impressions

Festivalito Rural 2013

DJs

All dancers, all friends...

Ramona Budui Romania

A new girl on the block ... you will love her!

Melina Sedó Germany

... describes herself like this [source]:

I have been DJing (and greatly enjoying it) since 2004, during our travels as well as at our own events. I also give DJ-seminars in which I speak about the role and work of a traditional Tango-DJ.

Traditional arrangements: I arrange the music in tandas with cortinas and in a fixed sequence of tangos, milongas and valses. I use only classic tango music, mostly from the “Golden Era”, the 30s and 40s of the last century. Now and then I make an excursion into the late 20s (e.g. Orquesta Tipica Victor) or 50s (Carlos Di Sarli), and quite rarely I might play a track by a contemporary orchestra.

Danceability is my primary concern: I only play music which is fit to be danced to in the salón. Experimental or undanceable music like electro tango, non-tango, Piazzolla, show dance orchestras or tango cancion is never heard where I DJ. I also don’t play salsa or chacarera.

An interesting and varied selection of music: During the time between 1925 until the end of the 1950s so many wonderfully danceable tracks have been recorded that any milonga is much too short to present even a fraction of them. Since every orchestra has its own distinctive style, it never gets boring or monotonous when I DJ. The happy faces of the dancers attest to that.

Singers are part of the orchestra: For some time now claims have been made here and there that only instrumental music is truly danceable. Neither I nor the DJs in Buenos Aires agree with that. Roughly 2/3 of all tangos contain vocal passages in which the singer becomes part of the orchestra and transmits melody, mood or important content. In Buenos Aires, every milonguero knows the lyrics and you can often hear them softly sing along as they dance. This ratio is reflected in my choice of music.

This is a recent interview with Dj Melina.

Lampis Greece/USA

... has been fascinated by tango and continuously tries to expand his understanding of this complex art form. He strongly believes that appropriate music is a critical factor for an emotionally fulfilling evening of dancing and he aims to achieve exactly that with his music selections. He focuses on traditional music that brings the dancers on the dance floor and keeps them there until the very end of the milonga. Lampis is a sought-after DJ and has been invited to festivals and major events from coast to coast in the USA as well as abroad. [p.c.]

Almabruja Italy

... describes herself like this (p.c.):

I play a selection of traditional music that ranges from 30s to 50s, organized into tandas and cortinas. Inevitable D'Arienzo, Biagi, Rodriguez, Fresedo, Di Sarli, Tipica Victor, Lomuto, but also Malerba, Troilo, Donato, Laurenz, Calò. I have a real soft spot for Canaro. Varela or Pugliese in moderation. On certain evenings a modern tanda can slip (but not at Festivalito Rural!), a mixed tanda usually containing some older music too, or a Rock & Roll or Chacarera cortina.

I construct tandas as a dancer and I select them according to the interpretation of the messages coming from the dance floor, in the belief that the DJ should provide service to the dancers. I play music with a dual purpose: to free the largest number of chairs in the room and ... satisfy the ear of those who, by will, fatigue or a bit of bad luck, remain seated.

The rarest piece of the evening is never just for ears and I try to propose it with respect to the balance created during the evening. Deep respect and sincere admiration for Piazzolla's tango, but I reserve the right to hear it at home with a good red wine glass.

Alan Spotti Italy

... is a DJ who needs no introduction ;-)