photo: Angel S. Gonzalez Gonzalez
inspiraci贸n argentina
JORGE DIS
SPARI:
Bien Villurca, Bien Bailarín BT: Up to what degree should one be musically educated to dance tango? JD: It depends upon the way you want to dance. There are people whose only wish is to integrate into the dance floor and to move without killing anyone… Others want to dance cool without bothering anyone. And there are people who want to be professionals… It depends upon people’s desire and/or consumer’s qualities. But if you want to dance really well, you have to educate your ear as seriously as your body. BT: How good ear should one have to dance the Villa Urquiza style? JD: First, you need to dance tango de salon to be able to understand the subtleties added to Villa Urquiza style by Luis “Milonguita” Lemos and genial Jose “Turco” Brahemcha. If you fail, you are out of it. You need to dominate very well tango de salon, to know what to do at milongas. And after this comes the next one… BT: Do you play any instrument? JD: When I was a kid I was watching my elder brother working hard to master guitar. He had been learning it for several years, and then quit. I only scraped it a little. But, no, I never played any instrument. BT: How would you define Villa Urquiza in terms of tango? JD: This is something personal. And by no means it exists in tango, the absolute truth. But I would define this style of dancing as tango de salon danced with maximum elegance. With the signs of geniality tremendously impossible to repeat. Given that the geniuses of the past have already ended, none of the today’s talents interprets tango (the music) as before. Those are the major differences… The delicacy of stepping in caminatas, the details of giros around the common axis, slow ones, instead of the velocity without feeling… Only the velocity with music. BT: What is the difference between the climates of Sunderland, Sin Rumbo and the clubs of other districts of Buenos Aires? JD: Today there is virtually no difference. It’s the same people salad that goes to the rest of milongas. One could write a book answering this question. But let’s try to be specific. The tango is a piece of popular culture of the lowest classes of the capital and outskirts (Gran Buenos Aires and Rio de La Pata). So, today it’s absolutely different from the tango that we used to see 32 years ago at Sunderland and Sin Rumbo. Today they come from Asia, Oceania, Europa, North America… You’ll find people from all over the world at milongas. But before it was not like this. Hence the difference. In old days you could see only the authentic things, today you see the salad of styles, of people with different culture. Some neither understand the lyrics of tangos, but nevertheless dance to them. I think that the number of people in tango today is for no good for it. At the cultural level… BT: Would it be just to say that the spirit of Gerardo Portalea has been preserved till today? Are there any dancers who follow the traditions and principles of Portalea, Ribera, etc.? JD: No. The spirit of milongas organized by Portalea lasted till 90s, then it gave up to the changes. First it was show tango (or, to phrase it better, show dancers), the first ones to give classes of tango in USA, in Europe. But later tango milonguero made a furore (this name was given by Susana Miller to tango petitero, another dancing style). This style was adopted from the very start by almost 90% of the foreigners for the simplicity of dancing. But they had eliminated the caminata. For that reason it’s so difficult to dance in Centro, each couple choses its square meter and dances there revolving from one side to another without moving around the floor. To my taste, it’s a little boring and little logical to be considered a social dance. BT: Is it difficult for you to spread around people the ideas of dancing three equal steps in a 4/4
time, like it was danced by Portalea according to legends? How do you teach people the principles of polyrhythmic music? JD: As for me, you are using strange words. If you mean tiempo, medio tiempo, contratiempo, double tiempo, yes, I teach all that. I make them listen to it in almost all the orchestras. But after that it’s within their personal determination. Take into account that we cannot be all the year in Argentina, neither abroad. We split it into periods, and by the weekend you can show an approximate idea of the musical interpretation topic, or musicality, as you prefer to call it. So, since the miracles do not exist, you return the next year… You spend only three days per year at each place. As for people, we should teach them to “walk”. Of course, within music, but to walk, to make pauses. The tango is full of pauses. If you don’t make them, you are dancing some other tango. BT: What does the code of a “villurca” consist of? What should one possess to be able to be called so? JD: Look, there are many. I would like to emphasize the respect to the others. As an example, when different couples used to go to dance, the men used to be dressed spectacularly. I enjoyed watching every detail of the suit like a handkerchief playing with a necktie. A tiepin, a tie clamp, cuff-links.. The women painted as doors, in their best dresses, used to arrive at milongas and after having paid the entrance fee went to their tables, left everything there and started greeting everyone. Then the dancing style… And at last, when the floor was at the edge of being overwhelmed with people, all the figures started to disappear. It was understood without saying. The dancers were spectacular. Nobody ignored the orchestras that were sounding, people knew the singers, the lyrics of tangos, and the tangos themselves… Today this knowledge is still pending. In old times a milonguero used to “cabecear”, invite the woman to dance, and then accompany her to her table - of course, if he was from Villa Urquiza! – at the end of tanda. The milonguero definitely used to take the woman he had danced with to her table. BT: What efforts does it cost you to convince
people that tango is not “figures”? Do people believe you? JD: Look, I don’t apply many efforts. The people look for tango. It’s coming back. I’m not sure if I understood your question, the efforts applied by me and Marita are those of leaving our children and grandchildren for three months, missing them terribly. As well as the rest of family, friends, people of milonga. The milongas themselves are missed very much too.
