Los Angeles TImes
Argentine singer Sandra Luna is a hard-core tanguero's delight. Her voice — strong, passionate, manly — represents the genre's macho bravado in all its splendor.
"I'm not really into the concept of tango disguised as a woman," she says in the lobby of a Hollywood hotel. Dressed in an elegant beige outfit with strikingly pointy black shoes, Luna talks about her album "Tango Varón" (Male Tango) in the typically staccato, aggressive-sounding Spanish of the Buenos Aires barrios. "You don't need to become all feminine just because you happen to be a female who sings tango. I'm drawn into what I call the real thing — the visceral tango."
Today Luna stands at the epicenter of a widespread revival that has brought new life to the quintessential Argentine song style. Electronic-music collectives such as Gotan Project and the Bajofondo Tango Club have made tango hip again, while a new generation of performers is breathing life into a movement that appeared moribund not so long ago.
From the gutsy style of Luna to the androgynous presence of Adriana Varela, the technically seamless vocal prowess of María Graña and the jazzy undertones of María Volonté, women are at the core of this revival.
Luna's life seems to have been inextricably linked to the spirit of tango from the day she was born 39 years ago in the working-class Buenos Aires neighborhood of Villa Insuperable.
She began singing professionally at 7, making frequent radio and television appearances against the wishes of her father. Four years later, legendary bandleader Héctor Varela hired her to perform with his orchestra at the seedy tango joint Mi Club. She was too young to be allowed into the club, but the local chief of police issued her a special permit after the 11-year-old Luna told him all about her professional aspirations.
Her reputation as a cantora grew, and eventually she was given protection by members of the neighborhood's dangerous soccer gangs, who would routinely escort her home from the bus stop on the nearby General Paz freeway.
Now she's at the forefront of tango's resurgence.
"It's not a nostalgic movement anymore," says Volonté, speaking from her home in Buenos Aires. "There's a wave of intense experimentation, of opening new paths. Tango is very much a modern art form these days."
Volonté is a good example of an artist who is respectful of her roots yet not afraid to go beyond musty old formulas.
When she's not on tour, the singer can be found performing every Thursday evening at Café Tortoni, one of the most venerable live music establishments in Buenos Aires.
But Volonté is no purist. Her musical concept is refreshingly broad, incorporating pop balladry, touches of jazz and Brazilian formats such as choro and bossa nova.
"Not too long ago, the stuff that I do was looked at with a raised eyebrow by the tango establishment," she points out. "Now those same innovations are cherished and defended."
A special place for women
Tango may have a reputation for being one of the most macho genres in Latin music, but the female voice has occupied a place of honor in it since its inception.
Born at the turn of the 20th century in the bars and brothels of Buenos Aires, tango expressed the nostalgia of the European immigrants who had recently arrived to South America looking for a new future.
"Women were central to this aesthetic from the very beginning," explains Volonté. "It took a special kind of woman, strong and passionate, to survive as a performer in those intense times."
Tango's most unusual female performer may very well be Tita Merello, who died in 2002 at the age of 98.
Think of Merello as the original Latin rapper, a humorous performer who would sometimes recite her lyrics instead of singing them, mimicking the accents and idiosyncrasies of the characters in her songs. On her many recordings, which are available as imports, Merello can make you laugh with her hilarious observations on working-class life in Argentina, then break your heart with her uncanny ability to evoke bottomless pain and regret.
"She brought an actor's flair to tango," says Norberto Vogel, a pianist and bandoneón player who has accompanied singers such as Volonté and Susana Rinaldi. "She recorded all these anti-macho songs that are really funny. One of the genre's first feminists, if you wish. And she definitely did not have a melodious voice. She supports the theory that tango is not meant to be sung, but rather tell a memorable story."
"I wouldn't dare cover any of Tita's songs," admits Luna. "She put her stamp on those tunes. Her style was just too strong and perfect for them."
The style spectrum
The tango scene is particularly fragmented these days, which results in the more idiosyncratic artists such as Varela being criticized by their more conservative peers — even though it was her husky voice that achieved the greatest popularity in the '90s.
"I can't really think of Varela as a singer," says Luna. "She's more of a performer to me. Tango is not just a street genre — there's also an academic side to it. If you want to sing it the way it's supposed to be done, you have to study."
Whether a purist like Luna is more valuable to contemporary tango than an unconventional talent like Varela remains to be seen. Both artists underscore the contribution of women to the genre.
"If there's one element that unites all of these new singers, it's their strong connection to their own emotional lives," concludes Volonté. "There's a side to tango that's deeply feminine. It evokes the joy of surrendering yourself to romantic passion." 05/29/05
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Buenos Aires. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Buenos Aires. Mostrar todas las entradas
domingo, 29 de mayo de 2005
sábado, 26 de febrero de 2005
It takes one to tango when Luna is singing
Portland Press Herald, It takes one to tango when Luna is singing >>
She was a long way from Buenos Aires, but singer Sandra Luna had an appreciative audience (feeling some of the heat and passion of the Argentine tango on a cold night in Portland.
Employing a very expressive style of deliveiy, the auburn-haired vocalist gestured boldly as she prowled the stage of the Center for Cultural Exchange. The wide tonal and dynamic range of her voice was given impressive display in a concert that lasted barely an hour but nonetheless provided a satisfying glimpse into a form of sung tango that Luna has helped to keep alive.
Many of the songs the 30-something singer offered came from her Grammy-nominated disc called "Tango Varon." Though they were sung in Spanish, it was not difficult for the non-Spanish speaking members of the crowd to get an idea that the subjects were love-and longing, hope and despairs
Clad in a diaphanous black pants outfit, Luna would bring things down to a whisper or shout out to the rafters as she pleaded her musical case or declared its triumphant resolution. There was theatricality aplenty in her performing style, but it seemed fueled by a genuine respect for the music.
"Milonga Triste (Sad Tale)" was a highlight, with its gently repeated rhythm seeming to barely hold up the spirits of the heartbroken character of the lyr ics, perfectly embodied by Luna.
Luna, who grew up on city streets and sang in bars at an early age, showed particular passion in introducing (in halting English) "Carritos Cartoneros." She outlined how a "bad government" in her homeland in the 1990s had led to the phenomena of homeless children who collect cardboard to sell for enough cash to make it through the day. Her delivery of the song was fiery, forthright and strikingly intense.
"Me Maman Luna (They Call Me Moon)" had obvious autobiographical significance for the singer and was another piece sung with particular feeling.
An instrumental piece composed by bandeonist Daniel Ruggiero provided a break for the singer who made her way to the rear of the hall to listen with the crowd. Reminiscent of music by the well-known tango master Astor Piazzola, the piece succeeded best when featuring cellist Daniel Pucci (Luna's husband). The warm low tones of the stringed instrument suited the music's earthy quality well Ezequiel Mantega's electronic key board work, though occasionally effective, suffered a bit from the instrument's tendency to produce a brittle texture.
Luna closed the show with the spirited title tune from her CD. It's ultimately an optimistic ode to the continuing power of the tango, and Sandra Luna certainly did her part on Thursday night to carry on a musical tradition that movingly traverses the distance between sorrow and joy.
-Steve Feeney 02/26/05
She was a long way from Buenos Aires, but singer Sandra Luna had an appreciative audience (feeling some of the heat and passion of the Argentine tango on a cold night in Portland.
Employing a very expressive style of deliveiy, the auburn-haired vocalist gestured boldly as she prowled the stage of the Center for Cultural Exchange. The wide tonal and dynamic range of her voice was given impressive display in a concert that lasted barely an hour but nonetheless provided a satisfying glimpse into a form of sung tango that Luna has helped to keep alive.
Many of the songs the 30-something singer offered came from her Grammy-nominated disc called "Tango Varon." Though they were sung in Spanish, it was not difficult for the non-Spanish speaking members of the crowd to get an idea that the subjects were love-and longing, hope and despairs
Clad in a diaphanous black pants outfit, Luna would bring things down to a whisper or shout out to the rafters as she pleaded her musical case or declared its triumphant resolution. There was theatricality aplenty in her performing style, but it seemed fueled by a genuine respect for the music.
