Award-winning tango performer Chris Vasquez of New York takes his audience by the hand and leads them through the seductive musical world of tango in his show, The Son of Tango: A tribute to Carlos Gardel.
In the show, Vasquez explores the life of Gardel, a renowned tango musician, and the history of the Argentinean music and dance.
The show, which has been running for four years throughout the New York area, will debut in Union City on Tuesday, Aug. 21, at Juan Pablo Duarte Park at 7 p.m. The performance in the park is free.
For the love of tango
“To me tango is a very personal kind of music,” said Vasquez. “It’s a way to communicate.”
Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Vasquez first became familiar with the music of Gardel through his father, who was originally from the Dominican Republic. Although he was not brought up speaking Spanish at home, Vasquez was familiar with certain singers like Gardel and bolero singer Julio Iglesias.
It was after he began to pursue a performing arts career that Vasquez began to work and make connections with other Latino stage performers, who encouraged him to explore his heritage.
“That’s when I really began to learn and explore my connection to my Spanish culture,” said Vasquez.
After living in Chicago for a brief stint in the 90s, Vasquez moved to New York City and began to learn more Spanish music, which he would perform at restaurants and other venues.
“Being in New York and being around these musicians gave me a great opportunity. [It] helped me learn Spanish songs,” said Vasquez.
Although he loved to perform and learn many of the cultures’ famed signature styles, such as salsa and merengue, he became enamored with the world of tango, and thus rekindled the memory of one of his favorite singers growing up.
“I was taken and moved by it,” said Vasquez.
One of the first tango songs he learned to sing was “Adios Muchachos” (Goodbye, boys) with piano accompaniment. After a while, Vasquez began performing at Tango, an Argentinean restaurant in New York that has since closed.
“I would learn one to two songs a week,” said Vasquez. “The songs are so sad, but to me it feels like a nice way to cleanse the soul. It gets rid of whatever [tragedy you have] in your life, and to me, it’s such a powerful way to do it.”
Over the years, Vasquez has performed in venues across the United States, as well as in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Medellin, Colombia. He also produced and created several tango shows including “The Son of Tango.”
In addition, Vasquez was awarded the “Best Singer” prize at the International Tango Music Competition in New York.
In memory of Gardel
The show highlights selections of music from Gardel’s early career until his death in 1935. Throughout the show, Vasquez intertwines anecdotes from Gardel’s life with his beautiful and memorable songs.
“I pay a lot of respect to Carlos Gardel,” said Vasquez. “Listening to those songs and his records as a child had such an affect on me.”
Vasquez is the singer-narrator, and is accompanied by Tito Castro, a bandoneon (small accordion) player, and Pablo Navarro, a guitarist. Castro and Navarro have also performed in festivals throughout the world, and accompanied many musical legends such as Placido Domingo, Hugo del Caril, the late Celia Cruz, Roberto Goyeneche, and Libertad Lamarque.
Dancers Dario DaSilva and Claire Vivo of the Tango Fusion Dance Company in upstate New York tell the story through dance.
“I’m doing an abridged version and scaling it down for families, so it’s not as edgy,” Vasquez said of the Union City performance.
He added, “I’m working with two of the greatest tango musicians, and the dancers are terrific. It’s a nice group and it’s a nice show.”
During the bilingual musical performance, Vasquez speaks to the audience in English and sings Gardel’s songs in Spanish. He also interjects an original tango piece sung in English.
The show takes the audience through 1920s and 1930s Buenos Aires in Argentina.
“[Tango] is very sensual, but it’s also very competitive,” said Vasquez. “It came from foot games that men played [at the beginning of the 20th century] with each other and [eventually] put it to music.”
This style of footwork began gaining popularity in the bordellos (pubs) of Argentina, which also then got the attention of women who eventually joined the game, which has been transformed into the popular dance of today.
“Men really created a world, or a pattern, for women to dance in,” said Vasquez. “The songs are meant to be sad and deal with the issues of the time.”
“It’s quite brilliant what they created,” he added.
This is Vasquez’s second time performing in Union City. He previously performed with Spanish theater actress Lilia Vega and actor Lucio Fernandez, also commissioner of Union City, in their production at the Park Performing Arts Center called “Tango: Ida y Vuelta.”
For this show, Vasquez is hoping to touch tango aficionados and newcomers alike.
“They’ll enjoy the music, the dance and learn a little about Gardel,” said Vasquez. “If they’re really good, they may even be able to cleanse their soul.”
The concert starts at 7 p.m. at Juan Pablo Duarte Park, located at New York Avenue and 33rd Street. Jessica Rosero can be reached at jrosero@hudsonreporter.com