The music is missed incredibly, which means if only you are not Fumanchu, it does not appear on any computer, only the Spanish one. But during classes people are confident with us, believe in us, and end up convinced that they had been practicing something for real, something that could be useful always, on all the dancefloors around the world. BT: We would like to know if the constancy
of the couple means for vilurcas more than for tangueros of other styles. JD: No, no way. Look, this used to be done by the majority of couples before. The partnership used to last whatever it might cost. Today they separate, they fight, they change five partners, sometimes more…In most cases there are more than three he- or she-partners. But no, that’s only a matter of generations, and nothing else. It doesn’t make sense to say that there something like this. BT: Why don’t the real villurcas teach? JD: Look, I can tell you one thing that seems to be of a destiny. The greatest dancer in tango history (at least for those who saw him dancing) was about to give classes in Teatro
San Martín almost in 80s. But the thing ended up being Gustavo Naveira a teacher there. Perhaps, if Luis Lemos had entered Teatro San Martín to give classes (that’s him who I refer to as the greatest dancer), the history of tango could have been totally different. But it did not happen to be that way… And look, Juana “La Rusa” says it very clearly in the movie of Jorge Zanada, the brilliant documentary of tango of 1984-85. She says that we shouldn’t have taught tango in America or Europa (in the film she says of teaching “los Yonis” o “gringos”), but rather have gone to the interior to teach our popular culture. In reality, we are privileged this weekend to have Jose “El Turco” Brahemcha giving a seminar in our school “Vila Urquiza Tango Escuela”
This style makes people speak about it all over the world, making those who dance “tango Nuevo” tremble. Tremble to the point of Chicho Frumboli’s declarations that in fifteen years that he has been bearing a title of a teacher, he hasn’t been able to teach a single student the essence of the tango. And you haven’t asked many questions. Finito (Fino Rivera) didn’t dance Villa Urquiza style. He danced his own genial style, but of Villa Devoto. In that film there was Miguel Balmaceda who was an impressing master of tango, but neither of Villa Urquiza. Which doesn’t mean he was bad. Just different. Guys, I would like to clarify what Ney Melo spread around the globe. He took it out of context and declared as Origins of Villa Urquiza. No. These dancers came to dance at Sin Rumbo, but because all restarted there in late 70s.
SVERRE-INDRIS JONER: Falling in Love with ABC BT: How come that the music initially written for the TanGhost show became such a hit among the dancers? Did you write all the tracks for the show or did you add some of them later when issuing a CD? It’s hard to imagine that El lloron or Retrolonga or Felino were not intended as dancing hits from the very start. Does TanGhost still tour? What kind of a show is it? SIJ: Actually it started before Tanghost. I started to experiment with tango-recordings of my own quartet Tango for 3, mixing them with beats and effects. This was even before Gotan Project existed. But regrettably, at the time I rejected the idea as not good enough! Later , when the director Per Olav Sørensen wanted to make a different version of Ibsen’s “Ghosts”. He contacted Pablo Veron for choreography and playing the part of the ghost. So it is actually a play with a lot of tango-dancing. El lloron and Retrolonga are not a part of the play. Felino was the opening sequence. Tanghost will not tour more but there is a plan to make it a movie. Info about the play: http://www.tanghost.com BT: Why, in your opinion, did your tunes become such big hits among milongueros? Do you realize that dancing to your jazzy arrangements demands additional talent from the milongueros? SIJ: The explanation may be because I think like a tanguero when I make this music. Most other Electrotango-projects are/were mainly programming with tango on top. I’m making the opposite. I can understand that it’s demanding, and I’m comfortable with that. BT: Would you play at milongas for dancing people? Have you ever played like that? SIJ: Oh yes. We do it all the time. It’s fun if the dancers are skilled and use their ears. If not, they just make noise with their shoes while looking at their feet, not paying attention to the music.
BT: The leading part in El lloron reminds harmonica. Does it? Were you keeping in mind Hugo Diaz while creating that gem of yours? Were you not afraid of doing anything to El lloron after Diaz’s immortal interpretation? What does Hugo Diaz mean for you? SIJ: It’s a kind of strange mix of subtle phrasing and a fascinating violent and insisting energy combined with anything but a beautiful tone. It sounds like he is going to swallow the instrument sometimes. I was of course inspired by hearing Hugo Diaz, but not struck dead with awe. On the contrary. Good music inspires more good music. That goes for interpretations as well. I feel both versions have given a valuable contribution to the tango history. BT: What’s your musical background? SIJ: After playing ukulele in my childhood I started with piano & keyboards wanting to be like Rick Wakeman from Yes. From 15 years I started to play reggae and Afrobeat/high life with African musicians. Later it was jazz and Latin music. I discovered the ABC (Argentina, Brasil, Cuba) and am currently working in all 3 styles + more towards contemporary style and others forms of groovy music,. BT: Who influenced your style most of all? SIJ: Outside tango many: Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, Bob Marley, George Duke, Frank Zappa, Genesis, Santana, Irakere, Peruchín, Manolito Simonet, Oscar D`Leon, Hermeto Pascual, Egberto Gismonti, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Mercedes Sosa, Chango Faria Gomez, Prokofiev, Schostakovich, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Bartok, Stockhausen, Xenakis. In tango: Horacio Salgan, Mosalini/Beytelmann, Piazzolla, Sexteto Tango, Suarez-Paz, Agri, Pugliese, Troilo, Federico, D’Arienzo, Hugo Diaz, Goyeneche. BT: What’s your story of falling in love with Argentina so deep? How well should one know this country to write such stylistically impec-
cable arrangements? SIJ: I fell in love with 3 at the same time (ABC). A bit casual that I went to Cuba first. But I think that being interested in a culture is crucial if you want to learn a part of it - like music. Being open for impulses is enriching. I speak Spanish and it definitely helps. In the process of learning the language I was as ambitious as I am with learning a musical style. And wanting to “dress me up” with the newly acquired cultural skills is fun. I’m a kind of chameleon when traveling abroad. So I think the answer is - as well as you can. BT: What’s your attitude to a new wave of “electrotango”? SIJ: Regrettably I find much of it boring! I don’t accept that the compositions in that style should be less of a composer’s handwork than in other styles. There are too many people out there cutting corners. A rather historyless attitude. Luckily it’s changing in a better direction with later CDs and bands. BT: Do you feel as its part? SIJ: Yes and no. Not very strongly... BT: Is it right to call this wave “tango nuevo”? SIJ: That was what they also called Piazzolla so I think that brand is taken. BT: Who are your favorite tango-musicians today? Can you recommend us any new names? SIJ: There are some interesting new tangobands lately. Fernandez Fierro, Astillero, Ramiro Gallo Quintet. The new attitude is taking the tradition and golden era further. BT: Tell us, please, about Tango for 3 with which you toured around Argentina. How was that experience?
