Lecons de Tango

I first heard of "Leons de Tango" on the website of Stephen Brown (Steve de Tejas). Over the past several years, I had become interested in neo-tango. It was a combination of being exposed to music such as that of Gotan Project and Bajofondo Tango Club, as well as the exposure I received from milongas organized by both Anne-Sophie Vill and Sharna Fabiano. This is the music of the "under 30 crowd." I enjoy watching people dance to the music, and I am challenged as to how my wife and I should dance to the music.

I must admit that I was surprised that this CD compilation was commissioned by Aubade, a well-known lingerie maker. That being said, the music is really interesting in that it is a combination of both the old and the new. It has electronic re-mixes of Piazzola, some Goyenche, Salgan, Orquesta El Arranque, and Orquesta Escuela de Tango. This is a mixture of traditional, electronic, and neo-tango. It gives credence to the idea that tango is an organic, evolving form of sensual expression expressing itself in both music and dance. For the traditional tangueros, the good pieces are Milonguero de Ayer (Orquesta El Arrangue), Ventana de Florida (canta. Goyenche), Sensuel (Ensemble Tango Paris and Richard Galliano), El Viaje (Nestor Marconi, canta. Liliana Herrero), Comme Il Faut (Horacio Salgan), Que Te Importa Que Llore (Orquesta El Arranque), and Tanguero del Rey (Orquesta Escuela de Tango). You may already have some of those selections in your collection. The neo-tango selections were quite good. I continue to listen to them.

It has been difficult for me to assemble a collection of neo-tango music. The process has included purchasing some CDs that had just one or two songs that I liked, downloading from Apple iTunes, and some lucky finds including Gotan Project, Bajofondo Tango Club, and Carlos Lebidinsky. I like Leons de Tango. It was a welcome addition to my collection. Buy this CD and continue to think SEDUCTION - Joie de vie. The music can help make it happen - how you use it is up to you.