"Milonga Triste (Sad Tale)" was a highlight, with its gently repeated rhythm seeming to barely hold up the spirits of the heartbroken character of the lyr ics, perfectly embodied by Luna.
Luna, who grew up on city streets and sang in bars at an early age, showed particular passion in introducing (in halting English) "Carritos Cartoneros." She outlined how a "bad government" in her homeland in the 1990s had led to the phenomena of homeless children who collect cardboard to sell for enough cash to make it through the day. Her delivery of the song was fiery, forthright and strikingly intense.
"Me Maman Luna (They Call Me Moon)" had obvious autobiographical significance for the singer and was another piece sung with particular feeling.
An instrumental piece composed by bandeonist Daniel Ruggiero provided a break for the singer who made her way to the rear of the hall to listen with the crowd. Reminiscent of music by the well-known tango master Astor Piazzola, the piece succeeded best when featuring cellist Daniel Pucci (Luna's husband). The warm low tones of the stringed instrument suited the music's earthy quality well Ezequiel Mantega's electronic key board work, though occasionally effective, suffered a bit from the instrument's tendency to produce a brittle texture.
Luna closed the show with the spirited title tune from her CD. It's ultimately an optimistic ode to the continuing power of the tango, and Sandra Luna certainly did her part on Thursday night to carry on a musical tradition that movingly traverses the distance between sorrow and joy.
-Steve Feeney 02/26/05
Maine Today
Maine Today, Review >>
She was a long way from Buenos Aires, but singer Sandra Luna had an appreciative audience feeling some of the heat and passion of the Argentine tango on a cold night in Portland.
Employing a very expressive style of delivery, the auburn-haired vocalist gestured boldly as she prowled the stage of the Center for Cultural Exchange. The wide tonal and dynamic range of her voice was given impressive display in a concert that lasted barely an hour but nonetheless provided a satisfying glimpse into a form of sung tango that Luna has helped to keep alive.
Many of the songs the 30-something singer offered came from her Grammy-nominated disc called "Tango Varon." Though they were sung in Spanish, it was not difficult for the non-Spanish speaking members of the crowd to get an idea that the subjects were love and longing, hope and despair.
Clad in a diaphanous black pants outfit, Luna would bring things down to a whisper or shout out to the rafters as she pleaded her musical case or declared its triumphant resolution. There was theatricality aplenty in her performing style, but it seemed fueled by a genuine respect for the music.
"Milonga Triste (Sad Tale)" was a highlight, with its gently repeated rhythm seeming to barely hold up the spirits of the heartbroken character of the lyrics, perfectly embodied by Luna.
Luna, who grew up on city streets and sang in bars at an early age, showed particular passion in introducing (in halting English) "Carritos Cartoneros." She outlined how a "bad government" in her homeland in the 1990s had led to the phenomena of homeless children who collect cardboard to sell for enough cash to make it through the day. Her delivery of the song was fiery, forthright and strikingly intense.
"Me Llaman Luna (They Call Me Moon)" had obvious autobiographical significance for the singer and was another piece sung with particular feeling.
An instrumental piece composed by bandeonist Daniel Ruggiero provided a break for the singer who made her way to the rear of the hall to listen with the crowd. Reminiscent of music by the well-known tango master Astor Piazzola, the piece succeeded best when featuring cellist Daniel Pucci (Luna's husband). The warm low tones of the stringed instrument suited the music's earthy quality well. Ezequiel Mantega's electronic keyboard work, though occasionally effective, suffered a bit from the instrument's tendency to produce a brittle texture.
Luna closed the show with the spirited title tune from her CD. It's ultimately an optimistic ode to the continuing power of the tango, and Sandra Luna certainly did her part on Thursday night to carry on a musical tradition that movingly traverses the distance between sorrow and joy.
-Steve Feeney
02/26/05
She was a long way from Buenos Aires, but singer Sandra Luna had an appreciative audience feeling some of the heat and passion of the Argentine tango on a cold night in Portland.
Employing a very expressive style of delivery, the auburn-haired vocalist gestured boldly as she prowled the stage of the Center for Cultural Exchange. The wide tonal and dynamic range of her voice was given impressive display in a concert that lasted barely an hour but nonetheless provided a satisfying glimpse into a form of sung tango that Luna has helped to keep alive.
Many of the songs the 30-something singer offered came from her Grammy-nominated disc called "Tango Varon." Though they were sung in Spanish, it was not difficult for the non-Spanish speaking members of the crowd to get an idea that the subjects were love and longing, hope and despair.
Clad in a diaphanous black pants outfit, Luna would bring things down to a whisper or shout out to the rafters as she pleaded her musical case or declared its triumphant resolution. There was theatricality aplenty in her performing style, but it seemed fueled by a genuine respect for the music.
"Milonga Triste (Sad Tale)" was a highlight, with its gently repeated rhythm seeming to barely hold up the spirits of the heartbroken character of the lyrics, perfectly embodied by Luna.
Luna, who grew up on city streets and sang in bars at an early age, showed particular passion in introducing (in halting English) "Carritos Cartoneros." She outlined how a "bad government" in her homeland in the 1990s had led to the phenomena of homeless children who collect cardboard to sell for enough cash to make it through the day. Her delivery of the song was fiery, forthright and strikingly intense.
"Me Llaman Luna (They Call Me Moon)" had obvious autobiographical significance for the singer and was another piece sung with particular feeling.
An instrumental piece composed by bandeonist Daniel Ruggiero provided a break for the singer who made her way to the rear of the hall to listen with the crowd. Reminiscent of music by the well-known tango master Astor Piazzola, the piece succeeded best when featuring cellist Daniel Pucci (Luna's husband). The warm low tones of the stringed instrument suited the music's earthy quality well. Ezequiel Mantega's electronic keyboard work, though occasionally effective, suffered a bit from the instrument's tendency to produce a brittle texture.
Luna closed the show with the spirited title tune from her CD. It's ultimately an optimistic ode to the continuing power of the tango, and Sandra Luna certainly did her part on Thursday night to carry on a musical tradition that movingly traverses the distance between sorrow and joy.
-Steve Feeney
02/26/05
sábado, 19 de febrero de 2005
Reader, Review
The world recognizes a lineage of tango instrumentalists, from Juan D'Arienzo through Astor Piazzolia, to Juan-Jose Mosalini, but the best-known tango singer outside Argentina remains Carlos Garde, who died in 1935. Sandra Luna is poised to change that: her album Tango varon (Times Square) earned a Grammy nomination last year, and its title alone ("male tango") indicates that she's not content to merely preserve the tradition. Her singing can be throaty and dramatic as well as diminutive and lyric, and she nails a combination of classics and new compositions both traditional and progressive a la Piazzolla - backed by bandoneon, guitar, and well-deployed orchestral swells.
This gig marks her Chicago debut. 7 PM, HotHouse, 31 E. Baiho. 312-362-9707
-Peter Margasak 02/19/05
This gig marks her Chicago debut. 7 PM, HotHouse, 31 E. Baiho. 312-362-9707
-Peter Margasak 02/19/05
miércoles, 16 de febrero de 2005
Hot Picks
New York Post, Hot Picks >>
To the uninitiated, tango is just a passionate dance, full of dramatic dips and roses clenched between gritted teeth - but nothing could be further from the truth. The tradition of tango canción (sung tango) is the true soul of the genre, and Sandra Luna is one of its most prominent modern voices.
While the world of tango has always been a distinctly masculine one, Luna adds a feminine mystique to a sound that was conceived in the bars and brothels of Argentina at the beginning of the twentieth century.
As an ironic nod to the genre's machismo, she named her debut album "Tango Var¢n" ("Male Tango"). It was nominated for a 2004 "Best Traditional World Music Album" Grammy, but was edged out Sunday night by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
02/16/05
To the uninitiated, tango is just a passionate dance, full of dramatic dips and roses clenched between gritted teeth - but nothing could be further from the truth. The tradition of tango canción (sung tango) is the true soul of the genre, and Sandra Luna is one of its most prominent modern voices.