Later we have collaborated on several projects in Norway, Germany, Holland, Belgium and England. BT: Why did you choose her for joint recordings? SIJ: She is as far as I’m concerned the best tango singer around. BT: Her surname seems Ukrainian. Do you have any ideas if she’s Ukrainian? SIJ: Polish. Trzenko I think is the old spelling. So the only link to Ukraine is that I played there this summer in Kiev.
SIJ: It’s my quartet that has existed since 1986 more or less. It was great fun to be on tour in Argentina in 1992. We met and had classes with many of the great masters. We played on the same concert-series as Sexteto Tango and even Pugliese (one of his last performances if I remember well). And we really did stir up the old way of doing tango it seems. Combining tango and humor wasn’t very common. And our high octane interpretation of traditional tango impacted them. Now it’s funny to see young bands from Buenos Aires like Fernandez Fierro doing the same. BT: Do you dance yourself? SIJ: I did more active a period, Now it’s what’s left that I remember. But luckily it’s a bit like bicycling - if you learned it once you don’t forget. BT: Do you like watching people dancing? SIJ: If they’re good - yes. BT: Who are your favorite tango-dancers? SIJ: I don’t remember many names... Miguel Angel Zotto, Chicho Frumboli, Pablo Veron are among the ones I remember. We have also worked with Pablo Inza y Veronica Alvarenga, Here in Europe with Claudia Codega y Esteban Moreno, Esther Duarte y Chiche Núñez. BT: What’s the story of your cooperation with Julia Zenko? SIJ: It started when we did a tour with Tango for 3 and Julia, since our bandoneonist Per Arne Glorvigen had done a CD and tours with Gidon Kremer with “Maria de Buenos Aires”.
BT: Who else did you cooperate with in Argentina? SIJ: A part from Pablo Veron and Julia Zenko, not many. BT: You also are an aficionado of Cuban music, are you? What projects have you carried out there? SIJ: Many bands. La Descarga doing salsa and timba since 1986. Hovedøen Social Club doing old Norwegian popular tunes is the newest. BT: Why so much Latin music for a Norwegian? What’s so special about music of the American continent? SIJ: It picked me, not the other way around. I think that the Latin continent, is in spite of its cruel history, thanks to that has given the world some of the most sophisticated expressions of popular culture there is.
And I still find the ABC quite fascinating. But being Norwegian I need to find different expressions and combination of the music forms I have learned, so I will be something more that a copy. I must give my interpretation and digestion. So I do anything from classic themes like Strauss and Tsjaikovski as salsa with symphony orchestra or “Hit me baby one more time” of Britney Spears as guajira to James Bond theme or ABBA as tango. BT: How soon are we to expect your new CD? Is it tango-related? SIJ: Next out is KORK (the Norwegian broadcasting symphony orchestra) & Hovedøen Social Club with a live CD. A sneak-peek at: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/571235. Then, I guess its about time I make a next Electrocutango CD...? The old one “Felino” is finally out on iTunes! BT: What does it mean for you “a good dancer”? How do you define the great dancing skills? What dancer would be interesting for you personally, and what for? SIJ: I like that the dancers have a balance between experimenting/inventing/showing off and emotional presence. I must feel the sincere will to express, or else it is empty and reproducing only. BT: What words would you find to explain people that it’s only better for tango if the dancers dance to a good music? SIJ: That’s pretty obvious to me so I’m not sure if it can be explained. Without good music it’s only half the experience. BT: What music would you call good for dancing and by what criteria? SIJ: Primarily that it inspires the dancers.
Tango & Fútbol Argentina and Uruguays account for many arts. Tango and football have been their best treasures for a century, treading the way to nations’ glory side by side. Here is an imaginative team comprised of the tango stars who were football clubs fans too.
Left to Polaco we see a bit leftist Tata Cedron, who also bears a jersey of a miserable today but proud Platense. Right wing would be none other than Juan d’Arienzo from Boca Juniors. Much speed and tempo.
of them represent River Plate – Astor Piazzolla and Anibal Troilo. One would be from San Lorenzo camp – Eduardo Rovira. And Leopoldo Federico will add to painting the team in Academia’s colors.
A keeper is always a milestone. Francisco Canaro in a jersey of his beloved and glorious Peñarol reminds that tango roots lie in Uruguay.
Who is the playmaker in Argentinean football? Doesn’t matter. Anyone would be making play from anywhere. Let’s at least fortify the key position of “cinco” with the wisdom of Osvaldo Pugliese, an “hincha” of the most “Argentinean” team – Racing.
Two forward combine experience and youthfulness. Carlitos Gardel was seen once at the stadium of Racing, while Franco Luciani has confirmed being a die-hard incha of Rosario Central.
All four midfielders will definitely play “enganches”, don’t have any doubts. Two
Who can beat this team?
A fullback needs a powerful voice to give orders and swear. No one can beat Polaco Goyeneche, a fan of Platense, in this position.
