Tango Masters: Carlos Di Sarli

Volume 3 of the Tango Masters series

By Michael Lavocah

About this tango music book

Carlos Di Sarli (1903-1960) created what many dancers consider the most elegant music in tango. Uniquely among the great orchestras, his late recordings are loved as much as, or even more than, his early ones. Broad waves of melody give his music a majestic feeling, yet at heart it stays simple, which is why it is a favourite of dancers everywhere.

The orchestra’s strong walking beat came from a distinctive blend of bandoneons and strings and from Di Sarli’s own commanding touch at the piano. He was the one irreplaceable musician in the line-up and guarded his style closely, even refusing to let other musicians watch him play. The book also portrays his sensitive, principled and complex personality, summed up in his nickname El Señor del Tango, the gentleman of tango.

What you will find inside

• Introductions to the key musicians of the orchestra, so you can hear them within the music
• Listening guides to the most important dance recordings
• The story of the bandleader set against Argentina’s social and cultural history
• Discographies and notes that help DJs choose and dancers understand the music
• Research by Michael Lavocah, author of Tango Stories: Musical Secrets

Who is this book for?

Tango dancers who want to understand and feel the music they dance to, tango DJs building tandas, and anyone who loves the Golden Age orchestras. It reads well alongside your own listening, one recording at a time.

Why we recommend it

Di Sarli is often the first orchestra new dancers fall in love with, and this volume explains why. Lavocah helps you hear the bass line, the piano and the singers of each period, so the elegant walk that Di Sarli invites becomes something you understand, not just feel. The portrait of a proud, private and principled man adds a human dimension to the music. It is an ideal tango music book for dancers who want to improve their musicality through listening rather than steps, and for DJs who want to know which Di Sarli periods belong together in a tanda. Calm, clear and deeply researched, like the music itself.

Published in 2018 by milonga press. 272 pages, ISBN 978-1999755119. Volume 3 of the Tango Masters series.

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