While the world of tango has always been a distinctly masculine one, Luna adds a feminine mystique to a sound that was conceived in the bars and brothels of Argentina at the beginning of the twentieth century.
As an ironic nod to the genre's machismo, she named her debut album "Tango Var¢n" ("Male Tango"). It was nominated for a 2004 "Best Traditional World Music Album" Grammy, but was edged out Sunday night by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
02/16/05
sábado, 12 de febrero de 2005
Lahontan Valley News, CD Review >>
Sandra Luna is a young Argentinean vocalist whose album Tango Varon (World Connection/Times Square) has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional World Music Album. Luna's music is rooted in the tango, not the increasingly well-known dance music, but rather tango cancion the vocal love songs (analogous to fado or mornas in other cultures) that are the heart and soul of the tango tradition. Her songs offer portraits-grandparents, dogs, children, life in the streets-of the stuff that bring the senses to life. The CD both invokes the past and looks to the future; from traditional bandeon and string numbers to songs that are highly percussive and have a variety of textures.
-Kirk Robertson 02/12/05 >> go there
-Kirk Robertson 02/12/05 >> go there
Lahontan Valley News & Full on Eagle Standard, Review
Sandra Luna is a young Argentinean vocalist whose album Tango Varon (World Connection/Times Square) has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional World Music Album. Luna's music is rooted in the tango, not the increasingly well-known dance music, but rather tango cancion the vocal love songs (analogous to fado or momas in other cultures) that are the heart and soul of the tango tradition. Her songs offer portraits - grandparents, dogs, children, life in the streets - of the stuff that bring the senses to life. The CD both invokes the past and looks to the future; from traditional bandeon and string numbers to songs that are highly percussive and have a variety of textures. 02/12/05
jueves, 10 de febrero de 2005
Grammy Nominee
El Mexicalo, Grammy Nominee >>
In describing the music that she passionately loves and performs daily, Argentinian singer Sandra Luna quotes the famous lyrics of tango composer Horacio Ferrer; "Cinders that burn again and again ... tango is like life, and has to evolve."
As you read this, Luna has been nominated for a Grammy for the Best Traditional World Music Album and is launching a tour that will bridge her visit to the Grammy ceremony and her show-case at the Folk Alliance/Strictly Mundial conference in Montreal.
On her first international release, "Tango Varon" Times Square Records, Luna turns her ear to the future while keeping one foot firmly in the tango's colorful past. On her Grammy-nominated album she expands tango music, with "Me Llaman Luna," normally associated with dancing, to a broader more expansive song form. Tango Varon features reenergized versions of tango classics from legends like Homero Manzi and Astor Piazzolla, to newly created tango compositions that tell the tale of contemporary life in Buenos Aires.
Bom in the Buenos Aires slaughterhouse district of Mataderos, a neighborhood that first nurtured the rise of tango in the early 1900s, Luna was raised in the new era of modern tango, performing at the tender age of seven in local tango bars like the Boliche de Rotundo and local television and radio shows by age eight. Before her 12th birthday, Luna was already rising tango star in her native Buenos Aires.
"Most people think of tango as a very nostalgic form of music, which in many cases is true, but like life itself, tango is also joy and happiness, a little of everything one encounters in life regard less of a time or era. Tango can be sad, happy, social, or political - simply everything that is happening around you. In the 1970s, the Argentinian government banned many Tango Var6n tangos from the airwaves for their political content, which was feared for its ruthfulness. As a child I remember being told that I couldn't sing certain tangos due to this ban."
When asked why she was inclined to sing tangos as a child over other popular genres of music, she responded: 'Tango chose me as its interpreter in this revitalized era of tango in Argentina. I'm grateful and honored to be a modern spokes woman of this musical movement."
Promoting her first international release Tango Var6n, which debuted on May 25 on Tunes Square Records, Luna visited the North American continent in July, performing on the U.S. east coast, and came out for one night in Los Angeles at the Echo Club, where she delivered a triumphant performance with her trio of musicians. The modest yet enthusiastic audience witnessed a balanced, strong repertoire of traditional tango standards and newly written compositions from L'ana's new CD, including her dieme song "Me Llaman Luna" to the more traditional tango forms of the selections "Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir" and "Carritos Cartoneros." Her accompanying trio is directed by Luna's husband, cellist Daniel Pucci, with Ezequiel Mantega on piano and Daniel Ruggiero on the bandoneon.
Sandra Luna is not afraid to challenge the proud machismo image of traditional tango. Her title track Tango Varon (Male Tango) recalls the origin of "male tango" in Buenos Aires, but her insistent performance injects the track with the unique passion of a confident woman.
02/10/05
In describing the music that she passionately loves and performs daily, Argentinian singer Sandra Luna quotes the famous lyrics of tango composer Horacio Ferrer; "Cinders that burn again and again ... tango is like life, and has to evolve."
As you read this, Luna has been nominated for a Grammy for the Best Traditional World Music Album and is launching a tour that will bridge her visit to the Grammy ceremony and her show-case at the Folk Alliance/Strictly Mundial conference in Montreal.
On her first international release, "Tango Varon" Times Square Records, Luna turns her ear to the future while keeping one foot firmly in the tango's colorful past. On her Grammy-nominated album she expands tango music, with "Me Llaman Luna," normally associated with dancing, to a broader more expansive song form. Tango Varon features reenergized versions of tango classics from legends like Homero Manzi and Astor Piazzolla, to newly created tango compositions that tell the tale of contemporary life in Buenos Aires.
Bom in the Buenos Aires slaughterhouse district of Mataderos, a neighborhood that first nurtured the rise of tango in the early 1900s, Luna was raised in the new era of modern tango, performing at the tender age of seven in local tango bars like the Boliche de Rotundo and local television and radio shows by age eight. Before her 12th birthday, Luna was already rising tango star in her native Buenos Aires.
"Most people think of tango as a very nostalgic form of music, which in many cases is true, but like life itself, tango is also joy and happiness, a little of everything one encounters in life regard less of a time or era. Tango can be sad, happy, social, or political - simply everything that is happening around you. In the 1970s, the Argentinian government banned many Tango Var6n tangos from the airwaves for their political content, which was feared for its ruthfulness. As a child I remember being told that I couldn't sing certain tangos due to this ban."
When asked why she was inclined to sing tangos as a child over other popular genres of music, she responded: 'Tango chose me as its interpreter in this revitalized era of tango in Argentina. I'm grateful and honored to be a modern spokes woman of this musical movement."
Promoting her first international release Tango Var6n, which debuted on May 25 on Tunes Square Records, Luna visited the North American continent in July, performing on the U.S. east coast, and came out for one night in Los Angeles at the Echo Club, where she delivered a triumphant performance with her trio of musicians. The modest yet enthusiastic audience witnessed a balanced, strong repertoire of traditional tango standards and newly written compositions from L'ana's new CD, including her dieme song "Me Llaman Luna" to the more traditional tango forms of the selections "Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir" and "Carritos Cartoneros." Her accompanying trio is directed by Luna's husband, cellist Daniel Pucci, with Ezequiel Mantega on piano and Daniel Ruggiero on the bandoneon.
Sandra Luna is not afraid to challenge the proud machismo image of traditional tango. Her title track Tango Varon (Male Tango) recalls the origin of "male tango" in Buenos Aires, but her insistent performance injects the track with the unique passion of a confident woman.
02/10/05
miércoles, 3 de noviembre de 2004
Concert Review
The Independent (UK), Concert Review >>
That all the events reviewed here should be part of the London Jazz Festival says something about both world music and jazz: while "jazz" is defined ever more broadly, "world music" proves ever less suited to ghettoisation. But tango is the great uniter, and certainly was in the civilised ambience of the Dean Street Pizza Express, where Sandra Luna was promoting her new CD, Tango Varon. For this charismatic exponent - who started singing in Buenos Aires clubs when she was six - tango is "cinders" that burn again and again, and her repertoire of songs, including Carlos Gardel classics, confirmed its self-renewing power. Her pianist was Lisztian in both sound and look; her bandoneonist's ice-pure cascades perfectly offset her own combination of coquetry, sensuality and menace.