Eduardo Rovira: No Longer Ahead of Time by Dimitri Velikov
Natal chart of Eduardo Rovira was not a fortunate one. It appears that he had inherited the poor luck of his most important music teachers, Osmar Maderna and Alfredo Gobbi, both talented musicians who have never been ignored, but also have never got the deserved recognition during their lifetime. He was one of the few authentic inventors of what later will be called nuevo tango, and more importantly he was not a part of the circle of the legendary 1950s’ Octeto Buenos Aires and most likely in the very beginning he was not even familiar with the music of any of its participants, such as Astor Piazzolla, Atilio Stampone or Leopoldo Federico, therefore, all his discoveries are purely his and nobody else’s. It is hard to identify the reason why he remains largely unknown, but one thing we can suppose is that if Piazzolla in fifties was percepted as marginal avant-garde then Rovira might have seemed even more radical. So radical that when Piazzolla had acquired his cult status within the limited audience attracted by his re-thinking of tradition, Rovira began to lose his. The harmonies he used in his tangos were clearly unexpected. Correspondingly, when Piazzolla brought tango from the social dancing establishments first to the connoisseurs of jazz and then of the modern academic chamber music, when Pugliese did exactly opposite by bringing the achievements of Stravinsky and Ravel in the field of composition and harmony onto the social dance floor, Rovira on his way out of the dance halls did only one thing: he had built his own distinct musical world where canyengue coexisted with polyphony and the use of the scales that would appear dissonant by the standards of that time and style and later with the elements of improvisation. In addition to this he purposely had been trying to make his tango as nonchoreographic as possible, tango for ears, not for legs. To a large extent an autodidact coming from the southern working-class suburbs of Buenos Aires he had started his career in tipicas, his universities were the dance floors, but his music preferences were Bach, Bartok and Schoenberg. From as early as late forties he had been obsessed by the idea of developing the sound of new tango by using its elements in the way Bela Bartok had used Hungarian folkloric themes in his compositions. It is hard to trace the exact roots of what is referred to as “nuevo tango”, or to try to find a decisive turning point in this direction in tango genealogy. Even today, when so many things are documented, published sources and contemporary evidences are very contradictory. We for example know well that Astor Piazzolla (with all the respect and recognition of his merits in advancing tango to the new heights) in multiple interviews had done everything to represent himself as a solitary revolutionary. Maybe for that reason neither Rovira nor Alberto Caracciolo or any other musician not connected to the sessions of
Octeto Buenos Aires of mid-fifties is never mentioned in enough detail in these memoirs, which until now remain one of two-three books on tango deserving serious reading in English. If I personally ever would be asked to be a compiler of an anthology of essential recordings of Nuevo tango, I would probably start with a collection of outstanding arrangements of a great Uruguayan, Hector Maria Artola (quite probably the singular most unfairly forgotten bandleader in tango history), which he had done between 1949 and 1953 and earlier solo piano improvisations by Enrique Delfino. However, in the later period, (mid-fifties) the modernist approach will be already flying in the air, and in that period Rovira definitely appears as one of the most important protagonists of “renovation”. If Piazzolla was something unexpected by tangueros of 1950s, then how should have the opuses like “Monotematico”, “Serial Dodecafonico”, “Policromia” and “Contrapunteando” sounded at the time of their appearance? Rovira’s compositional skills were probably unrivaled among his contemporaries. Evidences exist that this dancehall bandoneonist had no problems improvising twelve-tone three-voice fugue incorporating the all the particularities of the genre simultaneously with the canyengue rhythm inertia. He also had no equals among tangueros in his command of counterpoint. Moreover, it probably had to be a self-taught musician rather than conservatory educated Piazzolla or Stampone for such thing to sound naturally. Misunderstanding and being forgotten was the price he had to pay for non-obviousness of his music. If we disregard the newest generation of highly educated musicians skillfully capable of combining everything with whatever in the most elegant manner even today Rovira remains one of tango’s most complex and difficult composers, which does not mean that his music can not be enjoyed in a surface-scratching manner. Number of cultural references which today would be called post-modernist is impressive, but most of them are incorporated into the musical texture with the same playfulness with which La Plata becomes Taplala in the title of one of his pieces. Sadly, even in his native Argentina Rovira is known only to the relatively narrow circle of connoisseurs and collectors. Trying to make justice to his heritage, two independent recording companies, Acqua Records and Fogon Musica little known outside of Argentina were the first to release three compact disks with his recordings. Two more have been released under the supervision of his descendants in 2006, and one more CD have come out as a part of re-release of the treasures from the Microfon company catalogue from sixties. In addition to this, two sides of an extrarare 78 RPM by Orquesta Tipica Osvaldo Manzi (where Rovira had been a principal bando
By the end of sixties the primary audience of Rovira’s groups, the urban intellectuals, had switched their attention to the imported styles, first - jazz, and later - rock music. In order to make living he had to accept the appointment as the artistic director of the firefighters’ band of the Buenos Aires province. Interest for his music declines in Argentina, and outside of the country, unlike Piazzolla, he has no connections and hence, no ways of becoming known. For someone who nowadays gets exposed to his elegant and clever music, it is hard to imagine such a state of affairs. In 1980 he passes away at the door of his own house, totally forgotten. Only now his music gets rediscovered little by little as tango nuevo gets more and more known. As it has been stated by Gustavo Beytelmann in the liner notes for the re-release of “Que lo paren”, the main misfortune of Rovira was that his creativity peaked exactly at the time when Argentina started opening itself to the world outside and its own musical forms became unpopular and got overshadowed by rock-n-roll.
neonist and arranger) were included in a collection by Euro Records, and the same Microfon collection has two more titles in the re-release of the almanac of the Circulo de Amigos de Buen Tango, a group of enthusiasts of tango renovation headed by Rovira. So we have total of six albums and four tracks, which is not a lot, considering that the entire body of his recorded work according to some discographies includes fifteen albums and to the others – seventeen (some of these are EPs and the compilations of early 78 RPMs). Eduardo Oscar Rovira was born on April 30th, 1925 in Lanús, a working class suburb of Buenos Aires, which also happens to be a birthplace of Argentina’s most famous cultural export, Diego Maradona. Relatively little is known about his early years, except that he started working with the first tipica at the age of eleven as a supporting bandoneonist (besides bandoneon he also played piano, oboe and saxophone) and had been migrating from one orchestra to another until 1958. Most important lineups of his early curriculum, of course, were the bands of Alfredo Gobbi, Osmar Maderna and Osvaldo Manzi (who would become the permanent pianist of Piazzolla’s quintet in 60-s). The CD “Orquestas Tipicas” released by Euro Records in 2006 in the “Archivo Odeon” series includes the only two survived recordings of the latter. Rovira plays the first bandoneon, being the author and arranger of the track “Febril”. Features of style of the b-side, “Dolor milonguero” allow the assumption that he was at least the co-arranger of that track as well. The first generation of the tango nuevo did not have so many real adepts of the style. Probably, only Piazzolla, Manzi, Osvaldo Tarantino, Hugo Baralis, Rovira, Atilio Stampone, Alberto Caracciolo and Horacio Malvicino could have been considered the “avantgardists”. The rest of the musicians took parts in their projects, but the musical ideology of tango outside of the conventional style was foreign to them. Their musical universe was divided into two parts: tango (meaning the mainstream) and the rest.
