Modern Tango World N° 5 (Mexico) | Page 10

Paco Barrón Group has collaborated with all tango ar tists that have visited Mexico, since the 70s. The recent history of tango in Mexico would not be the same without the presence of Paco Barrón, who from a young age took the path of music. He established many musical groups and has been part of many others. His exceptional quality in playing the bass and, above all, the piano, leads to a group that plays every Friday, without fail, for dancers at the Arrabalero milonga. For many years, he was the musical director of the television program, Añoranzas, on Channel 11. The show ran for many decades. The list of musicians who were showcased on it is very long. Los Pibes (The Guys) is a group of brothers who have dedicated their lives to tango music since childhood. They are the children of Don Ricardo Perez, a great fan of Argentina popular music. Don Ricardo’s first instrument was a guitar. He instilled in their children the love for Rio Plata culture. After a while, they acquired a bandoneon and were overpowered by it. Today, without the presence of Don Ricardo, Los Plibes include Angel Perez (bandoneon), Rafael Perez (guitar, piano, bandoneon, and vocals), Ruben Perez (bandoneon), Linda Perez (vocals), and Martin Perez who dances Malambo and other Argentine folkloric dances. They have collaborated with a number of artists, such as Esther Soler and Hugo Jordan. In a heartfelt way, the authentic flavor and love shows through in their interpretations of a traditional repertoire. Their popularity is testimony to the artistic longevity of their work. Tango Nuevo has kept working for many years. It started in 1998, founded by its director, Victor Madariaga. The musicians are graduates of the National School of Music. The instrumentation of the group has changed over time. Initially, it was comprised solely of accordion, violin and bass. Five years later, they introduced the piano and guitar. At first, they were accompanied by different singers, until they found their solo voice — Liliana Buneder. Their current lineup includes Frania Mayorquín (piano), Rodrigo Lluch (violin), Victor Madariaga (bandoneon) and Mario Cortés (bass). Sometimes, they play with the Orquesta Mexicana de Tango. Tango Nuevo was the first Mexican group to give a concert in Buenos Aires. It has maintained a clean style and high quality interpretation that led them to represent Mexico at major international festivals, such as the First International Festival Astor Piazzolla, in Mar del Plata. Currently, they offer a purely instrumental performance that adapts smoothly to both social dance and stage. They cover many of the prominent composers from tango history, including Astor Piazzolla, Osvaldo Pugliese, Horacio Salgán, Juan d’Arienzo, as well as some current music from contemporary tango. —8— To Subscribe, Click here