Here is my (almost current) working list of alternative sets, from a base of about 1,000 candidate alternative tracks. Many "sets" are one-sies and two-sies looking for their mates. Over time, and with a lot of patience, I hav been able to fill some voids. (The search never ends.) I have not tried all songs in the "real" environment. Some are beautiful, but I just have not the time to find the complementary traditional sets. So they sit and wait in the queue.
A number of sets can be found in the various playlists on this blog, within context of the traditional music. I think that I have become better. I like my recent lists much much much more than those from a couple of years ago.
You may notice that a song may appear in a number of sets, if I think that it fits in some way. A set of more than three songs means that any combination of three or four may work. Or, it could just mean that I am still tinkering. By the way, for every one song I keep, I probably discard dozens.
Many of these songs appear in other fantastic online repositories of alternative tango music (see my playlist links on the right). I have tried to find and listen to as many songs as possible in those lists.
Alas, I have mixed success getting great tracks from Europe. If they are not in my list here, either they have not worked their way into it from my base set, or I could not find them from sources available to me, or I have listened to them, and they are "not me."
What is a lot of fun for me are the challenges in weaving the traditionals with the alternatives. If you were to see me working on a playlist, you would see a nutcase repeatedly playing tracks, to see if the transitions work, to see if it feels right, as I move in and out of the sets. I have some crude rules that have seemed to work pretty well. For example, some kinds of alternatives work great before (or after) Canaro.
I love to look at the dancers' eyes during the transitions. If they do that Spock-eyebrow thing, then it didn't work. On the other hand, if they smile, and almost nod with their body, then it is simply the best.
Thanks to Sasha who introduced me to Wax Tailor. I love to know about your list!
2 comments:
wow wow wow!!!! You are the single biggest reason my music expenses have tripled!! these are enchanting . . . gorgeous!! I like your comment about the "Spock" expression - I've seen that at a couple of milongas - along with some head scratching. It shouldn't interrupt the flow of music to make a statement imho. When it works well (alternative selections) - you've already started dancing before it hits you that it's not "traditional". It just happens that the music's beautiful and you can't help but start dancing to it. For me, the dance is followed by, "OMG what-was-that-I-have-to-have-it!"
wow! nice work!
i want to try some of these.
this is going to be very useful for DJs who want to get more ideas about alt music and how to use it.
-joe
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