Conceptual traditionalists preferred to ignore this music. However, they appreciated technical skills and invited them to participate in their recordings leaving the new ideas aside. For example, in the fifties Rovira also worked as a staff arranger of the orchestra of the singer Alberto Castillo, and made a number of the first-class traditional arrangements in the tipica style for this orchestra. However, despite this popularity, it was not until 1961 that Rovira could make a first full length recording of his own group. The album was called “Tango en la nueva dimension (Tango in a New Dimension)” and for unknown reason CD “A Evaristo Carriego” issued by the UNL publishing house along with the three themes from the EP from 1964 includes only eight of the twelve pieces from that album. The same publisher, UNL has re-released 1966 “Tango en la Universidad”, in the full volume with the original cover. Next album, “Tango Buenos Aires” has been re-issued in the full length and with the original cover by Fogon Musica as well as the subsequent “Tango Vanguardia” from 1963. Despite the fact that UNL is an official successor of the EDUL, the publisher of the original vinyl record, the sound of the CD allows concluding that the original master recording did not survive till our times. Rovira has recorded total of seven full length LPs in the period until 1968, of which 1968 album “Sonico” is also published as a CD (even including the track “A don Alfredo Gobbi” left out of the LP due to the space constraints). One more available CD is a re-issue of 1975 records “Que lo paren” and “Violin de mi ciudad”. On the second record the same lineup of musicians appeared as Cuarteto Reynaldo Nichele. All the mentioned disks are comprised entirely of the original material, except the one by Nichele Quartet, where Rovira is the author of the title track while the rest are the arrangements of the tango standards. These were the two only recordings made by Rovira in the decade of the seventies.
In the world of tango, two of his themes became big hits. “El Engobbiao”, dedicated to Alfredo Gobbi, and presented to his orchestra as a sign of gratitude for appointment as a permanent band member, and “A Evaristo Carriego”, which became so popular in the Osvaldo Pugliese’s version, that some people think that this theme is his original. Besides these titles and the material that has been released over time on LPs and CDs there are piano preludes, guitar pieces and at least two symphonies. Hopefully, one day we will get to hear them. And today, when the groups like Gotan Project and Bajofondo are the enjoying cut reputation, it is worth to hear Rovira’s “Sonico” at least to know where the igniting riff of the “Los Tangueros” tune originates from. And, who knows, maybe this is the way for some to discover something new, since unlike Piazzolla or Pugliese, Rovira did not leave any direct musical descendants or imitators. He is still very original, and his polyphony definitely deserves greater fame.
Tango “A La Parilla”
ALEX KREBS: BT: The first thing we are interested to know would be what’s up with your tours? For a couple of years you seem to maintain low level of touring activity. Or did we just miss something? What are your touring plans for the near future? AK: I had two sons - the eldest is almost 3 years old and the youngest is now 2 months old. I had to cut my European travels out for a while to be at home more and spend time with family. Also domestically I’m only traveling about once a month. My 2010 is already lined up. Maybe Europe will happen again once the kids are older. BT: When did you start to play bandoneon? What was your previous musical experience and background? And what’s the story behind the Conjunto Berretin project? What’s up with it? Any new discs on the way? How much of Hugo Diaz is there behind Conjunto Berretin? What’s your attitude to Diaz? Whom do your consider tango icons? AK: I have been playing music my whole life (violin from 3 years old, to saxophone, and then bandoneon). I picked up the bandoneon about 8 years ago and that has been my primary focus musically ever since. The idea driving Conjunto Berretin was to play danceable tangos in the “a la parrilla” style - that is playing it off leadsheets with a lot of improvisation to capture the energy and spontaneity of the moment. Each musician in the group brought their musical background into the playing and the result was a danceable tango-hybrid. I disbanded Conjunto Berretin 2 years ago and began to do arrangements for sextet and also for orquesta tipica because I wanted something very specific - a sound that is
danceable, carries the deep “tango feeling” and tries to approximate what the great orquestas of the Golden Age were doing. Hugo Diaz was not a driving force behind Conjunto Berretin. Joe Powers played harmonica with us, and I’m sure Hugo Diaz influenced his playing, but as a group we looked more towards D’Arienzo, Canaro - the more playful orquestas. My tango musical icons now are the great orquestas of DiSarli, Troilo, D’Arienzo, Laurenz and others - they had everything and captured all the subtleties of the form. BT: Have you ever tried to dance zamba in tango style (in embrace, with no handkerchief)? Do you like zambas? Do you like Argentinean folklore? AK: I love zamba and Argentine folklore in general as a music and as a dance. I’ve taken many lessons, but feel that I am less than a beginner at zamba. Chacarera is a different story - I feel like I can at least have fun and approximate it decently. BT: Does (or did) Conjunto Berretin play at milongas? What live orchestras do you like to dance to? AK: YES! We only played for dancers. We never played in a concert hall for people sitting down - that was never the idea for the band. I like dancing to Trio Garufa, Color Tango, Los Reyes de Tango, the duo Musamistonga... Now there are more danceable orquestas than 10 years ago. BT: Is there any difference between the music played by live orchestras and music played by DJs? No live orchestras seem to play “golden age” arrangements, do they? AK: It’s about money. As a musician you’re lucky if you make $100 playing an evening at
a milonga. You could make a lot more if you played Piazzolla in a concert hall, so what’s the incentive for the musicians? You can play for the love of it, but at some point you also need to pay your bills, which is very difficult to do if you only play at milongas. Conjunto Berretin was a hobby for everyone in the band - no one ever looked to get rich by doing it. It was only for the love of it and fortunately we all had other jobs to pay the bills. Things are changing now though - there are more danceable orquestas. We need to just let the dancers know that they should pay live musicians well. In return there would probably be more dance orquestas. BT: Can you recommend us any DJ whose milonga compilation impressed you most? Do you work as DJ yourself? If you do, what are your principles of throwing a good milonga?