Michael Church - the Independent, 25 November 2003-UK 11/03/04
That all the events reviewed here should be part of the London Jazz Festival says something about both world music and jazz: while "jazz" is defined ever more broadly, "world music" proves ever less suited to ghettoisation. But tango is the great uniter, and certainly was in the civilised ambience of the Dean Street Pizza Express, where Sandra Luna was promoting her new CD, Tango Varon. For this charismatic exponent - who started singing in Buenos Aires clubs when she was six - tango is "cinders" that burn again and again, and her repertoire of songs, including Carlos Gardel classics, confirmed its self-renewing power. Her pianist was Lisztian in both sound and look; her bandoneonist's ice-pure cascades perfectly offset her own combination of coquetry, sensuality and menace.
Michael Church - the Independent, 25 November 2003-UK 11/03/04
miércoles, 1 de septiembre de 2004
Sandra Luna and the Fiery Tango
Latin Beat, Sandra Luna and the Fiery Tango >>
In describing the music that she passionately loves and performs daily, Argentinean singer Sandra Luna quotes the famous lyrics of tango composer Horacio Ferrer: “Cinders that burn again and again…tango is like life, and has to evolve.” Born in Buenos Aires’ slaughterhouse district of Mataderos, a neighborhood that first nurtured the rise of tango in the early 1900s, Luna was raised in the new era of modern tango, performing at the tender age of seven in local tango bars like the Boliche de Rotundo and local television and radio shows by age eight. Before her twelfth birthday, Luna was already a rising tango star in her native Buenos Aires.
“Most people think of tango as a very nostalgic form of music, which in many cases is true, but like life itself, tango is also joy and happiness, a little of everything one encounters in life regardless of a time or era. Tango can be sad, happy, social or political, simply everything that is happening around you. In the 1970s, the Argentinean government banned many tangos from the airwaves for their political content, which was feared for its truthfulness. As a child I remember being told that I couldn’t sing certain tangos due to this ban.”
When asked why she was inclined to sing tangos as a child over other popular genres of music, she responded: “Tango chose me as its interpreter in this revitalized era of tango in Argentina. I’m grateful and honored to be a modern spokeswoman of this musical movement.” Promoting her first international release Tango Varón, which debuted on May 25 on Times Square Records, Luna visited the North American continent in July, performing on the U.S. east coast and came out for one night in Los Angeles at the Echo Club, where she delivered a triumphant performance with her trio of musicians. The modest yet enthusiastic audience witnessed a balanced, strong repertoire of traditional tango standards and newly written compositions from Luna’s new CD, including her theme song Me Llaman Luna to the more traditional tango forms of the selections Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir and Carritos Cartoneros. Her accompanying trio is directed by Luna’s husband, cellist Daniel Pucci, with Exequiel Mantega on piano and Daniel Ruggiero on the bandoneón. Sandra Luna is not afraid to challenge the proud machismo image of traditional tango. Her title track Tango Varón (Male Tango) recalls the origin of the male dominant tango in Buenos Aires but in her hands the track delivers the passion and exuberance of a confident woman.
-Rudy Mangual 09/01/04
In describing the music that she passionately loves and performs daily, Argentinean singer Sandra Luna quotes the famous lyrics of tango composer Horacio Ferrer: “Cinders that burn again and again…tango is like life, and has to evolve.” Born in Buenos Aires’ slaughterhouse district of Mataderos, a neighborhood that first nurtured the rise of tango in the early 1900s, Luna was raised in the new era of modern tango, performing at the tender age of seven in local tango bars like the Boliche de Rotundo and local television and radio shows by age eight. Before her twelfth birthday, Luna was already a rising tango star in her native Buenos Aires.
“Most people think of tango as a very nostalgic form of music, which in many cases is true, but like life itself, tango is also joy and happiness, a little of everything one encounters in life regardless of a time or era. Tango can be sad, happy, social or political, simply everything that is happening around you. In the 1970s, the Argentinean government banned many tangos from the airwaves for their political content, which was feared for its truthfulness. As a child I remember being told that I couldn’t sing certain tangos due to this ban.”
When asked why she was inclined to sing tangos as a child over other popular genres of music, she responded: “Tango chose me as its interpreter in this revitalized era of tango in Argentina. I’m grateful and honored to be a modern spokeswoman of this musical movement.” Promoting her first international release Tango Varón, which debuted on May 25 on Times Square Records, Luna visited the North American continent in July, performing on the U.S. east coast and came out for one night in Los Angeles at the Echo Club, where she delivered a triumphant performance with her trio of musicians. The modest yet enthusiastic audience witnessed a balanced, strong repertoire of traditional tango standards and newly written compositions from Luna’s new CD, including her theme song Me Llaman Luna to the more traditional tango forms of the selections Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir and Carritos Cartoneros. Her accompanying trio is directed by Luna’s husband, cellist Daniel Pucci, with Exequiel Mantega on piano and Daniel Ruggiero on the bandoneón. Sandra Luna is not afraid to challenge the proud machismo image of traditional tango. Her title track Tango Varón (Male Tango) recalls the origin of the male dominant tango in Buenos Aires but in her hands the track delivers the passion and exuberance of a confident woman.
-Rudy Mangual 09/01/04
sábado, 31 de julio de 2004
No es el tango de los abuelos
La Opinoin, No es el tango de los abuelos >>
Nacida como una Montoya, pero conocida —y reconocida— por un nombre artístico que le fue impuesto a los 7 años de edad, cuando los encargados de la radioemisora radial donde se presentó por primera vez consideraron que su apellido real sonaba muy gitano, Sandra Luna viene cantando ante el público desde hace tres décadas, aunque la mezquindad de la industria discográfica la obligara a desarrollar su carrera sin editar producción alguna hasta el año 2000.
“Tuve ofertas de varias compañías, pero las condiciones que me daban eran tan malas que preferí desligarme de ellas durante mucho tiempo”, dijo la excelente vocalista porteña a La Opinión hace unos días, luego de ofrecer un concierto en el club Echo de Los Angeles, donde se presentó acompañada por un trío tradicional de piano, bandoneón y violonchelo, haciendo gala de una voz impresionante en el registro y desbordante en la pasión.
“El disco editado hace cuatro años sólo tuvo difusión en mi país; en cambio, el nuevo —que se llama Tango varón— ha contado al fin con una distribución internacional gracias a World Connection, una empresa holandesa que me hizo una oferta interesante y logró que firmara un contrato por primera vez en toda mi trayectoria. Lo positivo es que esta compañía vio en mí a la cantante, no a un rubro musical determinado; es que no es bueno encasillarse”.
De todos modos, Luna es muy consciente de que el título mismo de su nuevo trabajo indica su pertenencia a un género muy específico, aunque algunas de las composiciones incluidas no respondan siempre a los moldes tradicionales.
“Lo que hago esencialmente es música urbana”, sigue la artista. “El tango de Carlos Gardel tenía un ritmo diferente, pero hay que tomar en cuenta que la música popular argentina tiene muchas variaciones. Lo que sí es cierto es que, a diferencia de otras cantantes, hago tango de verdad. El gobierno militar [de los 70 y principios de los 80] censuró las letras que eran reales y reflejaban el dolor de la gente; después de eso, sólo se podían escuchar las canciones de amor o de desamor, y el tango no es sólo eso, porque nació como una herramienta de protesta social”.
“Cuando no tenía ni siquiera una forma rítmica definida, ya se quejaba de los gobernantes, pero la globalización hizo que entraran otras músicas al mercado, y es sabido que a través de la historia los gobiernos argentinos se han dejado comprar”.
En lo que respecta al título de la placa, Sandra Luna —que por cierto luce encantadoramente femenina— asegura que, a pesar de sentirse convencida de su identidad sexual y de mostrarla claramente en sus apasionadas interpretaciones, cataloga su tango de “varón” porque “para hacer este género como se debe, necesitás tener ovarios, como se los llama en la mujer. Normalmente se asocia la fuerza al hombre y la parte débil a la mujer, pero nosotras sabemos que eso es un absurdo total, que las mujeres somos varón y mujer todo el tiempo. Hay muchos hombres que no son tan hombres y no porque sean gay; me refiero a la parte interna, a la de ser cobardes o no poner lo que hay que poner”.
