[Tango-L] Why are you dancing tango if you don't like tango?

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

A couple of nights ago, our original tango band reunited (the band's leader had been in Argentina for about a year) and played at a local milonga.  It was a great success and they sounded great for dancing.  Over the years the band has changed members as musicians graduated and moved, so that there are no longer any of the original members.  It's taken quite awhile for the band to get to where they are a joy to dance with at a milonga.  

As I was watching them, I mulled over the various incarnations and realized that the band changed when one particular middle-aged hobbyist joined the band.  This hobbyist is from Argentina, plays accordian, and has a wonderful booming voice.  He plays the tangos that he loved and that he grew up with.  He doesn't try to change tango into something else.  He kept to the heart of the piece.  He doesn't do fancy riffs, he simply plays his heart out.  He, in effect, grounded the band for playing danceable tango.  The band, I think, basically plays around him.  All of the other musicians are/have been professionals.

The interactions between band members were very lighthearted and fun.  They didn't even have time to rehearse all together prior to playing, and they were just happy to be playing together again.  After playing, they stuck around, drank beer, and cheered on the dancers.  The whole evening was like playtime to them.  It reminded me about a comment of another musician who formed his own successful tango group (unfortunately, he moved away).  He told me once that he figured out not to take tango too seriously.

At this point in the development of tango bands in the U.S., I wouldn't expect there to be an orchestra that would be comparable to the great ones of the Golden Age.  I'm just happy if there are bands that can play danceable tangos.  And if it takes the rise of hobbyists for that to happen, then great.  As it is, there seems to be very few of that even happening.

Trini de Pittsburgh