Elvino VardaroViolinist, leader and composer
(18 June 1905 – 5 August 1971)
At frequent talks with tango musicians, you’ll always find the same answer when mentioning the name of Elvino Vardaro: “there was no other violin player like him”, “he is unmistakable”.
Someone said: «Of short flight, but round; full, suggestive.» Continue reading at www.todotango.com…
Story of the tango “Ataniche”About the origin of the tango “Ataniche”, somebody said —and many more repeated it— that Ernesto Ponzio had been inspired by a certain lady that used to go to the Tambito on a carriage whose horse was adorned with small silver bells. It was a pure legend. Pibe Ernesto once told a reporter that he had dedicated it to his girlfriend then, and its title was no other thing but the anagram of «Che, Anita». And probably its title comes from Ponzio —we know he signed it in 1900—but the authorship of the melody presents serious doubts… Continue reading at www.todotango.com…
Author: Osvaldo Fresedo
Domingo FedericoBandoneonist, leader, composer, and teacher.
(June 4, 1916 – April 6, 2000)
«A funny story took place at the opening of his tango “Al compás del corazón (Late un corazón)”.
As soon as Federico joined Miguel Caló’s outfit, he showed his tango to his colleagues, which was warmly accepted. The orchestra members wanted to play it, but the singers Raúl Berón and Alberto Podestá had doubts because they did not know the lyrics yet.
One day they decided to premiere it without Caló’s consent; a lark, a gaily mischievous action for fun. The leader was not used to going to the tearoom, where they played in the afternoons. As the vocalists did not want to sing it, one of the most fervent enthusiasts of that tango piece, Enrique Francini, decided to do it. So was the improvised debut of this tango, with great public acclaim. The audience wanted to hear the piece again. When Caló arrived, the public requested that the tune be played again. As he did not know what it was about, he asked them to play it, and it immediately was included in the orchestra’s repertoire».Continue reading at www.todotango.com…
Juan Carlos CobiánPianist, leader, composer and lyricist
(31 May 1896 – 10 December 1953)
He was an authentic innovator of Tango, either as player or as composer. As a pianist, he was the first to fill in the bass line with embellishments when the melody rests -a procedure that later would be systematized by Francisco De Caroa, besides his subtlety in the interpretation. Continue reading.