“En mi repertorio hay tangos compuestos tanto por hombres como por mujeres porque no es cuestión de separar, sino de cómo decir las cosas, de cómo afrontar la vida, de cómo disponer de ella y de la música”.
Sandra no rechaza la tradición —de hecho, su disco incluye algunas composiciones de autores clásicos, entre los que se encuentran Astor Piazzolla y Enrique Santos Discépolo—, pero quiere darle amplia cabida a las plumas nuevas, por lo que la mayor parte de su repertorio está conformado por piezas recientes.
“Hay ortodoxos que no aceptan lo nuevo, que creen que todo se quedó en el pasado; pero el tango es del pueblo y tiene que crecer con él, cambiando, modificándose y contando todo lo que sucede alrededor”, enfatiza, sin que la contundencia de sus declaraciones la obligue a alzar la voz.
“Amo a los abuelos, pero dejo vivir a los nietos, y es que en la vida hay todo tipo de encuentros, no sólo amorosos; por ejemplo, tengo una canción llamada Carritos cartoneros que habla de los nuevos habitantes de Buenos Aires, esos indigentes que viven en las calles, que nunca estuvieron antes en mi país y que aparecieron en la última década como consecuencia de una crisis que de pronto hizo que nos diéramos cuenta de que no éramos tan parte del Primer Mundo como nos habían contado”.
El tango surgió en Argentina mediante una fusión de estilos realizada por los inmigrantes europeos —básicamente italianos—, y como buena exponente del género, Luna forma parte de dicha cultura.
“Me crié en uno de esos barrios de inmigrantes y, aunque mi familia no era de tangueros, siempre estuve expuesta a esta música”, recuerda la artista, para pasar luego a explicar las razones que la han convertido en una intérprete tan notable.
“Desde pequeña estuve metida en esto, porque siempre supe que iba a ser cantante, y nunca se me ocurrió hacer otra cosa. Estudié en el conservatorio y llevé clases de canto, pero aunque tengo bastante técnica, ésta no debe superar nunca al sentimiento. Las dos cosas deben estar niveladas”.
Aunque sus palabras delatan el compromiso que siente con su arte y su sociedad, ella no es compositora, lo que según sus declaraciones se debe a que “no sé cómo reducir todo lo que tengo en la cabeza en sólo tres minutos, pero siempre estoy en comunicación con los compositores que trabajan conmigo para darles ideas o conceptos. Soy intérprete y, como dicen mis compañeros, la que hace parir los temas. El tango es como un gran álbum de fotos donde no puedes prescindir de nada, porque todo, hasta los seres que no conoces, formaron parte de la vida de quienes amaste”.
07/31/04
Nacida como una Montoya, pero conocida —y reconocida— por un nombre artístico que le fue impuesto a los 7 años de edad, cuando los encargados de la radioemisora radial donde se presentó por primera vez consideraron que su apellido real sonaba muy gitano, Sandra Luna viene cantando ante el público desde hace tres décadas, aunque la mezquindad de la industria discográfica la obligara a desarrollar su carrera sin editar producción alguna hasta el año 2000.
“Tuve ofertas de varias compañías, pero las condiciones que me daban eran tan malas que preferí desligarme de ellas durante mucho tiempo”, dijo la excelente vocalista porteña a La Opinión hace unos días, luego de ofrecer un concierto en el club Echo de Los Angeles, donde se presentó acompañada por un trío tradicional de piano, bandoneón y violonchelo, haciendo gala de una voz impresionante en el registro y desbordante en la pasión.
“El disco editado hace cuatro años sólo tuvo difusión en mi país; en cambio, el nuevo —que se llama Tango varón— ha contado al fin con una distribución internacional gracias a World Connection, una empresa holandesa que me hizo una oferta interesante y logró que firmara un contrato por primera vez en toda mi trayectoria. Lo positivo es que esta compañía vio en mí a la cantante, no a un rubro musical determinado; es que no es bueno encasillarse”.
De todos modos, Luna es muy consciente de que el título mismo de su nuevo trabajo indica su pertenencia a un género muy específico, aunque algunas de las composiciones incluidas no respondan siempre a los moldes tradicionales.
“Lo que hago esencialmente es música urbana”, sigue la artista. “El tango de Carlos Gardel tenía un ritmo diferente, pero hay que tomar en cuenta que la música popular argentina tiene muchas variaciones. Lo que sí es cierto es que, a diferencia de otras cantantes, hago tango de verdad. El gobierno militar [de los 70 y principios de los 80] censuró las letras que eran reales y reflejaban el dolor de la gente; después de eso, sólo se podían escuchar las canciones de amor o de desamor, y el tango no es sólo eso, porque nació como una herramienta de protesta social”.
“Cuando no tenía ni siquiera una forma rítmica definida, ya se quejaba de los gobernantes, pero la globalización hizo que entraran otras músicas al mercado, y es sabido que a través de la historia los gobiernos argentinos se han dejado comprar”.
En lo que respecta al título de la placa, Sandra Luna —que por cierto luce encantadoramente femenina— asegura que, a pesar de sentirse convencida de su identidad sexual y de mostrarla claramente en sus apasionadas interpretaciones, cataloga su tango de “varón” porque “para hacer este género como se debe, necesitás tener ovarios, como se los llama en la mujer. Normalmente se asocia la fuerza al hombre y la parte débil a la mujer, pero nosotras sabemos que eso es un absurdo total, que las mujeres somos varón y mujer todo el tiempo. Hay muchos hombres que no son tan hombres y no porque sean gay; me refiero a la parte interna, a la de ser cobardes o no poner lo que hay que poner”.
“En mi repertorio hay tangos compuestos tanto por hombres como por mujeres porque no es cuestión de separar, sino de cómo decir las cosas, de cómo afrontar la vida, de cómo disponer de ella y de la música”.
Sandra no rechaza la tradición —de hecho, su disco incluye algunas composiciones de autores clásicos, entre los que se encuentran Astor Piazzolla y Enrique Santos Discépolo—, pero quiere darle amplia cabida a las plumas nuevas, por lo que la mayor parte de su repertorio está conformado por piezas recientes.
“Hay ortodoxos que no aceptan lo nuevo, que creen que todo se quedó en el pasado; pero el tango es del pueblo y tiene que crecer con él, cambiando, modificándose y contando todo lo que sucede alrededor”, enfatiza, sin que la contundencia de sus declaraciones la obligue a alzar la voz.
“Amo a los abuelos, pero dejo vivir a los nietos, y es que en la vida hay todo tipo de encuentros, no sólo amorosos; por ejemplo, tengo una canción llamada Carritos cartoneros que habla de los nuevos habitantes de Buenos Aires, esos indigentes que viven en las calles, que nunca estuvieron antes en mi país y que aparecieron en la última década como consecuencia de una crisis que de pronto hizo que nos diéramos cuenta de que no éramos tan parte del Primer Mundo como nos habían contado”.
El tango surgió en Argentina mediante una fusión de estilos realizada por los inmigrantes europeos —básicamente italianos—, y como buena exponente del género, Luna forma parte de dicha cultura.
“Me crié en uno de esos barrios de inmigrantes y, aunque mi familia no era de tangueros, siempre estuve expuesta a esta música”, recuerda la artista, para pasar luego a explicar las razones que la han convertido en una intérprete tan notable.
“Desde pequeña estuve metida en esto, porque siempre supe que iba a ser cantante, y nunca se me ocurrió hacer otra cosa. Estudié en el conservatorio y llevé clases de canto, pero aunque tengo bastante técnica, ésta no debe superar nunca al sentimiento. Las dos cosas deben estar niveladas”.
Aunque sus palabras delatan el compromiso que siente con su arte y su sociedad, ella no es compositora, lo que según sus declaraciones se debe a que “no sé cómo reducir todo lo que tengo en la cabeza en sólo tres minutos, pero siempre estoy en comunicación con los compositores que trabajan conmigo para darles ideas o conceptos. Soy intérprete y, como dicen mis compañeros, la que hace parir los temas. El tango es como un gran álbum de fotos donde no puedes prescindir de nada, porque todo, hasta los seres que no conoces, formaron parte de la vida de quienes amaste”.
