Jacinta MacPhillamy, well-known Sydney violinist is playing with Tango Bar at venues around Sydney.  The band performed at Sydney's Milonga Para Los Ninos in 2009 and frequently perform at milongas and tango events around Sydney.

On March 12, 2010 they will be performing at Cafe Carnivale.

 

Jacinta asked the members of Tango Bar to tell us about their music.

"Tango music originated in the Rio de la Plata region in the late 19 century, "says Justo Diaz, one of the band members."It was a fusion of rhythms such as candombe, habanera, cuplé and milonga and was originally music for the marginal areas and brothels played with guitars and flute. At the beginning of the 20 century there were Tango academies in many European cities, often Tango lyrics talk about the loneliness in Paris, the nostalgia for Buenos Aires or the romances in distant lands.
Some of those stories were reflected in films such as; 'El Exilio de Gardel' or 'Tango Bar'."

The musicians of Tango Bar

Australia now has their own Tango Bar - the band members have been playing Tango Music here for many years.

Raúl Techera plays the bandoneon, the instrument that displaced the flute in the Tango ensembles. Raúl learned in his country Uruguay with Francisco Jaurena and Rolando Gavioli, he has played, since 1971, with “Raúl Campos y su Típica de Candombe” and “Donato Raciati” back home and in Australia, with “Vanguardia”, “Los Ases del Tango” and “The Sydney Tango Band”.

Miguel Guzmán is the creator of the group, he is a second generation tango guitarist and in Australia started the original “Tango Bar” with bandoneonist José Luis Betancor and multi-instrumentalist Justo Díaz. Miguel has pioneered Latin Music in Australia working with many other musicians and also with his Latin Jazz band “Casanova”. With Darío Palermo and Justo and Jacinta McPhillamy they also performed as Cambalache for a few years.

Justo Díaz, sings and plays bass, guitarrón, and guitar with Tango Bar, but he also plays charango or quenas in duo with Miguel in the band’s folk music interludes. Justo has played a key role in the development of Latin and World music in Australia with his pioneer band “Papalote”, as a founding member of The Latin American Cultural Centre, “La Peña” later, and now, with the creation and artistic direction of Musica Viva’s Café Carnivale, the concept of the Café was created while he was the Ministry for the Arts ‘NSW Multicultural Music Coordinator’. Justo has also performed Tango in “Tango Australis” with José Luis Betancor and Jeannie Lewis.

The sound of Old Guard Tango

“Tango Bar” specializes in the authentic rhythmic feel of the early “Guardia Vieja” (Old Guard) Tangos but they are also composing and exploring the repertory of New Tango, looking for the best expressions of the new repertory.
Tango Bar has played in many 'milongas' such as in Newcastle for “Latino Nights” in early February, in Café Carnivale and will play for Fiesta 2009 in Darling Harbour.

Photos: Tangoexpressions and Martin Fallows

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