The Exploring series allows you to travel with me as I explore various sides of Latin Jazz that are still fairly new to me. I’ve studied and performed Cuban-based Latin Jazz quite a bit, and to a lesser degree, I’ve been involved with Brazilian influenced Latin Jazz. Today’s modern Latin Jazz world encompasses much more than the music of Cuba and Brazil though, and I feel a bit behind the times. I encourage you to join me as I broaden my horizons and learn more about a variety of Latin Jazz styles.

Exploring the cultural backgrounds of a Latin Jazz style requires you to look into the extremely different worlds of both pop stars and artistic innovators. Every style holds a history that contains pieces of both worlds - the three-minute love songs share the stage with the ten-minute symphonies. Both approaches expand the style’s audience, finding new listeners through their very different avenues. The style becomes important and legitimate to a wide number of people; the pop audience adores the warm feelings from the music while the serious listening community values the artistic contribution. These contributions from both worlds cement the style into a culture’s mind, ensuring a long and healthy lifespan for the genre.

Tango has a long history with many contributors from both the pop world and the artistic community, and we’ll be looking at one from each world today. Carlos Gardel existed as a pop idol, an impassioned singer that represented tango for the greater population. His short and formulaic recordings remain popular today, and fans hold his memory closely. Astor Piazzolla changed the state of tango through the strength of his artistic vision, creating a stir from people that both loved and hated his music. Despite the fact that the public resisted some of his changes, his legacy lives as a continuous study for musicians and historians. These polar opposites define foundations for the jazz musician looking to integrate tango into their music; while other artists exist, Gardel and Piazzolla serve as great starting points.

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CARLOS GARDEL

Carlos Gardel was born in France in 1890, although he found his true identity when he moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina two years later. His childhood reflected the realities of most Porteño families in the early 1900s; the rapid social and business changes in Buenos Aires left many working class people poor. The economic situation required a young Gardel to assist in the family’s income, so he began an entertainment career in bars and cafes. These establishments catered to the rougher side of Buenos Aires, and their music included the artistic statement of the Buenos Aires lower class: tango. Young Gardel learned his trade in these performances, taking his knocks alongside the performing musicians. A variety of rural musicians performed, and Gardel gained strong lessons in both voice and guitar. As he refined his performance skills, Gardel became known throughout Buenos Aires as a rising star.

Gardel soon rose out of the Porteño bars into a national performance career. In 1917, he recorded “Mi Noche Triste,” which became an instant hit across South America. His strong, passionate singing defined tango for many people, and his unique approach became known as Tango-Cancion. This first hit sold 100,000 copies, and allowed him to tour across South America. His appearances in Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Venezuela established him as a star outside Argentina.

International trade between Europe and Argentina led to a rich cultural exchange, and by the 1920s, the upscale cultural traditions in Europe were slowly accepting tango. Gardel traveled to Europe in the last half of the decade, turning much of Europe into a huge fan base. He moved through Madrid and Barcelona, and his personal vocal renditions of tango standards and original songs brought crowds to their feet. He captured Paris, selling thousands of records with each visit. Although European audiences began to explore tango before Gardel, they fell in love with the style after his appearances.

As Gardel’s rising star spread to the United States, Paramount Pictures employed him to star in a series of movies. Despite weak acting skills, Gardel’s strong vocal abilities and his appealing looks guaranteed him star status. Each film featured music prominently, with Gardel singing tango, mixed with a small taste of other styles. Films included Cuesta Abajo, Tango en Broadway, El Dia Que Me Quieras, and Melodias de Arrabal. His films found success throughout Latin America and abroad, spreading the popularity of tango further.

Gardel died at a young age, leaving behind a legacy of popular tango recordings. While on tour in South America in 1935, Gardel’s plane crashed in Medellín, Colombia, killing him and several of his band members. Millions of fans throughout South America mourned his passing, many visiting his body as it traveled throughout the continent. A monument was constructed in Buenos Aires, and eventually his mother’s house was turned into a museum. He retained his popularity throughout the years, guaranteeing tango’s lasting success.

