In Spanish, Alturas is a musical term referring to pitch, and more generally to ‘the highest’, and Alturas  took us high at their recent performance at Django’s in Sydney. Jose Basso kicks off the program before a brief report on Alturas’ style of tango/jazz, and (after a technical hitch last week) Chloe Williamson and Stephen Cutriss of Mendoza Tango Quartet finish the program with a replay of part 1 of their interview. That’s Tango Capital, Sunday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm

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• broadcasting on 2xxfm 98.3 in Canberra
• streaming to the web at http://www.2xxfm.org.au
• on demand from http://www.2xxfm.org.au/programs/tango-capital/

Image: Alturas at Djangos, Marrickville, Sydney on 17 September 2017; Daniel Rojas is there on piano, lit in green – unfortunately I could not find a location in the venue from which to take an image that showed all the band clearly.

PLAYLIST:

• Ahí Va El Dulce, meaning ‘There Goes The Sweet’; it’s a tango recorded by José Basso on 14 May 1958 with music composed by Juan Canaro, first recorded in 1927 and with lyrics by Osvaldo Sosa Cordero.
• Tabernero, meaning ‘Bartender’; it’s a tango recorded by José Basso on 27 May 1949 with music composed by Miguel Cafre and Fausto Frontera, first recorded in 1926, with lyrics by Raúl Costa Olivieri and sung by Francisco Fiorentino.
• Piropos, meaning ‘Catcalls’; it’s a tango recorded by Anibal Troilo on 11 April 1944, with music composed by Juan Carlos Cobián, first recorded in 1923, and lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo.
• Pena, Copa Y Tango, meaning ‘Sadness, Drink, and Tango’; it’s a tango recorded by José Basso on 9 December 1953, with music composed by José Basso and with lyrics by Mario Núñez Diaz here sung by Oscar Ferrari.
• Taquito Militar from the ‘Sin Palabras’ release in 2015, meaning ‘Military Tactic’; composed by Mariano Mores in 1952 this is a tango-jazz recording by Alturas in 2015.
• Café con Limón from the ‘Café con Tango’ release in 2013, meaning ‘Coffee with Lemon’; it’s a tango-jazz composed by Bob Marnes and here recorded by Alturas in 2013.
• Contrabajeando, meaning ‘Playing The Double Bass’; it’s a tango recorded by Sexteto Mayor in 2008 music composed by Astor Piazzolla and Anibal Troilo.
• Qué Bien Te Queda, meaning ‘Good That You Have Left’; it’s a tango recorded by Ricardo Tanturi; on 5 October 1943 with music composed by Vicente Salerno and lyrics by Juan Florencio Mazaroni here sung by Enrique Campos.

After a brief introduction to the life and untimely death of Jorge Maciel last edition, this editions features his singing over the decade 1949 to 1959, with Gobbi (the younger) and then with Pugliese.

 

 

That’s Tango Capital, Sunday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm:

• broadcasting on 2xxfm 98.3 in Canberra
• streaming to the web at http://www.2xxfm.org.au
• on demand from http://www.2xxfm.org.au/programs/tango-capital/

Image Credit: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xhc59Y3CkHQ/hqdefault.jpg

PLAYLIST:

• El Pollero, meaning ‘The Poultry Seller’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 24 March 1949 music and lyrics by Héctor Marcó in 1949 and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Sombras, meaning ‘Shadows’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 21 December 1949 with music composed by Francisco Pracánico in 1924 lyrics by Verminio Servetto and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Estás En Mi Corazón, meaning ‘You Are In My Heart’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 18 April 1950 with music composed by Antonio Blanco lyrics by Julio Camilloni and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• La Intriga, meaning ‘The Intrigue’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 23 November 1950 with music composed by Héctor Stamponi in 1950 lyrics by Héctor Marcó and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Salto Mortal, meaning ‘Mortal Leap’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 31 October 1950 with music composed by Domingo Julio Vivas, first recorded in 1927 lyrics by Juan Florencio Mazaroni and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Ya No Eres Mia, meaning ‘You Are Not Mine Anymore’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 27 March 1950 music and lyrics by Héctor Marcó and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• La Vieja Serenata, meaning ‘The Old Serenade’; a vals recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 31 January 1949 with music composed by Teofilo Ibáñez lyrics by Sandalia Gómez and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Como Las Margaritas, meaning ‘Like The Daisies’; a vals recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 3 April 1952 with music composed by Héctor Gentile lyrics by José Rótulo and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Calor De Hogar, meaning ‘Warmth Of Home’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 26 June 1951 with music composed by Eugenio Carrere, first recorded in 1929 lyrics by Jesús Fernández Blanco and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• La Número Cinco, meaning ‘The Number Five’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 27 June 1951 with music composed by Orestes Cúfaro lyrics by Reinaldo Yiso and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Para Qué Vivir Así, meaning ‘To Live This Way’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 9 June 1953 with music composed by Luciano Leocata, first recorded in 1951 lyrics by Reinaldo Yiso and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Un Regalo De Reyes, meaning ‘A Gift Of Kings’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi; on 26 August 1954 with music composed by Francisco Mamone in 1952 lyrics by Reinaldo Yiso and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Un Tango Para El Recuerdo, meaning ‘A Tango For Memory’s Sake’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese; on 24 June 1957 with music composed by Rafael Del Bagno, first recorded in 1956 lyrics by Antonio Cantó and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• Adiós Corazón, meaning ‘Good-bye, Heart’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese; on 29 May 1958 with music composed by Lalo Etchegoncelay, first recorded in 1957 lyrics by Héctor Sapelli and sung by  Jorge Maciel.
• La Cumparsita, meaning ‘The Little March’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese; on 6 August 1959 with music composed by Gerado Matos Rodríguez in 1924 lyrics by Pascual Contursi, Enrique Maroni, and Gerado Matos Rodríguez and sung by  Jorge Maciel and Carlos Guido (recitando).
• Remembranzas, meaning ‘Remembrances’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese; on 4 July 1956 with music composed by Mario Melfi, first recorded in 1934 lyrics by Mario Battistella and sung by  Jorge Maciel.

An interview with Chloe Williamson and Stephen Cutriss of Mendoza Tango Quartet starts, and there is an introduction to the singing and early death of Jorge Maciel.

Well, actually, no: the gremlins struck, and the interview will recommence in October 2017. I do apologise.

But you can listen to that interview with Chloe Williamson and Stephen Cutriss here:

Image: Chloe Williamson and Stephen Cutriss of Mendoza Tango Quartet, after playing in the Australian Tango Orquesta on 30 September 2017.

PLAYLIST:

• Remembranza, meaning ‘Remembrances’; a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi on 8 September 1948, with music composed by Mario Melfi in 1934, lyrics by Mario Battistella and sung by Jorge Maciel.
• La Vieja Serenata, meaning ‘The Old Serenade’; a vals recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi in 1949, with music composed by Teofilo Ibáñez, lyrics by Sandalia Gómez and sung by Jorge Maciel.
• Tropa, from the lunfardo meaning ‘Crowd’, it’s a tango recorded by Alfredo J Gobbi on 31 October 1950, with music composed by Ángel Raúl Vilar, lyrics by Pedro Blasco and sung by Jorge Maciel and Héctor Coral.
• Silueta Porteña, meaning ‘Shadow of a Woman from Buenos Aires’; a milonga recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese on 2 August 1956; music composed by Nicolas Luis Cuccaro and Juan Ventura Cuccaro in 1936, lyrics by Orlando D’Aniello and Ernesto Noli and sung by Jorge Maciel and Miguel Montero.
• Adiós Corazón, meaning ‘Good-bye, Heart’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese on 29 May 1958; with music composed by Lalo Etchegoncelay first recorded in 1957, lyrics by Héctor Sapelli and sung by Jorge Maciel.
• De Antaño from the ‘Good Enough For Gringos’ release in 2013, meaning ‘Of Days Gone By’; a milonga recorded by Tángalo with music and lyrics by Luis Rubistein in 1939, and sung here by Susie Bishop.
• Adiós Pampa Mia, meaning ‘Good-bye, My Pampa’; a tango recorded by El Arranque in 2002; music and lyrics by Francisco Canaro, Mariano Mores, and Ivo Pelay in 1945.
• Contrabajeando, meaning ‘Playing The Double Bass’; a tango recorded by Sexteto Mayor in 2008, with music composed by Astor Piazzolla and Anibal Troilo.
• Qué Bien Te Queda, a tango recorded by Ricardo Tanturi on 5 October 1943, with music composed by Vicente Salerno, lyrics by Juan Florencio Mazaroni and sung by Enrique Campos.
• Maldonado, the name a reference to a stream in Buenos Aires; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo on 7 February 1928, with music composed by Luis Nicolas Visca, lyrics by Luis Rubistein and sung by Ernesto Famá.

