Just Us Tango

Just Us Tango is the sound of tango to Canberra, and this edition includes a report on them playing at Smith’s Alternative last year. And, while Roberto Firpo is one of the most under-rated musicians in tango, he was incredibly influential and has a recording and performing track record comparable to that of his colleague Canaro. Listen in to find out why he rates more attention.  That’s this Sunday on Tango Capital, 7:00pm to 8:00pm:

• broadcasting on 2xxfm 98.3 in Canberra,
• streaming live and also on demand from http://www.2xxfm.org.au

Image: Ann Smith: Just Us Tango playing Smith’s Alternative, Canberra, on 25 April 2019

PLAYLIST:

• Ropa Blanca, meaning ‘Whites’; recorded by Ánibal Troilo on 3 May 1943; a milonga with music composed by Alfredo Malerba, lyrics by Homero Manzi, and sung by Alberto Marino. The name is a reference to white household linen.. It’s a complicated metaphor about the black hands of the Afro-Argentine woman washing white bedlinen clean in soapy water, weeping wet tears to wash away the pain after her love disappeared.
• Atardecer Campero, meaning ‘Country Dusk’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 5 June 1936; a vals with music composed by Roberto Firpo.
• Argañaraz, from lunfardo, meaning ‘Those Good Times’, and also known as ‘Aquellas Farras’; recorded by Roberto Firpo in 1914; a tango with music composed by Roberto Firpo in 1913 and lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo. This is a 1 minute fragment, from around 0mm35ss to 1mm 35ss.
• Fuegos Artificiales, meaning ‘Fireworks’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 4 January 1938; a tango with music composed by Roberto Firpo & Eduardo Arolas, first recorded in 1927. Possibly the first programmed tango, channelling the sound of celebratory fireworks into a milonga.
• Cero A Cero, meaning ‘Zero To Zero’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 22 March 1935; a tango with music composed by Roberto Firpo , lyrics by Venancio Clauso, and sung by Carlos A Varela.
• La Trilla, meaning ‘The Threshing’; recorded by Cuarteto De Los Antes on 19 December 1936; a tango with music composed by Eduardo Arolas, first recorded in 1916 and lyrics by Héctor Polito.
• El Cuzquito, meaning ‘The Lad From Cuzco’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 5 May 2959; a tango with music composed by Vicente Greco, first recorded in 1918 and lyrics by José Arolas.
• Alma De Bohemio, meaning ‘Bohemian Soul’; recorded by Pedro Laurenz on 15 July 1943; a tango with music composed by Roberto Firpo in 1928, lyrics by Juan Andrés Caruso, and sung by Alberto  Podestá.
• El Amanacer, meaning ‘The Dawn’; recorded live from a performance by Just Us Tango at Smith’s Alternative, Canberra on 25 April 2019; a tango with music composed by Roberto Firpo, first recorded in 1928.
• Mi Buenos Aires Querido, meaning ‘My Beloved Buenos Aires’; recorded live from a performance by Just Us Tango at Smith’s Alternative, Canberra on 25 April 2019; a tango canción with music composed by Carlos Gardel in 1934, lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera, and sung by Charles Hudson.
• Jacinto Chiclana; recorded live from a performance by Just Us Tango at Smith’s Alternative, Canberra on 25 April 2019; a tango nuevo with music composed by Astor Piazzolla, first recorded in 1965 and lyrics by Jorge Luis Borges. The title is the name of a character created by Borges and who is a personification of a brave porteño.
• Danzarín, meaning ‘Dancer’; recorded live from a performance by Just Us Tango at Smith’s Alternative, Canberra on 25 April 2019; a tango with music composed by Julián Plaza, first recorded in 1955.