AK: Yes, I DJ and my main principle is to throw a good party. There are many good DJ’s now: Dan Boccia, Robin Thomas, Avik Basu, Shorey Myers... the list is long these days. DJ’s are taking it more seriously, as are festival and milonga organizers. BT: Who were and are your biggest musical (tango and other genres) influences? What are you listening to now? Dancing to? Can you give any recommendations? New cool names? AK: DiSarli, Troilo, Laurenz, D’Arienzo. I was heavy into Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Stravinsky, Bartok - though I don’t know how much these have affected my tango playing. I like what Bajofondo is doing, also Electrocutango. I like tango hip hop with rapping, though there isn’t much of it out there. One name to look out for is Momo Smitt - you’ll be hearing about him some day. BT: Do you get the same level of pleasure from dancing to d’Arienzo and Pugliese? Do you dance to de Caro? Why, in your opinion, people throughout the world tend to ignore tango decariano? AK: DeCaro and Pugliese are harder to dance to because they use rallentando (slowing down of the tempo), and frequently solo sections do not have a marcato accompaniment. I think most people love Pugliese and DeCaro, but people do find it more difficult to dance to. For me it depends on my mood and who I’m dancing with. BT: On your famous video with Luciana Valle (Toca tango) the last part where you run backwards on “borokoto-borokoto” with magnificent improvising footwork contratiempo to the theme’s rhythms. and what’s even more impressive, different footwork patterns danced by you and Luciana simultaneously, seems to be the quintessence of a really good tango. Do you teach people to dance like that? Do you teach musicality? Contratiempo? Feeling the rhythm? How do people respond? Can one learn to dance like that from an absolute zero level? AK: I teach musicality all the time - that’s what tango dancing is: first the embrace and connection and then moving to the music, isn’t it? People respond positively to it. Tango music is unusual for people that didn’t grow up hearing it. Pointing out trends in each tango make it easier to move in sync with it. Re: the demo with Luciana - well, she is a very talented dancer and it is easy to feel free when dancing with her. BT: To what extent should the tango couple be considered as a mirror reflection of each other? To which extent does the woman have a possibility to express herself? To express her dancing ideas? To improvise? How does it actually happen on the floor? How do you let the woman’s individuality survive in tango? Do you want your dancing partner to be an individuality with ideas of her own? AK: Yes, the dialogue in the dance is very im-
portant to me. I get bored listen to myself talk. There is a mirror though - you can see yourself through your partner’s lens. There is reaction and influence in the dance for both the lead and follow and both need to be aware of it. For example, if my partner gives me lots of energy in the first step we take, it may change the way I lead her to do her next step (perhaps matching the energy she gave me). It’s very much like a game where each future move is dependent on what is happening in the moment. BT: How do you choose the tangos to dance to at shows? What criteria? AK: Depends on the partner I am dancing with and the audience that I am performing for. Also how many songs I will be performing. The rest is just “by feel” - songs that inspire me in the moment. BT: Who are your favorite dancers? Where do people dance tango best of all (outside of Argentina) and why? What tango venues are your favorite ones? Which tango festivals impressed you most? AK: Tricky question to answer. My favorite dancers are the ones that are honest in their dance, musical, and connected - there are many. I love dancing here in Portland - the community is strong, the dancing is very good, the DJ’s are great and the venues are perfect. Each city has its strengths and weaknesses. Smaller communities are friendlier and more appreciative, larger communities have better technical
dancing and more dancing to be done. I haven’t been dancing outside of the US in a while, so I can’t really speak about the international scene as well these days. In the US the Portland, Seattle, Ashland, DC, Ann Arbor, St. Louis, festivals are all fun. There are many others too. One more thing: I will be releasing a new tango album sometime early next year. The idea behind the CD was to find some of the best tango musicians in the US and make a tango CD in the “a la parrilla” style. I found an incredible bassist by the name of Pedro Giraudo and a talented violinist by the name of Nick Danielson. There is a singer by the name of Hector Pablo “El Pulpo” Pereyra, who in my opinion is one of the best tango singers for dancing in the US. I also have Evan Griffiths on piano and myself on bandoneon - Evan and I help to give the sound danceability since we are both long time tango dancers. All of these musicians live in New York so I flew out there last April and recorded 10 songs with them and I think it turned out great. The name of the band is the “New York Tango Jam Session” and the name of the album will be “Berretineando”. It will be available through www.cdbaby.com and by next spring will be available to download through iTunes and other digital distribution sites. ...it would be great if you could promote the new CD in the mag. The website will be www. newyorktangojamsession.com
SI ROBÁS AL TANGO, TE VOY A BUSCAR of t e os n o m d s e e g th isit blo n v o ia g s n us a t R in
FRANCO LUCIANI: tango & folklore
