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Francisco Canaro - 20 Éxitos canta: Carlos Roldan

EMI 473888

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm not the world's biggest fan of Canaro after 1942, but there are plenty of good tracks amongst all the filler - you just have to select carefully.

Carlos Roldán was from Uruguay so you might expect him to specialise in candombe, and indeed he does not disappoint. Candombe is a five star track, but look closely and you get two candombes on this CD. More surprising is Canaro's interpretation of the vals Tu pálida voz. I have to confess, this is actually more danceable than the Di Sarli version, which is just too slow to use at the milonga, and the arrangment has some beautiful piano work.

A curious fact is that the three opening tracks on this CD were all recorded by Troilo with Fiorentino. How do thy stand up?

Well, Una carta is probably the weakest track on this CD; Canaro just can't get anywhere it. Sencillo y compadre on the other hand is much better, whilst with Mi castigo, Canaro's arranger finds a better solution than Troilo about what to do with the rather weak melody. I was surprised.

As ever with Canaro you get some lovely valses. A super CD.

Track list

1. Sencillo y compadre
2. Una carta vals
3. Mi castigo
4. Dos corazones vals
5. Tango brujo
6. Así se baila el tango
7. Candombe milonga candombe
8. Que me quiten lo bailao
9. Va a cantar un ruiseñor
10. Mi reflexión
11. Tu pálida voz vals
12. Los ojos más lindos
13. Mariposa nocturna
14. Queja indiana
15. Alleluya milonga candombe
16. Rosa de tango
17. Su carta no llego
18. Guitarra
19. Bésame mi amor
20. Destellos

Cantan:

• Carlos Roldán (1-20)

Troilo -Casal

Utopia 219269

Extremely rare early 50s sides from Troilo with singer Jorge Casal which have just been reprinted on an obscure Argentine label. La cantina is one of Troilo's greatest tangos - watch the video on youtube. Danceability varies, but this is essential for the collector.

Track list

1. Una canción
2. Barrio Viejo del '80 milonga
3. Mentirosa
4. Amigazo
5. Milonga del Mayoral milonga
6. Cantina
7. Carmín
8. Patio mío
9. Cosos de al lao
10. Vuelve la serenata vals

Canta:

• Jorge Casal (1-10)

Ricardo Tanturi - Encuentro

Reliquias 541697

This second CD of Tanturi with Enrique Campos is not quite as good as the first, but it's still a very fine album, and you can't play Oigo tu voz and Una emoción every time you want some of that Tanturi-Campos magic! The fine and relatively unknown milonga Bien criolla y bien porteña is I'm afraid a bit crackly (get your software out) but everything here deserves a place on our playlists: try Sollozos de bandoneón, Desde lejos and Encuentro to get going.

Track list

1. Encuentro
2. Cuatro lágrimas
3. Dos palabras, por favor
4. El corazón me decía
5. Al pasar vals
6. De 6 a 7
7. La rayuela
8. Cuatro recuerdos
9. Ivón
10. Calor de hogar
11. Bien criolla y bien porteña milonga
12. En el salón
13. Calla bandoneón
14. Esta noche al pasar
15. Jirón de suburbio
16. Me besó y se fué
17. Sollozos de bandoneón
18. Cantor de barrio
19. Seis dias
20. Soy muchacho de arrabal
21. Desde lejos

Canta:

• Enrique Campos (1-20)

Rodolfo Biagi - Al compás del vals

EMI 235392

Twenty valses (count 'em!) from the ever-sharp Rodolfo Biagi, collected across the entire Reliquias catalogue, including the super-romantic Amor y vals from the compilation album Valses Inolvdibles. What are you waiting for - xmas?

Track list

1. Viejo portón
2. Loca de amor
3. Lejos de tí
4. Dichas que viví
5. Déjame amarte aunque sea un día
6. El último adiós
7. Por un beso de amor
8. Lágrimas y sonrisas
9. Cuatro palabras
10. Pájaro herido
11. Marcheta (Marquita)
12. Amor y vals
13. Prisionero
14. Sueño de juventud
15. Paloma
16. Tu melodía
17. Aroma de amor
18. Mañana por la mañana
19. Serenata campera
20. Adoración

Cantan:

• Teofilo Ibañez (1-3)
• Andrés Falgas (4-6)
• Jorge Ortiz (7,9,16)
• Alberto Lago (12)
• Alberto Amor (13,15,17,18)
• Hugo Duval (19)
• dúo Carlos Heredia, Hugo Duval (20)