07/31/04
jueves, 15 de julio de 2004
Time Out New York
Concert Preview
The Argentine tango-canción sensation makes her U.S. debut in the powerful, passionate songs on her new CD, Tango Varón, (Times Square). Luna has performed in Buenos Aires clubs since she was six years old and clearly has this music in her blood; we wonder if Joe’s Pub will even be able to contain the immensity of her rich, throaty voice.
Joe’s Pub, July 15, 7:30pm, 07/15/04
The Argentine tango-canción sensation makes her U.S. debut in the powerful, passionate songs on her new CD, Tango Varón, (Times Square). Luna has performed in Buenos Aires clubs since she was six years old and clearly has this music in her blood; we wonder if Joe’s Pub will even be able to contain the immensity of her rich, throaty voice.
Joe’s Pub, July 15, 7:30pm, 07/15/04
Concert Preview
Broadway New York, Concert Preview >>
Making her US debut, Sandra Luna updates tango-cancion "spectaculary...with all the strutting no-holds barred emotionalism you'd expect of an old-fashioned Latin Diva." On her international debut - Tango Varon - Luna turns her ear to the future while keeping one foot firmly in the tango's colorful past as she expands the music, normally associated with dancing, to a broader more expansive song form with reworked and reenergized versions of classics from legends like Astor Piazzolla, to newly created compositions that tell the tale of modern life in Buenos Aires. Unafraid to challenge head on the proud, machismo assumption often at the core of tango's image, Luna's insistent performance injects her music with the unique passion of a confident woman.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Public Theatre/Joe's Pub
425 Lafayette Street
Making her US debut, Sandra Luna updates tango-cancion "spectaculary...with all the strutting no-holds barred emotionalism you'd expect of an old-fashioned Latin Diva." On her international debut - Tango Varon - Luna turns her ear to the future while keeping one foot firmly in the tango's colorful past as she expands the music, normally associated with dancing, to a broader more expansive song form with reworked and reenergized versions of classics from legends like Astor Piazzolla, to newly created compositions that tell the tale of modern life in Buenos Aires. Unafraid to challenge head on the proud, machismo assumption often at the core of tango's image, Luna's insistent performance injects her music with the unique passion of a confident woman.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Public Theatre/Joe's Pub
425 Lafayette Street
Miami New Times, Concert Pick
Say adiós to any kitsch or retro notions you may have about tango. Sandra Luna, a 38-year-old chanteuse and mother from Buenos Aires, will make sure you never think of this most beloved Argentine art form the same way again. As part of a brief U.S. tour, Luna, accompanied by husband and cellist Daniel Pucci, pianist Exequiel Mantega, and Daniel Ruggiero on the bandoneón (the accordionlike instrument that forever holds the soul of tango), will hit Miami to perform songs from her international debut, Tango Varón (Male Tango).
"To sing tango one must have strength. The strength associated with being a male," says Luna at home in Buenos Aires. "In women, it's the ovaries. In men, the balls. Well, I guess I have both." -- Juan Carlos Pérez-Duthie
07/15/04 >> go there
"To sing tango one must have strength. The strength associated with being a male," says Luna at home in Buenos Aires. "In women, it's the ovaries. In men, the balls. Well, I guess I have both." -- Juan Carlos Pérez-Duthie
07/15/04 >> go there
lunes, 12 de julio de 2004
Global Hits
PRI's "The World", Global Hits
Tango has traditionally been a masculine musical form. Sandra Luna gives a nod to that past in the title track to her first international release, "Tango Varon," or "Male Tango." The song tells the mythic tale of the birth of the tango.
38-year-old Sandra Luna was infused with the tango ethos early on. Luna grew up in one of tango's traditional strongholds, the stockyard and slaughterhouse district of Buenos Aires.
Luna says she sang nearly non-stop throughout her childhood, singing in church, in school, and at home. By the time she was 11, Luna was also singing in local tango clubs. And her following grew. By her 12th birthday, Luna was a regular weekend performer at the premier tango clubs in Buenos Aires.
Luna was also developing an early passion for such "tango classics" as Cancion Desesperada. Luna sings tangos in the traditional style. Her songs tell stories about passion, lost love, and unrequited love.
Tango has been described as a "vertical expression of horizontal desire." Luna says tango is "a feeling that's so clear and pure. If you haven't met it, it will wait for you. But after you meet it," she says, "you'll need it."
Sandra Luna is enjoying the release of "Tango Varon," and the resurgence of tango not only in Argentina, but world-wide. Luna will be performing songs from "Tango Varon" later this week in New York, Florida and California.
For The World, this is Katy Clark.
07/12/04
Tango has traditionally been a masculine musical form. Sandra Luna gives a nod to that past in the title track to her first international release, "Tango Varon," or "Male Tango." The song tells the mythic tale of the birth of the tango.
38-year-old Sandra Luna was infused with the tango ethos early on. Luna grew up in one of tango's traditional strongholds, the stockyard and slaughterhouse district of Buenos Aires.
Luna says she sang nearly non-stop throughout her childhood, singing in church, in school, and at home. By the time she was 11, Luna was also singing in local tango clubs. And her following grew. By her 12th birthday, Luna was a regular weekend performer at the premier tango clubs in Buenos Aires.
Luna was also developing an early passion for such "tango classics" as Cancion Desesperada. Luna sings tangos in the traditional style. Her songs tell stories about passion, lost love, and unrequited love.
Tango has been described as a "vertical expression of horizontal desire." Luna says tango is "a feeling that's so clear and pure. If you haven't met it, it will wait for you. But after you meet it," she says, "you'll need it."
Sandra Luna is enjoying the release of "Tango Varon," and the resurgence of tango not only in Argentina, but world-wide. Luna will be performing songs from "Tango Varon" later this week in New York, Florida and California.
For The World, this is Katy Clark.
07/12/04
jueves, 1 de julio de 2004
Amazon.com, CD Review
Argentinean diva Sandra Luna breathes life into contemporary tango on her debut international release, Tango Varon, weaving her brand of "Tango Cancion"---"sung" tango as opposed to tango for dancers--- around a mix of classic and contemporary tangos that will delight lovers of the genre. Luna's enormously expressive voice sounds equally at home on classics like "Che Bandoneon" as it does on "Carritos Cartoneros," a new and heartbreaking song about the impoverished cardboard gatherers of Buenos Aires, and the intriguing orchestrations by Daniel Pucci keep the disc varied from beginning to end, as Luna sings with ever-changing accompaniment that ranges from the lush to the starkly beautiful. Astor Piazzolla's "El Gordo Triste" receives an appropriately dramatic soundtrack while others are more spare: "Lejana" features Luna's voice accompanied only by Pucci's cello, while "Duelo Criollo" places her with only guitar. While the traditional touches here are enough to reassure tango purists, it's the moments that veer from the expected that really paint Luna as unique, like the jazz-inflected duet with the piano on "Viejo Gringo" and the delightful Cuban-meets-flamenco flavor of "Me Llaman Luna." That "Tango Luna" bears a visual and sonic resemblance to another Times Square artist, Mariza, is no accident. It has often been said that what fado is to Portugal tango is to Argentina, so it seems only fitting that since lovers of fado have a rising new star to watch in Mariza, so should those enamored of tango have someone in Sandra Luna. --Ezra Gale 07/01/04
All Music.com, CD Review
Far from the cheesy sound of much tango, Sandra Luna introduces real passion and heartbreak into the music, revitalizing a genre that — apart from Astor Piazzolla's new tango — has seemed moribund for too long. It's a bravura vocal display, to be sure, but the support, especially from the string section, with excellent arrangements, frames her perfectly, giving a brave dignity to the music. She's at her best on the slower material such as "Lejana Tierra Mía" or "Duella Criollo" (with its superb guitar accompaniment), where the tango takes on the emotional depth of Portuguese fado and Luna truly shines. She transmits sadness perfectly, in small vocal gestures that go directly to the soul. For the most part she steers clear of the traditional bandoneon (except for the lovely "Ché Bandoneón," where instrument and voice play off each other to wonderful effect) for a fuller sound that suits her well. Luna might just prove to be the figure to propel tango into the new century, and to bring it, reenergized and soulful, into the mainstream of world music. That she's a star is beyond doubt, and in her hands the music sparkles.
