Julio De Caro
Tango is also music
- Julio De Caro
Julio De Caro and his brother Francisco changed the face of tango music in the late 1920s by expanding the possibilities available to the musicians. This was a band that emphasised richness and musicianship. Future orchestra leaders such as Pedro Laurenz, Osvaldo Pugliese and Pedro Maffia passed through his ranks. All the bands came under his influence. A decade later, Pugliese in particular would reach the heights he achieved by standing on De Caro's shoulders.
De Caro emphasised the longer phrase of the 4 x 4 at the expense of rhythm, and much of his music lacks the strong pulse that animates dancers - even when he lost his way in the 1940s in an attempt to follow the prevailing style.
Nevertheless his work remains interesting and significant. His final recordings (from 1949-1953) have won a place in the hearts of many dancers, whilst a tanda of his early music is sometimes to be enjoyed in the wee small hours.
What sort of buyer are you?
I just want one CD
Tango Collection - Julio De Caro
RGS 1641
Choosing only one album of De Caro means choosing a period, which is not ideal, but I'd advise you to start with his late 1920s recordings. Since the deletion of the RCA Victor 100 Años album, which had a nicer cover but fewer tracks, the CD of choice is clearly the one on Tango Collection. although the omission of Flores negras is a pity. Nver mind - we can listen to the 1952 recording instead on the next CD.
Tracklist
- El monito
- Boedo
- Amurado
- Mala pinta
- Adiós pueblo
- Buen amigo
- Carro viejo
- Chiqué
- Color de rosa
- Derecho viejo
- Quejas de bandoneón
- Gallo ciego
- Recuerdo
- Guardia vieja
- Jueves
- La rayuela
- La última cita
- Maipo
- Mal de amores
- Mala junta
- Tierra querida
- Todo corazón
- Vayan saliendo
I want more
The Masters of Tango - Julio De Caro - Tierra Querida
LCDM 2742310
The next stop is not De Caro's recordings from the 40s, but from the 50s (actually 1949-1953), when his music has a warmer feel. De Caro was never someone who pushed the lyric, as he preferred the lyricism of the instruments, but the few vocals numbers are excellent and for this reason we don't choose the instrumental album on From Argentina to the World. Mi dolor is outstanding, surely the best recording of this amazing tango.
For a long time this meant choosing the album Tangos de rompe y raja on Reliquias, but the same material can now be found closer to home on the French label Le chant du monde, whose CDs are much more attractively packaged.
Tracklist
- Derecho viejo
- Moulin rouge
- Maipo
- Tierra querida
- Ojos negros
- Flores negras
- Recuerdo
- Mala pinta
- El arranque
- Loca bohemia
- Todo corazón
- Buen amigo
- Mi dolor
- Chiclana
- Boedo
- Guardia vieja
- De rompe y raja
- Mala junta
- Aníbal Troilo
- El monito
- Copacabana
- Adiós pubelo
- Aromas
- Gallo ciego
- Quejas de bandoneón
Canta:
- Orlando Verri (12,13)
I want all the good stuff
Bien Jaileife
EMI 541697
Hard to find recordings from 1939-1942 when De Caro was competing with D'Arienzo's dance revolution. This is an up-tempo De Caro that is often hard to recognise. Some of the music is amazing but it's hard to escape the feeling that De Caro is losing his way.
In case you're wondering, jaileife is the hispanic version of the English word highlife.
Tracklist
- Flores negras
- El pensamiento
- Maipo
- Moulin Rouge
- El baqueano
- Copacabana
- La rayuela
- Catamarca
- Buen amigo
- Ay Elena vals
- Boedo
- El espiante
- Tierra negra
- El monito
- Beatriz vals
- Mala junta
- Arolas
- El motivo
- Un dilema
- Mamá yo quiero casarme vals
Cantan:
- Héctor Farrel (10,11,20)
- Agustín Volpe (15,19)
Where next...
- Back to building a library
- Milonga home page