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ASTOR PIAZZOLLA

Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina during 1921, Astor Piazzolla moved to New York with his parents at the age of 4, where he spent most of his childhood. Piazzolla gained a wide exposure to music in New York, hearing jazz and classical music while staying connected to his parent’s love for tango. When Piazzolla was 8, his father found a bandoneon in a local pawnshop; his nostalgia for tango inspired him to purchase the instrument for his son. Several years of private lessons exposed Piazzolla to both tango repertoire and classical music, and led to several professional engagements. In the mid-1930s, Piazzolla met Carlos Gardel, who offered him a position on his current tour. Piazzolla’s father refused to let the 13 year old join the tour, but Gardel found a part in his film El Dia Que Me Quieras for the young Piazzolla. His musical intuition and ability as a bandoneon player kept him in touch with the tango world throughout his time in New York.

Piazzolla’s parents brought him back to Mar del Plata in 1936, but his love for music soon moved him to find a home in Buenos Aires. After performing with a variety of Buenos Aires tango orchestras, Piazzolla found a position with Anibal Troilo’s well-known orchestra. He became the orchestra’s primary arranger, inspiring him to study composition more in-depth. He soon immersed himself in classical music, experimenting with the harmonies and melodic techniques of twentieth century classical composers. His dedication to this new approach drove him further away from tango, almost abandoning the genre completely. This era produced a variety of interesting works, firmly based in Piazzolla’s classical influences.

In 1953, Piazzolla won a composition contest, which awarded him with a grant to study with composer Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Believing that his future lied in classical composition, he initially hid his tango roots from Boulanger. Looking for a more honest impression of Piazzolla’s work, Boulanger drove him to reveal his tango past, and upon hearing him play, encouraged him to focus him compositions upon tango. Inspired by Boulanger’s guidance, Piazzolla began to explore the possibilities of combining tango with the more complex ideas in classical music. During his remaining time in Paris, Piazzolla worked towards this ideal sound, combining his bandoneon with a string quartet.

Through the next decade, Piazzolla refined his concept by working in a variety of settings. After returning to Argentina in 1955, he formed the Octeto Buenos Aires, performing his modern tango compositions. His deviation from the traditional tango formula invoked spiteful criticism from the public, but he continued to compose new music. Piazzolla left for New York in 1958, seeking to integrate jazz deeply into Tango. He wrote one of his famous compositions, “Adios Noniño” during this time, setting the stage for future works. Upon his return to Argentina, he formed his first great quintet. The group performed and recorded extensively, establishing Piazzolla’s work around the world.

The 1970s brought several direction changes for Piazzolla and his musical vision. He formed a chamber group, Conjunto 9, in 1971, attaining an ideal instrumentation for his more complex works. The financial realities of a touring large ensemble led him to disband the group, moving him towards more small group tango. A move to Italy in 1973 produced some of his most famous works, including “Libertango.” He also formed a new group, Conjunto Electronico, which integrated electric instruments and rock elements into his compositions. In 1974, Piazzolla revisited his interest in jazz, recording Summit with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. After several more records and countless performances, Piazzolla changed once again, leaving the electric sound and incorporating acoustic instruments again.

The next decade marked a successful era for Piazzolla, both artistically and financially. He formed his second great quintet, returning to both chamber and symphonic ideals. The group experienced tremendous success as a result of their recordings and performances around the world. Several albums recorded during the late 1980s stand as career highpoints: Tango Zero Hour, Tango Apasionado, La Camorra, and others all reflect this era. In 1989, Piazzolla formed his short-lived final group, a sextet, and he performed as a soloist with symphonies. Piazzolla suffered a stroke in 1990, which ultimately led to his death in 1992.

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Start an exploration into the background of tango by finding recordings from Gardel and Piazzolla. Then listen to some contemporary tango-jazz artists to find the influences coming through their music. If you’ve got more suggestions for listening of tango artists, LEAVE A COMMENT and let us know!

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