Date:    Thu, 15 Feb 1996 10:10:03 -0800
From:    Larry Carroll 
Subject: Re: Looking for Tango Book

> I also found more information on getting the book: Tango, the Dance, the
> Song, the Story.

> The phone number of Thames and Hudson, the publisher is 212-354-3763, or
> 800-233-4830.  The cost is $40.00.   They also will send out a promo
> brochure on it.

> Has anybody read it?

The book is a delight. It's as beautiful as every coffee-table book
should be, with lots of old photos & great new ones by photographer
Ken Haas (hope I remembered his name correctly). But it's also very
readable (for the most part).

It covers the history of the tango in four parts, by four different
authors. There is lots of background historical & cultural info, but
it focuses on the people most. It reads almost like an epic novel,
which is why I suspect that it will be read as well as looked at,
unlike most coffee-table books.

The one area I think is a failure is the last section, which tries to
talk about the latest of the four historical periods: the modern one.
It essays an arty style without (to my taste) success. It claims that
the appeal of tango is its obsession with death and sex (which the
author equates to death, a perspective rare even in the literature of
sado-masochism). And it doesn't differentiate the different tango
styles (Argentine, American, and "International" (which is actually
British)), whose music/dance share so little in common that they are
actually three different worlds.
                                        Larry de Los Angeles

Date:    Thu, 15 Feb 1996 23:33:31 -0800
From:    TangoMan 
Subject: Si y No Reviews

Posted with permission of El Firulete
EXCERPTS FROM VALORIE HART'S SI Y NO COLUMN PUBLISHED IN THE JANUARY
ISSUE OF EL FIRULETE, THE ARGENTINE TANGO NEWSLETTER.

PUBLICATIONS
tango! The Dance, the Song, the Story, by Simon Collier, Artemis
Cooper, Maria Susana Azzi and Richard Martin, special photography by
Ken Hass, published by Thames and Hudson Ltd., London 1995, hard cover,
printed and bound in Singapore. This is the first glossy coffee table
book about Tango written in English. All of the authors have impressive
academic and publication credentials. This is a gorgeous book, with
lots of vintage photos and drawings and poster and sheet music art and
contemporary photos too. The text is informative and concise. Any
aficionado will be glad to have this book, and newcomers to the Tango
will be equally delighted. Price $40.00.

Thames and Hudson, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

TANGO, and the Political Economy of Passion, by Marta E. Savigliano,
published by Westerview Press, Inc. 1995, soft cover, printed in The
United States and England. Argentine born Marta E. Savigiliano is a
professor of dance history at the University of California-Riverside.
To quote the book jacket notes: "The author uses her 'tango tongue' to
tell interwoven tales of sexuality, gender, race, class and national
identity." This book reads like an academic dissertation, an
autobiographical confession and a steamy story. The author is smart,
savvy, sensitive and sensual. The book has dozens of photographs and
illustrations. This is great stuff, although hard going at times, but
hang in there, because if you love Tango as Marta does, this will
definitely give you something to think about. No price listed on the
book, which can be obtained by writing,
Westerview Press, 5500 Central Avenue, Boulder, Colorado, 80301-2877.

The Life, Music, and Times of Carlos Gardel, by Simon Collier,
published by University of Pittsburgh Press, 1986, hardcover, printed
in The United States and England. Simon Collier is Reader in History at
the University of Essex, England. This biography is the first in
English (although a Spanish translation is available, published in soft
cover by Editorial Sudamericana, S.A. in 1988 and available at Libreria
Mexico, 2841 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94110, phone
415.647.0329). A wonderful book, first because it was a pleasure to
read about a Tango related subject, and such an important, revered,
talented and loved man, in English. This book is well researched and
well written. Simon Collier strikes me as a man who loves Tango, and
therefore gets under the skin of his subject matter. This is a real
page turner, even though you know the tragic end to the story. Neither
book has a price listed. You can order the English version from the
publisher,
University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260.

B.A. Tango (Buenos Aires Tango) Guia Y Agenda Porteqa, a Tango
newsletter written in Spanish, published bi-monthly by Amalia Alicia
Fernandez and Tito Palumbo. This is a wonderful publication, with
listings of all Tango activities in Buenos Aires, as well as
interesting and thoughtful articles and editorials, information about
publications, recordings, performances, etc. The November 1995 issue
reprinted an "El Firulete" editorial and gave "El Firulete" a very nice
review. Available in Buenos Aires at various clubs and venues. Write
them at,
BA Tango, Moreno 2562, piso 13 "H", (1094) Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Bandoneonazo, a magazine published monthly in Spanish by the Quilmes
Tango Club in Buenos Aires. We came by this via Acho Manzi who sent it
to us from Buenos Aires. This is an interesting publication with
articles by Horacio Ferrer (President of The National Academy of
Tango), and others, with the focus on orchestras and musicians and
music. You can write them at,
Quilmes Tango Club, Av. San Martin 364 Bernal, Argentina

El Once Tango News, a journal/newsletter/agenda published in English
four times a year in London by Paul Lange and Michiko Okazaki. Great
articles and the most extensive listing of Tango activities in Europe
and The United States (42 information crammed pages). Nicely printed
and bound. We paid $10. for it at a local milonga in New York City. You
can write them at,
Basement Flat, 49, Richborne Terrace, London, SW8 1AT England.

B.A. Gotan, Journal of The Bay Area Tango Association, published in
English by an editorial board, Stan Rockson, Nora Dinzelbacher, Al and
Barbara Garvey, Neil Nevensy and Elaine Sirois, four times a year. A
local journal that solicits articles, stories, photos, artwork, letters
and suggestions from the members of the Association. Contact them at,
524 San Anselmo Ave., Suite 104, San Anselmo, California 94960.

VIDEOS
Daniel Trenner and Rebecca Shulman present Juan Bruno. This is the
newest video produced by this dynamic teaching and dancing duo. The
production values are excellent, the information is presented clearly
and concisely and of course, to have a record and keepsake of the Kid
>From Ciudadela is worth the $40. price alone. Order it from them at:
207.846.9872

RECORDINGS
Cabarute by The New York Trio, 1995 Lyrichord Records-LYRCD 7428
(available at Tower Records). The New York Trio is an off shoot of The
New York Buenos Aires Connection, with original members Raul Jaurena on
bandoneon, Pablo Aslan on contrabajo, and Ethan Iverson on piano. The
NYBA Connection recorded Piazzola inspired music, with a jazzy subtext,
which is referred to as Tango Concierto, which means it is for
listening and not for dancing. The New York Trio is THE local band when
you want live music played at a NY milonga, and they have been touring
in other parts of the country, mainly in California. They had to learn
to play dance music, because that is what the job required. And that is
what they have done. All these cuts have a good beat, and there is a
lot of music making being done by a three piece band. They still can't
quite leave their jazz riffs behind, but they manage to incorporate
them without losing the integrity of a dance band. All the selections
are classics (Quejas de Bandoneon, El Once, Don Juan, etc.), with an
original composition by Raul Jaurena called A Mancuso, which is one of
the best cuts. Their sound is a little reminiscent of Roberto Pansera,
ex arranger for the late Osvaldo Fresedo, and I think that Ethan
Iverson must be listening to Horacio Salgan these days (and that ain't
a bad influence to have). Raul Jaurena is THE premier bandoneon player
in North America. Pablo Aslan provides a bottom that swings. The
production doesn't do these guys justice, they really do sound better
in person, but still it's nice to have them at home for a little
personal dancing.