Search - Juan D'Arienzo :: King of Rhythm 1937-1944

Great Dance Music

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 06/06/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of tango for more than 30 years now, starting with Piazzolla, but I also like some of the great musicians from tango's golden age, notably Anibal Troilo, Roberto Firpo, Osvaldo Pugliese, and....Juan D'Arienzo. D'Arienzo was a rather strict traditionalist and his bands from the late 1930s to the early 1940s are regarded by many tango dance enthusiasts as some of the best tango for dancing ever. (As opposed to tango which is more for listening) King of Rhythm is representative of the period when D'Arienzo's popularity was at its zenith. His style is instantly recognizable in the stacatto sound of the bandoneon, the tinkling piano of Rodolfo Biagi, and the humming violin of Cayetano Puglisi whose play, to me, is reminiscent of the cartoon representation of the sound of a flying insect. The CD contains a good mix of instrumentals and vocals. A few traditional favorites are here as well as many lesser known tangos. I like that it contains Derecho Viejo, which I rate in the top ten tangos of the golden era. Several vocalists are featured but the one I think makes the best fit for D'Arienzo's style is Alberto Echague. His distinctive voice can be heard on several cuts, the best of which is No Nos Veremos Nunca. As a tango listener, I can still enjoy the work of Juan D'Arienzo, but if you are a tango dancer, you just can't go wrong with this fine compilation of great dance music."

Nice collection of milonguero style tangos

Gregory Olsen | San Ramon, CA | 07/05/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This disk is a nice collection tangos good for dancing milonguero style. There is a good balance of vocal and orchestral tangos. Of course with recordings this old the fidelity is not great, however the sound on the CD could be a little cleaner."

Classic Argentine tangos

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 11/19/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Classic Argentinian tangos from the WWII-era golden age. A little bit goes a long way, but you may find yourself pulled into the orbit of this antique-sounding romantica... Violinist D'Arienzo's led one of the most popular dance orchestras of the 1930s and '40s, although he was seen as a conservative force in the tango scene. In contrast to harmonically rich innovators such as Astor Piazolla, D'Arienzo placed strict emphasis on the rhythmic side of the music, and was a bit brusqueand forceful in his delivery. Still, most fans of antique music will probably be captivated by his style and the other-worldliness of these old recordings. Good sound quality, too."