Only a few bands I have heard in Australia come anywhere near to the typical Golden Age band sound. Doubt any ever will as who can afford the have *any* type of big band play these days.
I would like to pay a little more and hear at the very least a bandoneon player in a band as it gives authenticity to the music. But in Australia there are very few players and only one band (in Melbourne, a family affair from South American extraction) that has one. Also, seems like many comments have already stated, the local bands I have heard, play for themselves, rather than for the dancers who enjoy the sounds of the Golden Age. Some bands, because of their various combination of unique instruments (try having an electric guitar, organ or harp in your band), vocal style and arrangements are difficult to interpret and thus dance too. Music that we are familiar with, having heard a hundred times before hand, the leader knows what is coming ahead how to hit the right accents and I followers appreciate that from comments I get. Try doing that to some weird Piazolla piece (for example) and the leaders job has just become so much more difficult than it already is. When music is not danceable in the traditional sense (you may insert nuevo here if you like) or the singer is just plain off key (which happened to me here recently), then it time to go to the bar or have a toilet break and not delude oneself that you are listening to tango music "tipica". So what do others think? Do you go to any band than plays tango or do you have standards? Vince In Melbourne _______________________________________________ Tango-L mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/tango-l