BT: How do you see the relations between tango and Argentinean folklore music? Do you agree that the roots of tango lie there, in the folklore? If no, then where do you see them? How do you feel them musically? Europe? Africa? Sudamerica? Buenos Aires? FL: It’s clear that tango is part of Argentinean Folklore, as well as that Argentinean music is as huge and rich as Argentinean geography itself. That’s the only reason why they are known as two different genres. The fusion consists of local aboriginal genres, those of Africa, and of Europe of colonial times in case of the rural folklore. In tango we see the European influence of XIX-XX centuries as well as of Africa. The prehispanic influence is almost relegated. I consider this the principal difference and in historic context. The tango is born with the city. Of course, the genres are connected. Milonga campera is a clear example of the midway between tango and rural folklore. BT: What is you favorite tango? What tango musicians have influenced you most? FL: This is a difficult question to answer, since the history of tango is very rich. Not only in various historical epochs of the genre, but also in diversity of the styles and composers who compose them. Flores negras is a very beautiful tango. The Decarian generation. Carlos Gardel and his creation from the marvelous Tango Cancion. The orchestras of the 40s with Pugliese, D’Arienzo, Troilo and Di Sarli at the head. Don Agustin Bardi of Salgan show his genius. The works of Troilo as well as in vocal tango with different poets. I might quote Sur or Garua. The great singers have influenced me much also. Astor Piazzolla has influenced me to a large extent, not only as a musician, but also as an example of the struggle and persistency in what one believes. All his work is magnificent. In particular I adore the composition called Los Sueños that belongs to his last period. BT: Tell us, please, a bit about the image of Argentinean folklore music nowadays. What styles does it consist of? What is its popularity among the youngsters? FL: The Argentinean folklore is as a broad genre as country’s different landscapes. It would take a lot to border each of them. Fortunately, many adepts have recovered. As any other genre it has its commercial part, less valuable than the other one, more pure and sincere. But the genre is very popular in both aspects. I think that this genre has not yet gained its international recognition, like others. And I see it possible in future. It’s of immense richness and with many colors of European music. Other
American folklore is more ethnic. BT: Do you like when people dance to your music? Do you find it danceable? FL: Of course, yes. All music can be danceable. And I consider mine danceable as well. In fact, I know that it’s used a lot for dancing. Also I enjoy just listening to the music that is considered to be preferably for dances. Everyone feels it his way. BT: Do you dance youself? Do you like the dancers? What dancers? FL: I’m not a great fan of dancing. In Argentinean folklore there is a refrain that says: “The one who plays never dances!” Hahahaha! That’s a nice joke. Sometimes it is true, sometimes not. I admire the great dancers. Viola y El Chucaro, as well as Los Saavedra in Folklore. Copes is a complete artist, always looking for something new in tango. The tango with too many fantasies is not the one I like most. BT: Would you, please, present us zamba. What kind of style is this? What is its rhythm? How is it danced? What are the best interpreters? FL: Zamba is a genre which I like most of all jointly with tango. I could play only these two genres and be happy. Zamba is slow and with a beautiful cadence. In a particular 6/8 time, but as sensual as tango, both musically and in terms of dance, where the couple has a closer contact. In some interpretations it almost stops being a “loose couple”, the contact indeed is closer than in other folkloric dances. Atahualpa Yupanqui, Los Abalos y Gustavo Leguizamón have extremely beautiful zambas. BT: Where do you see Rosario’s position on a musical map of Argentina y the world? What is Rosario for you? FL: Rosario is my family, my city for 22 years. Where I started my career which I continue now in Buenos Aires. Rosario always gave great musicians, and, unlike in other places, offered them in very diverse genres. I could name Fito Paez, Antonio Agri, Ernesto Bitetti and El Gato Barbieri, to name very few. We, the Rosarinos, have a good fame of good musicians. It´s an honour for me that people from other places always remind me of that.
instrument my theoretic knowledge. Recently I studied harmonica with Diego Schissi. I’m constantly preparing myself all he routine of special reading, of improvisation, etc. And sure, I’m listening the grandees in various genres. That’s a great learning as well! BT: Hugo Diaz. What does he mean for you? Where does Hugo Diaz stop and Franco Luciani start? For me it’s clear that you have a lot to add after the great maestro. FL: I can speak about the importance of Hugo and his characteristics very simply. That’s a musician who exceeded the limit of his instrument. He is admired by great deal of musician, no matter what style they belong to or what instrument they play. He is something marvelous. He created the Argentinean sound for harmonica, imitating in certain moments bandoneon or accordion, depending on the genre he played. Argentina has developed reeds a lot. This style influenced greatly the harmonica players of today, although I also use other sources. BT: Do you play the same trademark of harmonica as Hugo Diaz? FL: Today I play “Hering” harmonicas that were made more than 80 years ago in neighboring Brasil. These harmonicas offer me the sound and response of excellent quality, and the models are very diverse depending on the necessity. Although it wasn’t his main mark, I know, that Hugo Diaz also used it. BT: Could you name your projects and albums? FL: Armónica y Tango. Franco Luciani con Daniel Godfrid, 2006; Acuarelas de bolsillo. Franco Luciani Grupo (Martin Gonzales/guitar, Facundo Peralta/bass and Franco Exertier/percussion. With special guests invited), 2007; Proyecto Sanluca. Rodolfo Sanchez, Franco Luciani and Raul Carnota, 2009 BT: Introduce, please, your friends. FL: The above mentioned musicians are very important in my career. I not only share with them the professional part of my life, but the everyday life as well. And it can be felt in music. Facundo Peralta is my oldest companion. I knew him even before I dedicated myself completely to harmonica.
BT: How did you grow musically?
BT: What are you doing now? When will your next album be made? What is it gonna be like?
