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The Masters of Tango - Osvaldo Fresedo: Una gota de rocio

LCDM 2742309

Considering that Fresedo recorded over 1,000 numbers, there are precious few CDs of Osvaldo Fresedo in print - especially from the era in which you want to hear him. This CD from LCDM helps to plug the gap, even if doesn't give us more of the tracks with Roberto Ray.

The first half presents hard to find 40s recordings with the wonderful voice of Oscar Serpa, although things go downhill in part two, when the romantic Fresedo sound becomes overwhelmed by sugary arrangements. Still, at 25 tracks, there is enough of the really good stuff to make the disc worthwhile.

The liner notes contain an excellent essay on Fresedo's career although this has precious little to do with the selections actually on the disc.

Track list

1. Rodríguez Peña
2. Al cerrar los ojos
3. Cosas viejas
4. Uno
5. En cada puerto un adiós
6. Noches largas
7. Cafetín de Buenos Aires
8. Para lucirse
9. A la parilla
10. Vamos vamos Zaino viejo
11. Prepárense
12. Contratiempo
13. Pero yo sé
14. Ninguna
15. Adiós muchachos
16. La casita de mis viejos
17. Una gota de rocío
18. El once
19. Triunfal
20. Preludio N°3
21. Apasionado
22. Divina
23. Por que?
24. En mis noches
25. La viruta

Canta:

• Oscar Serpa (2-6)
• Osvaldo Cordó (7)
• Armando Gorrindo (10)
• Héctor Pacheco (13-14,16-17)
• Carlos Barrios (22)

The Masters of Tango - Carlos Gardel - Si Soy Así

LCDM 2742301

A fine compilation, again with excellent sleeve notes, although lacking many of the film numbers we today think of as his greatest hits.

Track list

1. La última copa
2. Una tarde
3. Dandy
4. Esta noche me emborracho
5. Alma en pena
6. Bandoneón arrabalero
7. La muchacha del circo
8. Muñeca brava
9. Lo han visto con otra
10. Vieja recova
11. Viejo smocking
12. Mi noche triste
13. Almagro
14. Tarde gris
15. As de cartón
16. Silbando
17. Farolito de papel
18. Anclao en París
19. Tomo y obligo
20. Rencor
21. Ventarrón
22. Me da pena confesarlo
23. Si se salva el pibe
24. Desdén
25. Si soy así

Rodolfo Biagi - Sus éxitos con Jorge Ortíz vol.2

DBN 499967

This is the second CD on Reliquias of Biagi's iconic singer, Jorge Ortíz. Having placed the more up-tempo "greatest hits" from 1940-1941 on the first volume, this second album might appear like a CD of "also-rans", and indeed that was my first impression when the CD came out back in 1999. Listen closer, however, and one realises that what one has here is rather another side of Biagi. On these sides Biagi doesn't push the beat quite as hard as he capable of doing, and it makes for a more relaxed experience.

The CD opens with Biagi's second recording of La cumparsita with a devastating glosa from Ortíz. This 1942 track was cut in Ortiz's first session after returning from his 6 month excursion to the orchestra of Miguel Caló.

Tangos such as Pueblito de provincia, Callecita de mi barrio, Catorce primaveras and Marcas stand up very well to their more exalted colleagues. If we were better acquainted with this slightly softer Biagi we would find more occasions to play his orchestra at the milonga. Warmly recommened

Track list

1. La cumparsita
2. Copas, amigas y besos
3. Cuando se ha querido mucho
4. Cantando se van las penas milonga
5. Tu melodía vals
6. Marcas
7. Callecita de mi barrio
8. Calla corazón
9. Soledad la de Barracas
10. Por un beso de amor vals
11. Oyendo tu voz
12. Catorce primaveras
13. Pueblito de provincia
14. Sera lo mejor
15. Bélgica
16. Cuatro palabras vals
17. Pinta orillera
18. Zaraza
19. Pájaro herido vals
20. Racing club

Canta:

• Jorge Ortiz (1-14,16-19)

Tango Collection - Azucena Maizani

RGS 1601

Hugely popular in her day, Azucena Maizani was a trail blazer for women singers in Buenos Aires of the 1920s. Her voice projects a wistful and romantic air, somewhat at odds with the image she projected on stage, where she usually dressed as a man, sometimes in a gaucho costume.

Maizani was also a composer with some classic tangos to her name, amongst them Pero yo sé, performed by D'Agostino/Vargas, amongst others.

She never sang with dance orchestras and drifted into obscurity in the late 1930s. Today she is largely forgotten outside Argentina, but her sentimental voice has lost none of its appeal. This CD is well programmed with her most famous and most successful numbers.

Track list

1. Alma en pena
2. Aquí me pongo a cantar
3. Arrieros de mis pesares
4. Barra querida
5. Estampilla
6. Llevatelo todo
7. Marioneta
8. Mariposa azul
9. Monte criollo
10. Para qué
11. Pero... yo sé
12. Portero, suba y dígale
13. Tango mío
14. Yuyito e´la sierra