When mentioning the term ‘Tango Fusion’, you wouldn’t be wrong in wondering what on earth it means. Nowadays, this terminology is often associated with music bands who take the traditional sounds of the Argentine Tango, popular within latin dancing world-wide, and re-invent the music, mixing modern electronic funky beats with the traditional latin guitars, accordians, and sultry tones of the seductive tango. This culminates in creating a delicious final product.

The Argentine philosophy asks for all music and dancing aficcionados out there to put on their tango shoes and boogie a passionate dance in the style of sweaty gauchos in Buenos Aires. When you hear the first beat, we can guarantee you’ll be on the dancefloor quicker than you can even utter the words ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

Two of the bands who use and apply the ‘Tango Fusion’ approach to ecclectic diversity are Gotan Project and Bajofondo.

Gotan Project formed in Paris in 1999 and are a collaboration of artistes from Argentina, France and Switzerland, coming together to play around with typical notions of what tango music represents and its cultural influence on the world music and dance scene.

Their hugely-successful album ‘La Revancha Del Tango’ sold in-excess of a million copies worldwide and helped push the boundaries of what latin music is considered to be.

The name Gotan derives from an anagram of ‘tango’, representing a play-on-words of the music form and a re-invention of its meaning.

Gotan Project’s ecclectic musical style is harboured from real experimentation. Although their music is distinctive of the tango, their use of beats, breaks, and electronic elements act as an accompaniment to enhance any classic tango.

Philippe from the group says; “we really want to explore both tango and folkloric music from Argentina a lot further than we have before. That’s why many of the tracks are really classically tango-orientated, very traditional patterns that people like (Anibal) Troilo would use”.

Gotan Project’s music is now heard everywhere, from reality programmes to Hollywood movies. The group has re-invented Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera’s classic tango tune, ‘Por Una Cabeza’, which had previously been made famous in the tango scene with Al Pacino in the film Scent of a Woman, and adapted it into a traditional but undoutedly contemporary sounding piece. The tune recently featured on Strictly Come Dancing when last years’ winners Tom Chambers and Camilla Dallerup (pictured left) danced their Argentine Tango to this classic instrumental song.

Gotan’s music has become so widespread that we find it cropping up everywhere. They have certainly put a strong and assertive tango stamp on an ever-changing creative world.
Probably their most famous tune to date, ‘Santa Maria (del Buen Aire)’ has appeared in the film Shall We Dance in the scene where Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere attempt to dance a sultry tango. The song was also used for Emma Bunton and Darren Bennett’s Argentine Tango on Strictly Come Dancing in 2006 (pictured left).

The show also promoted Gotan Project’s version of Sarah Vaughan’s ‘Whatever Lola Wants’, as used by
Don Warrington and partner Lilia Kopylova for a ballroom tango (pictured right).

One of their other tunes, ‘Last Tango in Paris’ featured in the penultimate-ever episode of popular girly series Sex and the City when lead protagonist Carrie Bradshaw first arrives in the City of Love. Their music also got heavy canvassing in the movie Ocean’s Twelve as ‘El Capitalismo Foraneo’ was used to great affect in a dramatic interrogation scene.

It looks like Gotan Project’s music can found in the most obscure of places. Even their tune ‘Época’ has been used in an advert for dishwasher tablets. Must be something in the water.

Another of the ‘Tango Fusion’ brigade, Bajofondo were formerly known by the name Bajofondo Tango Club, but the group shorterned it when they felt their music took on the transition from mere ‘electro tango’ into a more broadened music style.

The group consist of members from both Argentina and Uruguay and they often refer to themselves as a “collective of composers, singers and artists”.

Their first self-titled album sold in excess of 300,00 copies leading to Grammy nominations galore. After this, latin music seemed to be placed firmly on the road to ascendance once again.

Their album ‘Mar Dulce’ is possibly their most famous work to date and has often been described as ‘Latin Alternative’ due to its blend of contemporary electro beats and the sounds that derive from the Rio de la Plata that lies between Argentina and Uruguay.

Bajofondo’s music not only displays that of ‘Tango Fusion’, but the group subsequently generates tunes that reflect unique house, trip-hop, and also chilled rhythms; redefining tango for 21st century ears.

Group member Gustavo Santaolalla says of Bajofondo’s musical style; “we don’t like the label ‘electronic tango’ because we try to make a contemporary music of Rio de la Plata (the river that forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay) music from Argentina, from Uruguay. Obviously, if you want to do music that comes from there or represents that part of the world tango is going to be part of it – but, in our case, so is rock ‘n’ roll, electronica and hip hop. Hopefully a new language, not pure tango.”

One comparison that does undoubtedly exist between Bajofondo’s music and that of Gotan Project is that like the latter,  Bajofondo have had stellar success in the creative world, as their music also seems to be played across various distinctive mediums.

Their work also gets numerous outings on Strictly Come Dancing and their song ‘Infiltrado’ made an appearance on last year’s show when Lisa Snowdon and Brendan Cole got down and dirty to the tune for their Argentine Tango (pictured left).

Bajofondo have also collaborated with many diverse artists in the music industry including Elvis Costello and Nelly Furtado, and have gone back to their tango roots by performing with Uruguayan tango singer Lagrima Rios.

The Financial Times described Bajofondo’s electric ability to create such diverse music when they reviewed one of the group’s performances at the Barbican Centre in London. They said that “DJ Juan Campodonico triggered drum loops and samples that cross-fertilised with the more traditional tango ensemble of violin, bandoneón…and double bass, all of which were brilliantly played by masters of their instruments”.

All tango-holics like me out there may wonder what lies next in store for the genre of
‘Tango Fusion’.

From Gotan Projects’ ‘Santa Maria (Del Buen Aire)’ and ‘Una Musica Brutal’ to Bajofondo’s
‘Infiltrado’ and ‘Pa’ Bailar’, the influences of the ‘Tango Fusion’ brand are endless. Both
groups’ music is everywhere and hasn’t solely been reserved for sequin-clad movers on
dancefloors or the tango kings and queens who dance out on the Pampas of Buenos Aires.

Gotan Project and Bajofondo’s styles have also inspired bands like Electro Dub Tango,
Tanghetto, Bailongo! and Alacran, who seem to have followed suit in applying the ‘Tango
Fusion’ style to their music.

The creative world has undoubtedly helped canvas success for ‘tango fusion’ groups and these
musicians have not been afraid to re-modify sound in their quest for latin rhythms that break with
convention.

It seems music of this style can be heard anywhere and everywhere, whether we are aware of
it or not.

In the future, if you watch a programme like Strictly Come Dancing and see the professional
dancers and their celebrity partners dancing tangos and ask; “Ooh, that song is great. I wonder
who its by?” Well, now you know.

By Laura Scobie

13/08/09

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