For the 39th week of 2025, I picked another classic: Carlos Di Sarli. This time, he’s joined by both Roberto Florio and Jorge Durán on vocals. Even though only two of the songs in this tanda are actually duets, I still listed both singers in the title. Why? A little tango trivia—just a few years after these tracks, Florio and Durán teamed up to start their own orchestra. With Orlando Trípodi at the helm, they went on to record 16 pieces together.
If you remember hits like “Porteño y bailarín,” “Tus labios me dirán,” or “Sueño de juventud,” you’ve already heard some of Di Sarli and Durán’s best moments. Durán’s vocals really shine in those early classics.
16 Sept 2025
2025-38 Roberto Firpo tango tanda
For the 38th week of 2025, I’ve picked a name you don’t hear much at milongas, but he’s a big deal in tango history: Roberto Firpo. This week, I’m spotlighting his orchestra’s instrumental tangos from 1935 to 1937. Now, when I say “orchestra,” I mean it. Firpo also recorded with his quartet around this time, but in my humble opinion those tracks don’t really fit the vibe for milongas. Still, if you just want to listen and soak in Firpo’s style, they’re a treat.
Here’s a fun fact: Firpo recorded between 1,800 and 3,000 songs during his career. That’s a staggering number. He’s seen as one of the most traditional tango musicians, but also one of the most creative and productive.
9 Sept 2025
2025-37 Rodolfo Biagi vals tanda
I’ve been spinning this week’s tanda at my live milonga sets for ages. Honestly, it never fails. People always fill the floor. This set features Rodolfo Biagi’s orchestra, with Alberto Amor on vocals. Out of the 30 tracks they recorded together, here’s the breakdown:
- 2 milongas
- 24 tangos
- 4 valses
Let’s talk about those valses. Here they are in the order they were recorded:
- Prisionero (1943)
- Paloma (1945)
- Aroma de amor (1946)
- Mañana por la mañana (1946)
2 Sept 2025
2025-36 Conjunto Berretín contemporary tango tanda
As the days grow cooler here in the Northern Hemisphere, I’ve put together a tanda that reflects the changing mood. It’s emotional but gentle—like a warm scarf on a crisp evening. Nothing too heavy, just the right mix of warmth and introspection. This week’s pick comes from Conjunto Berretín’s most recent album, La mariposa.
About the band: https://www.conjuntoberretin.com (https://www.conjuntoberretin.com/)
They've released four albums since 2003 and have performed at major tango festivals across the US. Over the years, they’ve collaborated with tango legends like Alberto Podestá, Ariel Ardit, and María Volonté.
26 Aug 2025
2025-35 Orquesta Típica Victor tango tanda
Welcome to week 35’s tanda for 2025. This time, I’ve picked Orquesta Típica Victor—probably the most famous of all the house orchestras. On vocals, we have Roberto Díaz.
Here’s a fun fact: the first track is a duet with Juan Carlos Delson and Díaz. They only recorded two tangos together. Still, you’ll see Roberto Díaz’s name in the spotlight. That’s because he sang more than 80 tracks with different orchestras—a pretty big deal back then.
Díaz was a go-to singer for big orchestras until 1935. One of my personal favorites is "Cásate conmigo." He recorded it with the Fresedo orchestra in 1935. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen sometime.
19 Aug 2025
2025-34 Edgardo Donato milonga tanda
For week 34 of 2025, I’ve put together a tanda of instrumental milongas by one of my favorites—Edgardo Donato. Okay, I’ll admit: the first track isn’t 100% instrumental. It’s actually a tango canyengue with a recitado* at the start. Still, it sets the mood perfectly and shows just how talented Donato was.
Side note: I’m not sure who does the recitado here. Since it was recorded in 1940, it’s probably Horacio Lagos, Romeo Gavioli, or maybe even Donato himself. If you know, let me know!
Donato recorded 20 milongas in total, including “El lengue.” Only three are instrumental, so if you want an all-instrumental Donato tanda, your choices are slim. Oddly enough, I’ve never heard anyone else play these three in this order—even though it’s my go-to set.
12 Aug 2025
2025-33 Ángel D’Agostino tango tanda
This week, I picked out another great tango orchestra—and honestly, it’s hard to go wrong with Ángel D’Agostino and Ángel Vargas. If you’ve ever been to a milonga, you know their music just belongs there. D’Agostino leads the orchestra, Vargas sings, and together, they made magic.
Between 1940 and 1946, these two recorded 96 songs as a duo. And here’s the kicker—almost every single one works beautifully for dancing. That’s a lot of choice for tanda building.
For this set, I pulled together my favorites from 1941 and 1942. The sound quality is great—no crackles, no weird edits—so I can play these tracks anytime and feel confident about it.
5 Aug 2025
2025-32 Aníbal Troilo tango tanda
Hope your summer’s going well—just the right amount of sunshine, not too hot, not too cool. I’ve got a new tanda for you this week, and it’s a classic. We’re talking Aníbal Troilo, one of the real legends of tango. This set features his instrumental tracks from 1941.
Now, Troilo only recorded five instrumentals that year, so picking these was pretty straightforward. The opener, Milongueando en el cuarenta, is one I use a lot. It’s a clean recording and always lifts the energy in the room. If you want an instrumental vibe, want to highlight Troilo, or just want to get people moving, this tanda is a solid choice. These tunes are well-known, so dancers will feel right at home.
29 Jul 2025
2025-31 Ricardo Tanturi vals tanda
This week, I’ve put together a tanda of valses for you. All of these are by Ricardo Tanturi, recorded after 1943. Instead of the usual Alberto Castillo, you’ll hear singers like Enrique Campos, Roberto Videla, and Osvaldo Ribó.
A quick fact: Tanturi recorded 53 tracks with Campos alone. Out of those, I’d say 46 are perfect for a milonga. Not bad, right?
From this era, there are only five valses you can really use together in a tanda, one of them instrumental. So, you don’t get a ton of variety in structure, but they all stick to that classic tango-vals feel. In other words, they’re made for dancing.
22 Jul 2025
2025-30 Juan D'Arienzo tango tanda
This week, I’m going with a classic. Yep, I’m bringing back that Juan D’Arienzo tanda (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnxnXSMZpXc)—probably the most-played tanda on YouTube. Maybe it feels like the easy pick, but honestly, it never gets old. I first shared it way back in 2013, and people from all over the world loved it. Now it’s got more than 2.4 million views. Pretty wild, right?
Over the past 12 years, I’ve played this tanda at all kinds of milongas. Big crowds, small gatherings—you name it. Today, I wondered: If I was putting this tanda together for the first time, how would I do it? So, I gave it another listen with fresh ears. Here’s what came out of that.
15 Jul 2025
2025-29 Francisco Canaro tango tanda
Hey everyone,
Hope you’re having a great summer! I’ve got a new Tanda of the Week for you. This time, it’s a set of tangos by Francisco Canaro with Ernesto Famá from 1939. These tracks are upbeat and full of life. Perfect if you want to keep things fun at your next milonga.
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