19. Retintin - Lorenzo Barbero
20. La cumparsita - Jorge Fernandez

Pedro Laurenz - Creaciones inolvidables con Podestá y Bermúdez

DBN 529110

This is an outstanding CD showing Laurenz in 1943-144, just after the big-bang. As such, the pace of the tangos is slower than the music of 1935-1941. Laurenz, with the superb Alberto Podestá, makes the most of this: their renditions of Alma de bohemio and Garúa are perhaps the best on record. Laurenz demonstrates how good he is with milonga, Maldonado giving even Di Sarli a run for his money, and especially with vals: Paisaje is a 6 star classic, and we can only wish he had recorded more.

As ever on this label you get a terrible cover but the transfers are first rate. Essential!

Track list

1. Alma de bohemio
2. Garúa
3. Recién
4. Que nunca me falta
5. Patria mía
6. Yo quiero cantar un tango
7. Con el hornero
8. Todo
9. Muchachos... mi último tango
10. Paisaje vals
11. Yo soy de San Telmo milonga
12. Maldonado milonga
13. El criollito oriental milonga
14. Más solo que nunca
15. Me estan sobrando las penas
16. Nada más que un corazón
17. Llueve otra vez
18. La madrugada
19. Temblando vals
20. Milonga de mis amores (1944) milonga

Cantan:

• Alberto Podestá (1-13)
• Carlos Bermúdez (14-19)