 

After checking out Di Sarli with Jorge Durán over the previous couple of weeks, last week introduced the voice of Ernesto Famá singing with Di Sarli , and this week further features the singing of Famá with a variety of orquesta.

That’s Tango Capital, Sunday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm:

• broadcasting on 2xxfm 98.3 in Canberra
• streaming to the web at http://www.2xxfm.org.au
• on demand from http://www.2xxfm.org.au/programs/tango-capital/

Image Credit: http://www.totango.net/Canaro.html

PLAYLIST:

• Esta Noche Me Emborracho, meaning ‘Tonight I Will Get Drunk’;  a tango recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo; on 3 May 1928 music and lyrics by Enrique Santos Discépolo in 1928 and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Alma En Pena, meaning ‘Soul In Pain’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo; on 9 October 1928 with music composed by Anselmo A Aieta in 1928 lyrics by Francisco García Jiménez and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• El Barrio Murmura, meaning ‘The Whispering Suburb’; a tango recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo; on 28 February 1928 sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• El Flete, meaning ‘The Racehorce’;  a tango recorded by Orquesta Típica Porteño; on 16 September 1930 with music composed by Vicente Greco in 1916 lyrics by Gerónimo Gerito  and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Carillon De La Merced, meaning ‘Bells Of Favour’ or ‘Bells of Mercy’, the name a reference to a reference to church bells; a tango recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor; on 9 June 1931 with music composed by Enrique Santos Discépolo in 1931 lyrics by Enrique Santos Discépolo and Alfredo La Pera  and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Santa Paula, meaning ‘Saint Paula’; a tango recorded by Juan Canaro; on 5 October 1931 with music composed by Juan Canaro lyrics by Osvaldo Sosa Cordero and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• La Baguala, the name a reference to an Argentine folksong genre; a tango recorded by Carlos Di Sarli Sexteto; on 23 June 1931 with music composed by Juan Andrés Pérez lyrics by Enrique Carrera Sotelo and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Sobre El Pucho, meaning ‘Right Away’, or ‘On The Spot’, or ‘There and Then’, and also known as ‘Un Callejón en Pompeya’; a tango recorded by Carlos Di Sarli Sexteto; on 3 June 1931 with music composed by Sebastián Piana in 1922 lyrics by José Gonzáles Castillo (Juan de León) and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Maldita, meaning ‘Mean Woman’; a tango recorded by Carlos Di Sarli Sexteto; on 14 August 1931 with music composed by Antonio Rodio lyrics by Celedonio Flores and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Quisiera Amarte Menos, meaning ‘I Would Like To Love You Less’; a vals recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 11 December 1933 with music composed by Francisco Canaro in 1933 lyrics by Luis César Amadori and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Adiós Juventud, meaning ‘Good-bye Youth’; a vals recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 21 April 1933 with music composed by Antonio Sureda lyrics by Gerónimo Sureda and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• La Cancion De Amalia, meaning ‘Song of Amalia’; a vals recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 24 August 1933 with music composed by Enrique Maciel lyrics by Héctor Pedro Blomberg and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Por Vos Yo Me Rompo, meaning ‘For You I Bother’ (from lunfardo); a tango recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 27 February 1939 music and lyrics by Francisco Canaro and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Mala Suerte, meaning ‘Bad Luck’; a tango recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 27 February 1939 with music composed by Francisco Lomuto in 1939 lyrics by Francisco Gorrindo and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Tormenta, meaning ‘Storm’; a tango recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 28 March 1939 music and lyrics by Enrique Santos Discépolo in 1939 and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• No Hay Tierra Como La Mia, meaning ‘There Is No Land Like Mine’; a milonga recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 2 November 1939 with music composed by Charlo in 1939 lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• La Milonga De Buenos Aires, meaning ‘The Milonga of Buenos Aires’; a milonga recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 9 October 1939 with music composed by Francisco Canaro lyrics by Ivo Pelay and sung by  Ernesto Famá.
• Parque Patricios, meaning ‘Park of the Patricians’, the name a reference to the suburb on the south side of Buenos Aires, that includes several parks including a large park of the same name; a milonga recorded by Francisco Canaro; on 3 October 1940 with music composed by Antonio Radicci lyrics by Francisco Laino  and sung by  Ernesto Famá.

