The music we want to present to you this week, comes from the Rio de la Plata again.
And in the broadest sense we are dealing with tango here...
Because we are gonna deal with
Juan Carlos Cáceres, the
Orquesta Fernandez Fierro and the
Sexteto Ojos de Tango.
Cáceres: Noche de Carnaval
On his latest album Juan Carlos Caceres recollects the tradition of Rio de la Plata music… and goes beyond it at the same time!
For besides notable tango and milonga elements on this Caceres invigoratesmurga and candombe, the traditional carnival music from Argentina and Uruguay. These styles also explain the title
"Noche de Carnaval" 
But the title also hints to the playful and exuberant athmosphere - as well as to the colorful melange which on principle suspend all (genre) rules and instead focusses on doing things for the fun of it. In this sense the title says it all!
And that is why to tango, milonga, murga, and candombe also charleston, swing, and jazz are added. Still this album is by far not all about fiesta - the more solemn moments even prevail. But the musicians have a lot of fun playing and you can definitely hear that! And meanwhile Cáceres interweaves the carnival rhythms skillfully with the pensive chant of his bassy, sometimes slightly rough, sonorous, and expressive voice!
The Authenticity, which Cáceres, this "tsunami of magma and champagne" conveys with his very unique mixture of styles is certainly (on the one hand) due to the fact that he has taught and done research on the music from his native region. On the other hand he has earned his spurs back then in one of the most frequented jazz clubs in Buenos Aires. And the versatility which he gained in this way has given him the unique ability to make the bandoneón dispensable and still create the right atmosphere… you really won't miss it! (e.g. track 11)
Orquesta Típica Fernandez Fierro: Putos
For Fernandez Fierro in, contrast, the bandoneón is vital - but in a quite different way!
These guys are (that gets pretty clear on this CD) something like the punk rock of tango. And that is not only noticeable by the provocative names of their albums - the last one was entitled
"Mucha Mierda", this one is named
"Putos".
And it even is substantially wilder than its predecessor! Calmness is limited to a few passages within otherwise highly dramatic songs. These young rebels - who even throw a
piano down a pedestrian bridge as a pastime and don't refrain from making political statements in whatever situation - have more energy than three symphony orchestras! And they absolutely do their own thing. They have already rejected a major deal and sicking to their independent style, their
by now fifth album consists of two identical CDs. The cardboard sleeves can be cut along the perforated line and in one of them you'll find a note, telling you to keep one and give away the other
This album has got an extreme power and is musically highly sophisticated - even though it might not be the best choice to put on for a milonga
Sexteto Típico Ojos de Tango: Ojos de Tango
This one is by far the most "classic" of the presented CDs
The Sextet of pianist, composer, and arranger Analia Goldberg imprints a very rhythmic, often staccato like style into their tangos, which still is quite different from Biagi or D'Arrienzo. Some Passages are almost ascetic, but only to underline the then following change of dynamic.
These musicians play creatively with reduction, emphasis and breaks so that many tangos on this CD can be experienced totally anew! For example "La Mariposa" (track 1), El Huracan (track 4) or "A Evaristo Carriego" (track 6).
Absolutely noteworthy are the guest singers on this production! Especially awesome is the vals "Caserón de Tejas" (track 3), intoned only with piano and voice. And these harmonize in an unbelievable way!
