Gardel was a towering figure in tango in the early 20th century. He started his career in his teens singing in bars and at private parties, eventually becoming one of the most respected voices to emerge from Argentina and Uruguay (both countries claim him as their own). On top of being a singer, Gardel was also a leading man in feature films for Paramount Pictures. His first full-length movie, "Luces de Buenos Aires," came out in 1931, four years before his death in a plane accident.
Songs to download: "Por Una Cabeza," "Mi Buenos Aires Querido," "Mi Noche Triste" and "Volver."
Pugilese was known best for his expressive tango piano play. Like Carlos Gardel, Pugliese started early. He was 15 when he began playing in restaurants throughout Buenos Aires. He would go on to associate himself with notable names such as Roberto Firpo and bandoneón player Pedro Maffia. His communist views resulted in censorship from the Argentine government, but the effects of his arrangements can still be heard in tango music today.
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Songs to download: "Seguime, Si Podes," "Bandoneón Arrabalero," "Malandraca" and "La Yumba."
Piazzolla is credited with starting the nuevo tango movement, a brand of tango that infuses elements of jazz and classical music that caused a stir with hardline traditionalists when first introduced in the 1950s. Even in his youth, Piazzolla was a talented bandoneón player. Carlos Gardel was so enamored when he saw him play, he snagged Piazzolla a role in his film "El día que me quieras" when Piazzolla was still a boy. Piazzolla's innovations have inspired generations of tango musicians to stray from the norm. Several compilations of remixed Piazzolla songs have been released. His influence also can be heard in Paul Buckmaster's score of the 1995 Terry Gilliam film "12 Monkeys."
Songs to download: "Milonga del Angel," "Libertango," "Tanguedia III" and "Milonga Loca."
Like Bajofondo, Tanghetto is a tango fusion collective that mixes traditional tango sounds with electronic backbeats. The group was founded in 2001 by composers Max Masri and Diego Velázquez in Bueno Aires and was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2004 for its debut album, "Emigrante." Its music relies heavily on the bandoneón and has more of an electronica, New Age feel than Bajofondo's stuff. Tanghetto is known for covering popular hits by Depeche Mode and New Order.
Songs to download: "Enjoy the Silence," "Montevideo," "Blue Monday"
