Paint it Black: Stanley Black"s "All Time Top Tangos"

THE ALL TIME TOP TANGOS
STANLEY BLACK AND HIS ORCHESTRA
LONDON PS 172

Third up in my series of London's popular catalog is a release from Stanley Black and his Orchestra entitled "All Time Top Tangos" (London PS 176). This is a Full Frequency Stereophonic Sound "wideband" label deep groove pressing, made in England by Decca for export to the United States. It is housed in a handsome "blueback" jacket.

You may not have danced the tango with Valentino, but you'll certainly find several of these selections strangely familiar. "La Cumparasita" for example, which opens Side One, has been used so often in movies and television, that it is THE tango one thinks of whenever the word is mentioned. Other selections such as "Rosita", "Amargura", "Adios, Pampa Mia" and "El Choclo" are favorites as well. Using an appropriately small ensemble, the versatile conductor Stanley Black gives these tangos the necessary drama and polish. I am no expert on the tango, so I can't say that this is 100% authentic. But whether dancing or just listening, this set is a gem. The music by design is small scale, so don't expect a sonic spectacular. I think the Decca engineers have done an admirable job in conveying the feeling of a intimate soiree of another time, with up to date (as of 1958) sonics. If your missing a tango album in your collection, this