Episode 11

Sometimes, you come across a stunning track that stands out from the rest of an orchestra’s repertoire. The challenge then arises: how do you build a tanda around it?  

Recently, I discussed this very issue in the Tango DJ Forum. The track in question was 𝑴𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑪𝒂𝒍ó’𝒔 𝑳𝒂𝒔 𝑪𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒔 (1936) — a piece that feels completely distinct from Caló’s other recordings of that period.

When I scanned Caló’s discography between 1935 𝒂𝒏𝒅 1940, I found very few recordings:  

• 1935 – 6 tangos

• 1936 – 4 tangos

• 1937-1939 – 0 tangos

• 1940 – 1 tango

None of these, to my ear, fit well with Las Campanas. Moving into the 1940s, Caló’s sound evolved significantly, both in orchestration and vocalists, making those later tracks feel out of place when paired with this 1936 gem. Of course, DJing is subjective, and my perspective isn’t absolute, but I invite you to listen and judge for yourself.  

𝑯𝑶𝑾 𝑻𝑶 𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑳𝑬 𝑨 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑸𝑼𝑬 𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑰𝑵 𝑨 𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑨?  

There are several approaches DJs take when faced with this dilemma:  

1. 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑶𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔  

   If the original orchestra doesn’t provide a natural match, looking at contemporaries can help. In this case, I was pointed toward the deep musical connection between 𝑴𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑪𝒂𝒍ó and 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒐 𝑫𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 in the 1930s. Their styles share a “genetic” link, making them compatible for a tanda. For instance, pairing Las Campanas (1936) with

• Caló’s Nostalgias (1936)

• Demare’s Telón (1938)

•  Demare's Din Don (1938)

creates a cohesive set.

2. 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑶𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂  

Some DJs prefer to stay within the same orchestra, even if the tracks don’t perfectly align. Harmonic mixing tools can help identify tracks that blend well despite differences in instrumentation or vocal style.  

3. 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚  

A fresh perspective from a dancer-turned-DJ highlights another approach:  

   > A different singer can make two tangos sound worlds apart, but not all differences affect dancers. Major shifts in rhythm, dynamics, or energy matter, but variations in vocal tone alone don’t necessarily disrupt the tanda. If a track has the same danceability as others in the set, dancers will adapt and enjoy it.  

4. 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑮𝒆𝒎  

   Not every beautiful tango needs to be played in a tanda. Some DJs choose to enjoy unique tracks in their private listening collections rather than forcing them into a tanda where they might feel out of place.  

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑳 𝑫𝑬𝑪𝑰𝑺𝑰𝑶𝑵: 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑭𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑹 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑺  

In the end, every DJ must decide what works best for their style and audience. Taste is subjective, but the ultimate measure is the response from the dancers. Do they stay engaged? Do they move effortlessly between tracks? The floor will always provide the best feedback.

#tango, #TangoArgentino, #tangodancer, #milonga, #milonguero, #tangodj