Search - Hugo Diaz :: 20 Best of Classical Tango Argentino

Contemporary interpretations of the classic Argentine Tangos

Mark Hammond | Chambersburg, PA USA | 01/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Do you remember the great rendition of Milonga Triste from the movie The Tango Lesson? That was Hugo Diaz, and that piece is on the album "Hugo Diaz en Buenos Aires." That Hugo Diaz was a harmonica player, and the Hugo Diaz of Trio Hugo Diaz is a Uraguayan master bandoneonist. Harmonicas and bandoneons have a different sound. Don't buy this disk if you think the harmonica player Hugo Diaz produced it.I like the instrumentation of the Trio Hugo Diaz. In a tango ensemble, there is a certain amount of improvisation and give-and-take between the bandoneón, the double bass, and the piano. The Hugo Diaz Trio does a good job in this regard. It reminds me of a jazz band in how they work together. If you consider tango to be a form of jazz, you already understand this concept. It works well when the band has a certain chemistry or "je ne sais quoi." You know it when you hear it, and you enjoy it.This is the traditional tango music composed by Castillo, Gardel, Fresedo, Troilo, Martinez, Juan de Dios Filberto, etc. It has a unique sound. My first question: is it danceable? Yes, it is danceable. I feel that it is appropriate for salon tango, but probably not for fantasy tango dancers. The next question would be whether you could expect to hear it at an upcoming milonga. I think not. Although very popular in Europe, the Trio Hugo Diaz does not have a large following in the United States and Canada. Those people who are disc jockeys at milongas tend to prefer the tried and true old favorites. There may be a few of the arrangments in this disk may be considered by some to be a little too "jazzy" and non-traditional. I like it when people at milongas ask the DJ "Wow, that was great! What was it?" I like the variety."