Tango Apasionado

TANGO. Just the mention of that word creates images of sensual dancing, beautiful and exciting music, and songs that are recognized all over the world. The Tango was born in the bars, cafes, gambling houses, and brothels of Argentina. In time, those songs and dances moved to the cities, mainly Buenos Aires. The trendsetters of Parisian caf society brought a sense of refinement to the dance when they took the tango to their own tastes and embraced it with a passion that was contagious. Tangomania spread across London, New York and the rest of the great cities of the world. The last two decades of the 19th century were the beginning of that art form. The 20th Century witnessed an ever growing popularity well into the early part of the 21st Century. The Tango is now one of the most popular styles of dance and music in the world. This collection of my favorite tangos includes La Cumparsita, probably the most famous tango in the world since the roaring 20's. This was the song that musicians would play when the crowds of the Parisian night clubs asked for a tango. These songs are representative of Tango's world wide appeal and with a few interesting facts. Por Una Cabeza, a beautiful song written by Carlos Gardel, one of Tango's greatest exponents, was made widely popular when Al Pacino danced to it in the movie Scent of a Woman. Gardel, by the way, was born in France! Jacob Gade, the composer of the famous tango Celos (Jealousy) was born in Denmark. Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote Don't cry for me Argentina from the show Evita, was born in England. The famous tango Hernando's Hideaway is from a Broadway show and film The Pajama Game; it's composers, Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, were born in the United States. Alfredo Le Pera, who collaborated with Gardel in many songs including Mi Buenos Aires Querido, was born in Brazil and eventually met Gardel in France. I am very proud and privileged to have recorded this CD with my friends Richard Maloof, a fantastic bass player, and Jorge Coco Trivisonno, one of the great Bandonen players in the world.