Really? Any Music?

I went to a milonga last night where the DJ played a ton of alternative songs (~40%) :doh:

Leaving aside the fact that the non-tango songs did not inspire even the alternative enthusiasts to get up and dance, whatever dancing that was going on during the alternative tandas was not tango. Yes, people were doing the tango steps and everything, but it just was not tango. I know we can't define it, but I'll quote Oliver Wendell Holmes: "I'll know it when I see it".

Also (and I swear I'm not trolling), when we say that "milonga" has 3 different definitions, how can we separate the definition of the dance from the music type? i.e. can we still call a dance a milonga if it's not done to milonga (music) ?
 
salthepal said:
Also (and I swear I'm not trolling), when we say that "milonga" has 3 different definitions, how can we separate the definition of the dance from the music type? i.e. can we still call a dance a milonga if it's not done to milonga (music) ?
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Sorry if I answer you with another question, but... can we still call a dance a milonga if it's done to a very slow milonga, like Milonga Triste (Hugo Diaz) or Milonga del Angel (Astor Piazzolla)?

I guess that what people call "milonga" (dance) has actually little or nothing to do with the rhythm.
 
The very best milonga dancers I've seen describe the music (everything... the rhythm, the melody, sometimes even the singer) with their dance. They don't necessarily hit the habenero every time, but when they do choose to accent it, it is right on the money and consistent with the feeling of the song. The character of the dance is described by continuous steps, flurries of syncopated movements, and improvisational footwork. Which evolved from the music, but is its own category and deserves its own name.

As a side note, I don't think Milonga Triste is a milonga at all. It has the word in the title, but the rhythm feels much more like 3/3/2 to me. Which is related, but different.
 
QMSF said:
I've heard a lot of people in talking about tango say that you can do it to any music. Absolutely any! 'Cause there's no set timing and so forth. That said, I find that as much as people say that you can do it to any music, I very very rarely see anyone dance to anything other than tango music. Which makes sense, I know---tango means tango music. Cha cha means cha cha music. Which leads to my question.

Does anyone have any suggestions for non-tango music for tango dancing? It can be a specific song or even a more vague umbrella.

Personally, the only non-tango I've danced tango to was some Imogen Heap, because it was on, not because it was particularly inviting musically. Uh... mixed results.
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It does not hurt to just give it a try...
 
Subliminal said:
The very best milonga dancers I've seen describe the music (everything... the rhythm, the melody, sometimes even the singer) with their dance. They don't necessarily hit the habenero every time, but when they do choose to accent it, it is right on the money and consistent with the feeling of the song.
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Reproducing the habanera rhythm in the dance is possible, and sometimes I do it too, but I don't think it can't be considered a discriminating feature of the milonga dance.
As a side note, I don't think Milonga Triste is a milonga at all. It has the word in the title, but the rhythm feels much more like 3/3/2 to me. Which is related, but different.
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Milonga Triste is definitely a milonga, and you can find the score here:
http://www.todotango.com/spanish/las_obras/Tema.aspx?id=Vt2c170Lynk=
I proposed Hugo Diaz's version just because it is very slow: this is the reason why nobody would dance it "as a milonga".
 
bordertangoman said:
.., "Tom-Waits-tango-till-they're-sore" well grounded shuffle.....
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@ border: Please help me, I´m not really familiar with the term shuffle: 40 Years ago when I submerged into those Robert Johnson pieces and wiretapped it for my guitar playing, I came across that word for the last time. Concerning Tango til They're Sore I can hear those characteristical dotted notes, but only on the right piano hand and only in a one-bar long riff. Swing or at least Boogie has a riff which is two bars long. So I would call (the version I saw/heard on YT) label as ragtime, not shuffle.
 
I'm very excited to see suggestions for alternative tango songs and below I'll share some songs that I've come across while DJing -- I have not read over all suggestions posted here (I'm slowly working through them :)) so I apologize for any repeats. Also, some songs are classified as "tango" songs but they have the non-traditional feel :)

Melody Gardot -- Heart as black as night
Melody Gardot -- Worrisome Heart
Janis Joplin -- Summertime
Kronos Quartet -- Tabu (Taboo)
Yael Naim -- Toxic
Bajofondo -- Zitarrosa
Electrocutango -- Felino
Kate Nash -- Habanera
Korey Ireland -- Mi-lon-gone
Rachel Portman -- Caravan (Chocolat soundtrack)
Allen Toussaint -- Egyptian fantasy
Willis -- Word up
Rene Aubry -- Chaloupée
Quadro Nuevo -- Sultana
Quadro Nuevo -- L'Ete Indien
Quadro Nuevo -- Isla de las mujeres
Boban Markovic -- Sat
Boban Markovic (with Shantel) -- Disko
Bregovic -- Ausencia
Bregovic & Radivojevic (or Saban Bajramovic) -- Maki maki
Beats Antique -- Roustabout
Beats Antique -- Borino
Beats Antique -- Nesatavo
Dave Matthews Band -- Crash into me
Portishead -- Glory Box
Protishead -- Only you
Michael Buble -- Fever
Norah Jones -- I wouldn't need you
Buena Vista Social Club -- El carretero
Daniel Melingo -- Leonel el Feo
Fortuna -- Tango Idishe
Ruthie Foster -- Death came a knockin' (traveling shoes)
Banda Ionica -- Espinita
Shantel -- Dimineata
Rootsman -- Ta Travudia
Anjulie -- Boom
Babyface & Desree -- Fire
Blind Boys of Alabama -- Amazing Grace
Circus Contraption -- Hot potato
Dresden Dolls -- Missed me
Luminescent Orchestrii -- Knockin'
Maria Montalvo -- India song
Sneaker Pimps -- Underground


Milongueo del Ayer & Te vas milonga (search on YouTube -- Umral duo de guitarras)
 
Welcome to Dance Forums Evelina! That's a great list. :)

There are a couple old threads with alternative music too, maybe I'll see if I can find them and bump them later.
 
opendoor said:
@ border: Please help me, I´m not really familiar with the term shuffle: 40 Years ago when I submerged into those Robert Johnson pieces and wiretapped it for my guitar playing, I came across that word for the last time. Concerning Tango til They're Sore I can hear those characteristical dotted notes, but only on the right piano hand and only in a one-bar long riff. Swing or at least Boogie has a riff which is two bars long. So I would call (the version I saw/heard on YT) label as ragtime, not shuffle.
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Shuffel; def: To slide (the feet) along the floor or ground while walking.


on the music; it doesnt have a milonga rhythm..in fact the rhythm is very steady and its the singing that provides the interest along with piano accompaniment and a bit of trumpet/trombone? underscore

I dont think its ragtime......

the chorus for instance is:
Let me fall out the window
With confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better
On a blanket by the stairs
I'll tell you all my secrets
But I lie about my past
So send me off to bed forever more.

Little Drop of Poison; is more intersting; if you can get thr rr r r oll of the piano into your feet its great...
 
Thx!! sometimes english can be very easy: there is a similar word in german shuffle = schlurfen (the walking style without lifting ones feet).

Always thought it was an american music style, and did not follow my intuitive understanding.

I also labelled the dotted notes in the blues accompaniment on the guitar shuffel

something like
350px-Shuffle_im_Offbeat.png


By the way, for me Boogie has a riff of two bars, whereas RagTime only a one bar riff (alternating bass).
 
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