07/01/04 >> go there
07/01/04 >> go there
A Lifetime of Tango: Sandra Luna
Global Rhythm, A Lifetime of Tango: Sandra Luna
“Music and Words, like two fallen in love, flow from the lips of the singer."
"Tango is a feeling that is so clear and pure," said Argentina's Sandra Luna. "If you haven't met it, it will wait for you. But, after you meet it, you'll need it."
Singing with some of the best contemporary artists in the genre, including Edmundo Rivero and Hector Varela, the 38 year-old Buenos Aires-born songstress has been breathing new life into the music of her homeland ever since she began performing at the age of 11.
Luna's recently released solo debut, Tango Varon (World Connection), which translates roughly to "powerful tango" or "male tango," is a passionate amalgam of French chanson, American jazz vocalizing and Argentinean tango influences. Her vocals are crisp and bracing here, but she can also summon up a rough, raspy edge when the material requires it. Luna's versions of such classic tangos as "Ché Bandoneón" and "Canción Desesperada" reveal her as an artist that takes the tango canción artform seriously-and one capable of taking it back to its roots. Other, original material, such as the title track, demonstrates her skill at blending other influences with tradition-rooted tango.
The album's distinct flavor was the product of the dedicated production team that Luna assembled. Driven by the talents of producer Serge Glanzberg-the son of Norbert Glanzberg, pianist for Edith Piaf, Yves Montand and Charles Trent-Tango Varon echoes with the experience he brought to working with the likes of Manu Dibango, the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, and Mick Jones of the Clash. Working on this project with executive producers Gustavo Pazos and Eric van Santen and sound technician Jorge Da Silva, however, Glanzberg revealed a mastery of the tango, inspiring Luna to reach for new heights. "We formed a great team," she said. "We worked very seriously and hard. I think that with the cooperation and professionalism of everybody we made it a success."
It's a success that took a lifetime to shape. Raised in the Buenos Aires stockyard and slaughterhouse district of Mataderos, one of tango's traditional strongholds, Luna remembers being drawn to music early. "My first memory is when I was two," she said, "and I heard the voice of a woman who was playing the piano. She became my first music teacher later on."
Throughout her childhood, Luna sang nearly nonstop. "I sang in church, school and at home," she recalled, "also for those who'd ask me to sing at a certain place or simply on the street, for the people who lived in my neighborhood. Sometimes I would sing in my grandfather's grocery store. There was always a customer asking me to sing."
By the age of seven, Luna yearned to be a professional singer. With her parents' encouragement, she began to haunt the tango clubs of the Argentinean capital. "I asked my parents if I could go to the place where people sang tangos," she remembered. "Of course I didn't go to listen only. I asked the one in charge if I could sing as well. He gave me a serious and surprised look and asked me, 'Tango?"'
As it turned out, Luna chose a good night to make her stage debut. "Members of the Radio Argentina Council were present," she said, "and they booked me to sing on the radio and in all the shows they organized throughout the country. Since that day I haven't stopped working."
Luna's rise to stardom came swiftly. She became a regular weekend performer at Buenos Aires' premier tango club, Boliche de Rotundo, before her twelfth birthday. "It was an important place," she said. "It was something to be proud of if you were booked there, because one of the owners was a well-known tango conductor at the time. It was a wonderful experience. I remember that I sang the tango `Nostalgias' with bandoneonist Pocho Corsaro, who accompanied me."
Around the same time, Luna began performing at La Casa de Carlos Gardel, owned by tango superstar Carlos "El Zoral" Gardel. "I met Sexteto Mayor there," she said. "We worked together Thursdays to Saturdays." Luna continued to attract attention. Among the many that were awed by her singing was Hector Varela, bandoneonist of Juan D'Arienzo's influential 1940s orchestra. When Varela heard her at Boliche de Rotundo, he was so impressed that he quickly invited her to join his group. "It was fantastic!" Luna said. "People said that it was the orchestra of the young because it attracted a young audience. Varela was one of the tangueros who sold the most records."
Luna's musical growth was further expanded after meeting tango master Robert Grela, one of the major instrumentalists on Argentinean television. "He was a great and wise person," she recalled. "He taught me to sing, to say what I felt and that each word has enormous meaning. I learned from him that music and words, like two fallen in love, flow from the lips of the singer. I feel privileged to have known him and to have been accompanied by his guitar. I can only thank him and those many other musical fathers who brought me up and formed me."
With the international release of Tango Varon, Luna is already envisioning her next recording. "The next album is slowly being drawn or sketched," she said. "We've been performing some of the new repertoire since the beginning of the year. "But I want to make one thing clear," she makes sure to point out. "Everything you hear from me when I sing is done with real feeling. That is what I gave in Tango Varon and that's what I will give in future albums and all other future work."
Craig Harris, GLOBAL RHYTHM.JULY 2004
“Music and Words, like two fallen in love, flow from the lips of the singer."
"Tango is a feeling that is so clear and pure," said Argentina's Sandra Luna. "If you haven't met it, it will wait for you. But, after you meet it, you'll need it."
Singing with some of the best contemporary artists in the genre, including Edmundo Rivero and Hector Varela, the 38 year-old Buenos Aires-born songstress has been breathing new life into the music of her homeland ever since she began performing at the age of 11.
Luna's recently released solo debut, Tango Varon (World Connection), which translates roughly to "powerful tango" or "male tango," is a passionate amalgam of French chanson, American jazz vocalizing and Argentinean tango influences. Her vocals are crisp and bracing here, but she can also summon up a rough, raspy edge when the material requires it. Luna's versions of such classic tangos as "Ché Bandoneón" and "Canción Desesperada" reveal her as an artist that takes the tango canción artform seriously-and one capable of taking it back to its roots. Other, original material, such as the title track, demonstrates her skill at blending other influences with tradition-rooted tango.
The album's distinct flavor was the product of the dedicated production team that Luna assembled. Driven by the talents of producer Serge Glanzberg-the son of Norbert Glanzberg, pianist for Edith Piaf, Yves Montand and Charles Trent-Tango Varon echoes with the experience he brought to working with the likes of Manu Dibango, the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, and Mick Jones of the Clash. Working on this project with executive producers Gustavo Pazos and Eric van Santen and sound technician Jorge Da Silva, however, Glanzberg revealed a mastery of the tango, inspiring Luna to reach for new heights. "We formed a great team," she said. "We worked very seriously and hard. I think that with the cooperation and professionalism of everybody we made it a success."
It's a success that took a lifetime to shape. Raised in the Buenos Aires stockyard and slaughterhouse district of Mataderos, one of tango's traditional strongholds, Luna remembers being drawn to music early. "My first memory is when I was two," she said, "and I heard the voice of a woman who was playing the piano. She became my first music teacher later on."
Throughout her childhood, Luna sang nearly nonstop. "I sang in church, school and at home," she recalled, "also for those who'd ask me to sing at a certain place or simply on the street, for the people who lived in my neighborhood. Sometimes I would sing in my grandfather's grocery store. There was always a customer asking me to sing."
By the age of seven, Luna yearned to be a professional singer. With her parents' encouragement, she began to haunt the tango clubs of the Argentinean capital. "I asked my parents if I could go to the place where people sang tangos," she remembered. "Of course I didn't go to listen only. I asked the one in charge if I could sing as well. He gave me a serious and surprised look and asked me, 'Tango?"'
As it turned out, Luna chose a good night to make her stage debut. "Members of the Radio Argentina Council were present," she said, "and they booked me to sing on the radio and in all the shows they organized throughout the country. Since that day I haven't stopped working."