FL: My family, especially my father, brought me up between music of all genres. First it was folklore. I studied percussion from the age of eight and till I was 21. Both in school and in university in the city of Rosario. As for harmonica, I learnt it myself, applying to the
FL: As for my personal album, I still have no idea. Definitely it could be a tango trio plus vocal in a new project I’m presently working on now. I have already recorded a disc of Tango And Folklore in Madrid jointly with Federico Lehner and his trio. I don’t know when it
will be edited. I’m constantly participating in sessions for the CDs of the most important Argentinean musicians like Mercedes Sosa, Pedro Aznar, Luis Salinas, Guillermo Fernandez, Horacio Molina, Leon Gieco, Gotan Proyect or Peruvian singer Eva Ayllon. BT: Do you travel a lot? Where have you traveled? Where would you like to travel to? FL: I would like to travel wherever I could, bringing with me the music of my Argentina. That’s what I’m constantly doing indeed. I have already been three times in Europe with the projects of my own or projects of other artists. In 2008 I traveled to Rome, Milan and London with Mercedes Sosa. I had concerts of my own in Catalunya and Madrid, in Paris and Aix-le-Bans, in Brussels and in Vancouver. Several months ago I had a tour on the biggest US cities with Eva Ayllon. Also I visited Brasil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. For the first part of 2010 I have planned a concert in Uruguay and in Vancouver jointly with Canadian musicians. After that a dense agenda in Argentina including famous festival in Cosquin. In February I’m traveling over Argentina and then to Peru. In march I’m coming back to Europe joinly with Sexteto Hyperion visiting Greece and Italy among other countries. Let’s hope Russia and Ukraine will be next!!! BT: Would you like to play at milongas? Tell us about peñas. Are they similar to milongas? What peñas would you recommend people who travel to Rosario? FL: Of course, I have played at milongas. In La Viruta in Buenos Aires or in Brussels at Festival of Tango in 2009. That’s a fabulous atmosphere. The same as at peñas. But there are differences. At milongas everything is spinning around dancing, including live music. But at peñas mostly people share folkloric songs. The guitar passes from table to table, and everyone offers his music. Also the same song is often sung from different tables, like a big improvised choir!! El Aserradero is a beautiful peña
ein Rosario. Actually, I have not been living in Rosario, but in Buenos Aires. I’m not really into the new peñas there. BT: What music inspires you? What are you listening to? FL: The music that inspires me is the one that is made with dedication, respect and love. The genre does not matter. I love Bach; world’s folklore; the improvisation language in jazz; rock, not modern though. I enjoy this music and learn from it and from its grandees. Argentina has wonderful young musicians. And those who are not so young as well. BT: Where does tango go to? How do you see its future? What problems does it have? FL: I see tango growing every day, and it makes me happy. I celebrate when some good music, no matter what its origin is, especially the one from my country, gains an important position. For example, new young orchestras. The work of Ignacio Varchausky and his orchestra-school for the young musicians. Or creation of a digitalized archive of tango to preserve precious heritage. New singers like Noelia Moncada or Jesus Hidalgo to name among others. New and wonderful compositions for orchestras or tango-songs. Although the latter does not spread too much. We have to remember that the idea is not in overpassing the classic material, neither in believing that it’s impossible and that “new Naranjo en Flor will never be made”. The past serves to go ahead. I see tango very well, although it’s, of course, accompanied by a fad which only intends to exploit tango economically and doesn’t serve it’s cultural growth.
TANGO IN LVIV
Those who can boast to have scored the best tango events in Lviv are Zoia Gosudarska and Viktor Kremeniuk. BT: What is Lviv? Z&V: First of all, you have to understand and accept that Lviv is Europe. Maybe it’s not yet as smoothed down as Krakow or Prague, but it’s Europe. It accounts for the centuries-old traditions that helped the city to survive all the rulers and regimes, from one hand, and the openness, vanguardism and bohemianism from another. A strong influence of Greco-Catholic church, the lvivians’ religiousness and active high life. The milestone of Ukrainian national culture and a cosmopolitan city that imbibed the culture of dozens nations. We would define Lviv’s nature as traditions and democracy. BT: How old is Lviv tango and how it started? Z&V: Six years ago tango was brought to Lviv by a choreographer Yuriy Bondarenko which we are highly obliged to him for. The same time Lviv was visited by a wonderful Argentinean couple Aisha and Victor. For many that day became a starting point – tango stopped being just an exotic phenomenon from the far country, which we had had quite little information about. In about one year the extent of the popularity became clear – tango felt too tight within the school where a dozen more dances had been being taught. In December 2005 jointly with a group of like-minders we created a prototype of what would later become Street People Tango Club. In February 2006 we opened a school. That was the way it all started.
BT: What are the most interesting milongas in Lviv? What’s their specificity? Z&V: As far as we are concerned, Lviv accounts for 3-4 regular milongas per week now. First of all, they are distinguished by the type of music played there. At some the “golden era” music prevails, at some – new tango music, alternative or “near-tango” music. Sometimes the musical preferences become an issue of pungent discussions. Leaving the false modesty aside, we would like to boast with our milonga which we make in summer on Rynok Square. It’s exquisite indeed. BT: What’s Lviv tango’s distinction? Z&V: It’s hard to say. As the line says: “We are much closer to Berlin and Paris…”. It has been clearly proved that tango becomes Lviv very well in its style and spirit. We don’t know if it’s a distinction. Maybe the absence of splash, exaggerated usage of tango attributes (from specific terms to shoes tailor-made in Argentina), an unquenchable desire to stand next to a “tango-celebrity”, etc. Recently our guest from Italy called Lviv tango “needy”: no specific shoes, dancing in “inappropriate” places… Stretch your legs according to the coverlet! :)) BT: How would you like tango in your city to develop? Z&V: We would like it to be what it actually is: a mass popular social dance. And never just an entertainment for the small group of snobs in a small hidden from everyone venue. Although, such an option
may have a right to exist too. BT: What problems for the tango in your city do you see? Z&V: Well, if leaving the emotions aside… The conservative way of thinking. It’s no secret for anyone that tangosociety is full of harsh discussions, competitiveness and animosity, as any other society is. The reason for conflicts and phobias lies in aggressive intents to impose the way of thinking, the perspective of developing. Often the dialogues turn into monologues full of homilies of the “competent” party. While tango implies respective and well-disposed dialogue. It’s its essence. BT: What events have you planned for 2010? Z&V: 2010 is a year of Tango, and we would love to spend it in a special way. Besides, in 2010 we celebrate the 200th anniversary of May Revolution in Argentina. Between May 25-30 we’ll carry out a festival “Lviv Tanda”, during which we plan to present some sides of rich Argentinean culture. Summer, as always, will be full of open-air milongas on Rynok Square. Anyone who wants to come to us between April and October will be surprised in the best way. Besides, this year we start a project jointly with Lviv Painting Gallery, so, there will be no time to be bored!
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