Happiness

The other day someone asked what happiness was. So I thought I'd write about it a bit.

Wikipedia says that "Happiness is a state of mind or feeling such as contentment, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy".

Merriam-Webster says that it is "a: a state of well-being and contentment : joy b: a pleasurable or satisfying experience."

All very nice but largely overblown and useless definitions. So what is it to me, I though. At the end of the day, happiness comes from knowing that I have fulfilled or am fulfilling my life's purpose.

tango saxophone

The other day I listened to Francisco Lomuto's "1931/1950 - Colección 78 RPM 2" CD. There, on track 2, is a simple, little, very melodic vals called "Congojas Que Matan".

What caught my attention was a surprise saxophone solo at about 1:24 -- a very short passage, a sweet, sad sound that so beautifully fits the feeling of the song.

I just can't help but listen to it over and over; ah so beautiful.

El Adiós

I recently revisited "El Adiós," this beautiful tango composed in 1937 and performed and danced by many.

My favourite interpretation for dancing is that of Edgardo Donato with Horacio Lagos singing just one verse. To hear all verses sung I listen to Ignacio Corsini's recording in 1938. Beautiful!

But what really made me return to it was the clip of Osvaldo y Coca dancing it in El Beso in Buenos Aires.



There are many things beautiful about their dance, but what sticks out the most is the feeling of love and care that they radiate as they dance. They are among friends who adore them and it is felt. I have seen Osvaldo and Coca dance several times in person and what you see on that video clip is the real thing -- that's how they are.

One little detail that was missing in this clip is a little peck on the lips they usually exchange before dancing which makes them even so much more special and dear.

Otros Aires

I have been listening to Otros Aires now for the second straight day. I love their (two) albums. Their music so beautifully combines the moderns sounds and ideas with the classics, made-to-sound-like-classics, and even the ancients. Singing, sound effects, the mix, track selections -- it all gives me a very good feeling of Buenos Aires streets so diverse, so full of life, with creativity everywhere. This Southern metropolis, Buenos Aires, is truly that - a metropolis equaling the other greats - paris and alike. The added benefit - tango - makes it irresistible.

Sings of age

I got a shocker the other evening reading an on-line news publication from Croatia - a former Miss Yugoslavia committed suicide - she was 62. Well, this particular lady, Ms. Nikica Marinovic, was Miss (former) Yugoslavia in 1966 and became first runner-up at Miss World that year. She was born and grew up in Dubrovnik.

Later on that year, we had our high school prom and Ms. Marinovic was invited. She came with her boyfriend who was a drummer in a local rock band and was controlling her every step.

At some point during the ball I got this crazy idea that I wanted to dance with her - she had not danced up to that point at all. I did not even dream that that would be possible given who she was, who I was, and given her eagle boyfriend. I went to their table and asked her to dance and she agreed!! So, I danced with Miss Yugoslavia. My friends did not let me off the hook for that one ever. And now she is dead! Hmmm.

P.S. In preparation for that prom, my mother gave me my very first ever lesson in Tango. Earlier that year I danced to the first tango I remember ever - Tango Delle Rose.

tango or not tango

There was a recent discussion on Tango-L group about this video (see Milonga en Alemania):



Some comments were lamenting about the "tango nuevo" phenomenon and its repercussion.

I wrote (edited for the purpose of this post):

One thing I like about this context for dancing is the backdrop character of the music.

This music is not danced (tango music is danced) -- it provides a channel, a basis, an opportunity to amplify a mood. And then that mood is danced out in a very personal way, just as the amplified mood is a very personal matter.

Another point about this music is that, for me, it has an equalizing effect on dancing partners in a sense that allowsboth partners to fully and simultaneously create. It presents an enormous playground for improvisation.

In other words, when it is danced well (I have a long way to go, but desire to get there), it allows for a continuous change of traditional "roles" and thus the product, the whole spectrum of dance sensations, is co-creative. Very, very different from classic tango dancing.

As a mater of fact, if you dance to this music in a classic way, you will almost certainly get bored quickly. But venture into co-creation and you will be amazed by the whole new set of sensations. Certainly, some of the "classic" sensations are "out the window" too. Hence, you gain some and you lose some.

Of course, the classic tango is in a way co-creative as well, but with the "roles" very defined and maintained throughout the dance, with very few exceptions.

I am sure there are those on this list who see this in a very different light. I hope we realize that we should not be seeking "the truth" about it, but are simply sharing our own attitude about it which can not be right or wrong - it is very personal.

Finally, should this be called tango? I do not really care and do not wish to discuss at all.

My comment was really only about the music used for that clip not about the dancing. What do you think?

Tengo Miedo

Earlier today I was leafing through the copies of pages from a tango music book I borrowed from a friend thinking which one I'd like to learn. The first one catching my attention was "Tengo Miedo" (if it does not play from that page, try this one).

What a great old tango (it was apparently written in 1929). So, I strummed my guitar and hummed and later sang it with a vigor of new discovery.

Then, I said let me see what I can find out on the web about it. Needless to say, there is lots. I went to Youtube links and found a clip of Carlitos Gardel and Julio Sosa among others (two very different interpretations, I love the Gardel one with the guitars).

A bit further down on the list of links was this one to Three Women of Tango. I thought, great, women are not quite as talked about in tango as men are. What I found was a great story. Well, really three stories, all in one way or another related to "Tengo Miedo." I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Tango dancing, singing or reading about it provides me with endless pleasures. It must be magic. No end in sight! Salimos?