Luna's rise to stardom came swiftly. She became a regular weekend performer at Buenos Aires' premier tango club, Boliche de Rotundo, before her twelfth birthday. "It was an important place," she said. "It was something to be proud of if you were booked there, because one of the owners was a well-known tango conductor at the time. It was a wonderful experience. I remember that I sang the tango `Nostalgias' with bandoneonist Pocho Corsaro, who accompanied me."
Around the same time, Luna began performing at La Casa de Carlos Gardel, owned by tango superstar Carlos "El Zoral" Gardel. "I met Sexteto Mayor there," she said. "We worked together Thursdays to Saturdays." Luna continued to attract attention. Among the many that were awed by her singing was Hector Varela, bandoneonist of Juan D'Arienzo's influential 1940s orchestra. When Varela heard her at Boliche de Rotundo, he was so impressed that he quickly invited her to join his group. "It was fantastic!" Luna said. "People said that it was the orchestra of the young because it attracted a young audience. Varela was one of the tangueros who sold the most records."
Luna's musical growth was further expanded after meeting tango master Robert Grela, one of the major instrumentalists on Argentinean television. "He was a great and wise person," she recalled. "He taught me to sing, to say what I felt and that each word has enormous meaning. I learned from him that music and words, like two fallen in love, flow from the lips of the singer. I feel privileged to have known him and to have been accompanied by his guitar. I can only thank him and those many other musical fathers who brought me up and formed me."
With the international release of Tango Varon, Luna is already envisioning her next recording. "The next album is slowly being drawn or sketched," she said. "We've been performing some of the new repertoire since the beginning of the year. "But I want to make one thing clear," she makes sure to point out. "Everything you hear from me when I sing is done with real feeling. That is what I gave in Tango Varon and that's what I will give in future albums and all other future work."
Craig Harris, GLOBAL RHYTHM.JULY 2004
jueves, 24 de junio de 2004
Tucson Citizen, CD Pick
The musical history of tango almost exactly parallels that of the blues. There is even the part where back in the 1960s European musicians gave the tango vitality again, just like the Brits did for American blues. Now the tango is in that little lag space just before it becomes even more popular. Helping lead this new wave of dance and sound is Sandra Luna of Buenos Aires.
Luna, born in the city’s “slaughterhouse district” in 1966, has sung her way out of poverty. Now she sings with memories that contain true sadness, but also a belief that tango is capable of expressing so much more. Unlike some CD mixmaster revivals that begin by dubbing traditional songs onto modern beats, Luna depends on her own heart alone. Singing in Spanish, using simple arrangements full of guitar and bandoneon, she stretches tenderness into pain, hope in victory.
There may be regret in her voice from time to time, but there is never any apology. Her strength is her pride. She is the one determined to mold her own life.
While in blues the traditional figure of a saucy, hot mama who don’t take no guff from nobody is a standard, in the world of tango these women also command a higher kind of sensuality. Standing tall, Luna demands satisfaction and insists on results.
Find her CD online at www.fourquartersent.com
-Chuck Graham
06/24/04
Luna, born in the city’s “slaughterhouse district” in 1966, has sung her way out of poverty. Now she sings with memories that contain true sadness, but also a belief that tango is capable of expressing so much more. Unlike some CD mixmaster revivals that begin by dubbing traditional songs onto modern beats, Luna depends on her own heart alone. Singing in Spanish, using simple arrangements full of guitar and bandoneon, she stretches tenderness into pain, hope in victory.
There may be regret in her voice from time to time, but there is never any apology. Her strength is her pride. She is the one determined to mold her own life.
While in blues the traditional figure of a saucy, hot mama who don’t take no guff from nobody is a standard, in the world of tango these women also command a higher kind of sensuality. Standing tall, Luna demands satisfaction and insists on results.
Find her CD online at www.fourquartersent.com
-Chuck Graham
06/24/04
miércoles, 16 de junio de 2004
BBC, CD Review
Gradually, tango is being revamped from just about every angle. There's no artist with quite the iconoclastic verve of Astor Piazzolla around, but from electronica experiments through to modern ballet, Argentina's urban folk music is strong and strident again.
The best contemporary female vox title has been held for some time by Adriana Varela, a gutsy, tobacco-voiced singer from Palermo in central Buenos Aires. She sprang to fame in the early 90s after learning her trade fast-track with composer and lyricist Enrique Cadícamo and singer Roberto Goyeneche. Now, entering as challenger, comes Sandra Luna, from the same city, but with her roots on the city's margins and with a background of many years performing live - often with giants of the genre such as Edmundo Rivero and Héctor Varela - before making Tango Varon, her international debut.
Luna's got a voice that recalls the classic female singers of the 40s - a crisp, nearly flute-like timbre at times, rather like Nelly Omar (who Luna admires) - though with occasionally raunchier, rougher edges and the range to push the songs into darker corners. Perhaps her liking for French chanson - and especially Edith Piaf - figures here, but whatever the source, Luna's versions of famous tango songs like "Ché Bandoneón", "Lejana Tierra Mía" and "Canción Desesperada", feel modern, felt rather than studied, and very much her own. Her goal is clearly to use tangos as they were born to be used - to tell stories, with a melancholy lilt and bags of passion.
As well as classics that reappear on compilations by scores of famous, dead artists, there are lesser-known and totally new songs here. The title track, by Edgardo Acuna, tells in mythic fashion the story of tango's birth as a 'tango varón' or proud, strutting 'male tango' - though given a strong injection of female passion by Luna. At the other end of the emotional spectrum is "Carritos Cartoneros", a song about the cardboard-gatherers of modern-day, crisis-struck Buenos Aires, who come out at dusk to gather up recyclable rubbish for a few pesos.
Playing live in London as part of the annual jazz festival, Sandra Luna is one of a small number of Argentine artists eager, and evidently able, to lift tango canción (tango song) out of the show-and-spectacle context and show its force as a poetry of longing and lamentation. With its varied moods and Luna's consistently powerful voice, Tango Varón takes its inspiration from the intimate world of cabaret and cafe concert culture and brings another formidable talent onto the global tango stage.
Reviewer: Chris Moss
06/16/04 >> go there
The best contemporary female vox title has been held for some time by Adriana Varela, a gutsy, tobacco-voiced singer from Palermo in central Buenos Aires. She sprang to fame in the early 90s after learning her trade fast-track with composer and lyricist Enrique Cadícamo and singer Roberto Goyeneche. Now, entering as challenger, comes Sandra Luna, from the same city, but with her roots on the city's margins and with a background of many years performing live - often with giants of the genre such as Edmundo Rivero and Héctor Varela - before making Tango Varon, her international debut.
Luna's got a voice that recalls the classic female singers of the 40s - a crisp, nearly flute-like timbre at times, rather like Nelly Omar (who Luna admires) - though with occasionally raunchier, rougher edges and the range to push the songs into darker corners. Perhaps her liking for French chanson - and especially Edith Piaf - figures here, but whatever the source, Luna's versions of famous tango songs like "Ché Bandoneón", "Lejana Tierra Mía" and "Canción Desesperada", feel modern, felt rather than studied, and very much her own. Her goal is clearly to use tangos as they were born to be used - to tell stories, with a melancholy lilt and bags of passion.
As well as classics that reappear on compilations by scores of famous, dead artists, there are lesser-known and totally new songs here. The title track, by Edgardo Acuna, tells in mythic fashion the story of tango's birth as a 'tango varón' or proud, strutting 'male tango' - though given a strong injection of female passion by Luna. At the other end of the emotional spectrum is "Carritos Cartoneros", a song about the cardboard-gatherers of modern-day, crisis-struck Buenos Aires, who come out at dusk to gather up recyclable rubbish for a few pesos.
Playing live in London as part of the annual jazz festival, Sandra Luna is one of a small number of Argentine artists eager, and evidently able, to lift tango canción (tango song) out of the show-and-spectacle context and show its force as a poetry of longing and lamentation. With its varied moods and Luna's consistently powerful voice, Tango Varón takes its inspiration from the intimate world of cabaret and cafe concert culture and brings another formidable talent onto the global tango stage.
Reviewer: Chris Moss
06/16/04 >> go there
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