In Argentina the question on everybody’s lips, and Facebook pages, at the moment is, ‘Where is Santiago Maldonado?’ The continued absence of the protester is inevitably evoking references to the ‘Dirty War’ under the military junta from 1976 to 1983, when so many thousands of people ‘disappeared’. Tango was effectively halted during that period both because gatherings were politically dangerous and also because being out late was simply unsafe. But tango and politics are never very far apart in Argentina and the name ‘Maldonado’ was already in the tango canon. In fact there are four songs of that name.

One is a tango composed by Luis Nicolas Visca with lyrics by Luis Rubistein. The Maldonado was a stream in Buenos Aires named for the legend that a woman of that name was abandoned there by the first Spanish governor Pedro de Mendoza in 1536. By the 19th century the stream was in effect an open sewer that flooded Buenos Aires regularly, before emptying into the Rio De La Plata near Palermo. In 1928, the year of this tango, major works commenced to enclose it and re-situate it underground. The song commemorates the unhappy events, the robberies, the murders, the deaths that that would have occurred near the stream as it wound its way through the poorer suburbs of Buenos Aires over nearly 4 centuries of European settlement. Accordingly it is perhaps not surprising that this tango has not been re-recorded since Fresedo (with Fama singing on 7 February ) and Canaro (with Charlo singing) independently recorded it in 1928 in celebration of these significant civil works.

A second tango was also written in 1928, and also recorded by Canaro with Charlo singing–in fact recorded twice by them, at one recording session on 10 December 1929,and at another session on 2 May 1930. The music is by Raúl Joaquin de los Hoyes; the lyrics by Alberto Vacarezza nostalgically portray the Maldonado as the playground of children, a place of safety, and so also as a female confidant to whom the singer returns after he is inevitably dumped by the heartless woman he follows after he commits criminal acts to remain with her. This is 1928 and the lyrics still usually portrayed women as heartless sirens at this time, but I think that this woman may also be a symbol of the heart of  the tango district, centered around Corrientes and Esmeralda and where, by all accounts, the criminal element would congregate also.

Both the music and lyrics of the third one were written by Alberto Mastra, but much later, in 1943. It was also recorded twice, both times in 1943, by Di Sarli with Roberto Rufino singing on 17 December 1943, and by Laurenz with Alberto Podesta singing on 9 December 1943. This one looks back on the earlier, pre-1928, days of Buenos Aires with nostalgia, It is a milonga, and it further evokes connection with rural Argentina by casting the singer as a foreman at La Rural, the Buenos Aires equivalent of the Royal Showgrounds, where produce and stock are brought in to the heart of Palermo from the country for exhibition and sale. The entubation of the Maldonado is a watershed point in this song, a marker of the shift from a nobler past to the present. Given the political events of 1930 and the subsequent and permanent downturn in Argentina’s fortunes, perhaps the songwriter was onto something.

The fourth tango was called ‘El Maldonado’, to differentiate it from the others, perhaps, and it was among around two dozen pieces written by composer and violinist Carlos ‘Hernan’ Macchi (1878-1929). El Maldonado was probably written when the civic works were announced, and so not long before he died at the early age of 51. Unfortunately little is known of it as it was an instrumental tango, without lyrics, and without any extant recordings obvious.

The original entubation was covered over with earth and called Avenida Juan Bautista Justo, after the left-wing and progressive journalist and politician who died in 1928, and which explains the slight bends in that road. The 1928 works finished in 1933-34 and were very effective but there was still some overflow during heavy floods, so further works were undertaken in 2005-2012 to improve the drainage with extra tunneling.

It is to be hoped that there will be no need of a fifth piece of tango music named “Maldonado”.

http://www.thebubble.com/interpol-santiago-maldonado/el-caso-santiago-maldonado-2511124h540/