Customer Reviews

Rhythm of Juan D'Arienzo

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD mostly represents the "second incarnation" of Juan D'Arienzo's Orquesta Tipica. Most of the tracks here belong to the time (late 40s - early 50-s)when Fulvio Salamanca have replaced Rodolfo Biaggi on the piano and first bandoneon Hector Varela (along with the violinist Caetano Puglisi probably most noticeable personalities in D'Arienzo's 30s "classical" lineup) have already left to establish the orchestra of his own.
Although after Varela's departure D'Arienzo have never found another bandoneonist who could "tanguear" the way Hector did, and his sparkling cadences are strongly missed (just remember the one in "Pensalo Bien"), the recording is a true delight for someone who likes tango as is, without any crossovers into other genres.

In fact, a number of the tracks here are among the orchestra's very best. In particular "Valcesito Criollo", "Homero" and "Yapeyu". The last one is a true masterpiece not present in any other CD (to my knowledge). Its base line and violines are the best answer to those claiming that tangos of "escuela tradicionalista" are tedious and unsophisticated. To the attentive listener this music is not as simple as it may seem. On the other hand to the tangero it does not require any introduction. Orquesta Tipica Juan D'Arienzo has been known for a long time as a quintessential dancing band, but I am sure that a number of the tracks in this CD can delight a listener too.

Yes, it is the fact that Astor Piazzolla claimed that he would have never joined D'Arienzo's orchestra regardless how much he would be paid (and in 30s and 40s "El Rey de Compas" paid his musicians higher salaries than anybody else, another indirect evidence of the band's popularity), he also called Rodolfo Biaggi's style of playing piano "barbarian". Since then, the time have passed and milongero music proved that it is not only for the feet. It is also for the ears (just makes you feel like dancing once in a while).

These are more than a few tracks on this CD you won't be able to find anywhere else except on the Japanese vanity/boutique label Club Tango Argentino, my favorite being "El Huracan", which in my humble opinion is as good as Donato's.

I have to deduct a star for sound quality (on the plus side, it seems that Harlequin didn't even make a token effort at cleaning the music, so these are a decent starting point for your own cleaning efforts), and for the fact that this CD is now (like too many other tango CDs) out of print.