Why Tango Podcast

This episode starts with a question:“What have you been listening to lately?”Five minutes later, Adam and Heyni are digging into waltzes: why some musicians avoid them, why guitarists favor them, and why a good vals can be just as interesting as a tango.Adam and Heyni talk about:✨ How composers think (messy, obsessive, rhythmic)✨ Guitars behaving and misbehaving✨ A Nelly Omar detour no one saw comingThey talk tension, sweetness, breath, pendulums, phrasing, folklore, and why some genres pull you in without asking permission.Playlist:From Ramiro Gallo’s Album Florece:Mil veces amor- Ramiro GalloFrom Nelly Omar’s album Muchacho:Zambita para mi vieja- Nelly OmarMuchacho - Nelly OmarOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

We’re back! And Season 2 is all about listening.To kick things off, Adam ambushes Heyni with one of the wildest tango openings ever recorded: Atilio Stampone beginning Responso… with a choir. Yes, a literal choir. Yes, it somehow works. Yes, it’s glorious. Baroque wig energy meets Buenos Aires grit.Heyni fires back with a brand-new 2024 six-movement fever dream inspired by Roberto Arlt’s 300 Millones release. This Julián Peralta piece is full with drama, darkness, dream logic and one extremely satisfying apex moment.From there, things unravel in the best possible way:🎧 how composers listen (spoiler: obsessively)💃 why “danceable vs. non-danceable” is a false binary💿 are albums dead? (they shrug, keep listening)🎶 and the strange magic of transitions… the tiny details that make music flip from one world into anotherThis episode is your permission slip to get lost: in weird openings, bold choices, slow movements, heartbeat bass lines, and albums that actually take you somewhere.Season 2 starts here; with curiosity, deep dives, and two musicians discovering what makes their ears light up.Why Tango? Why not.Playlist:Responso - Atilio StamponeOrgullo Criollo - Atilio StamponeLos Mareados - Atilio StamponeSofía y los Sueños Pt.1 - La Sirvienta - Julián PeraltaSofía y los Sueños Pt.5 - El Galán - Julián PeraltaOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

Season 1 was a wild ride! Thanks for joining us!We’ve started recording season 2… Now that we covered the basis, we’re really ready to start having fun! Tag along!Why tango?Why Not?Our hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

Live (and caffeinated) from Buenos Aires, Adam and Heyni finally record face-to-face and dive headfirst into... composition. But not the tortured-genius, candles-and-quill-pen kind. This is tango composition in 2025 — weird scales, minimalist obsessions, mandolin orchestras (yes, that’s a thing), and the unexpected inspiration of white noise in hospital corridors.Heyni unpacks her new piece inspired by 24-hour shifts and walking alone through echoey hospital halls. Adam talks about the unusual scale he’s been using and how he stopped recording covers and started writing original music for himself and other performers.They also wonder: is tango entering another cycle of “back to tradition” — or are musicians just trying to survive by playing stuff people will actually dance to? 💬 In this episode:* What’s going on with tango music in the twenty first century?* Can you write music about loneliness… while surrounded by people?* And what the heck is a trilonga?Playlist:Las Orillas del Tiempo (Exequiel Mantega) - Arco & AireDespedida y después - Adam TullyOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

Adam and Heyni couldn´t leave Piazzolla out of this first seasson… What is his music really about? 🎶The Piazzolla phenomenon: the bandoneonist, the innovator, the rule-breaker who turned tango into something the world had never heard before.Was he anti-dance? Absolutely. Was he still 100% tango? Without a doubt. From his years with Troilo to his studies in France and the creation of Nuevo Tango, Piazzolla fought for a music that was uncompromisingly his own.Join them as they explore why his quintet sounds so good, why non-tango musicians sound so different when they play his music, and why that music has always been so controversial and so beloved.Playlist:Decarísimo - Astor Piazzolla QuintetEl desbande - Astor Piazzolla's 1946 OrchestraOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Lo que de ellas, sigue en nosotras by La RantifusaOur home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

Step into a virtual milonga with Adam and Heyni as they turn their attention from the stage to the dance floor.What makes tango music danceable? Is it the steady pulse, the embrace? and why do some melodies stretch like a rubber band? And why do some tangos feel impossible to dance to, while others keep the floor full all night?Oh my, that unique relationship between dancers and musicians…Playlist:Paciencia - Juan D’ArienzoOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Lo que de ellas, sigue en nosotras by La RantifusaOur home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

No full episode this week, but Adam and Heyni didn’t want to leave you hanging! In this special mini check-in, they share a peek behind the curtain: how Why Tango gets made, the challenges of editing across continents, and why your suggestions for improvement might not be heard until a year later.They talk about listener feedback, the joy of meeting fans in person, and the tools that help keep the conversation flowing. You’ll also hear about Adam’s recent performances, including upcoming shows at the Buenos Aires Tango Festival and with his quintet, and Heyni’s touring plans with Palaver Strings.Most of all, it’s a thank-you to you, the listeners, for being part of this journey. Keep your questions and comments coming. They love hearing from you!📅 New full episode in two weeks.📬 Write to: [email protected]🌐 Or comment directly on Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

In this episode, Adam and Heyni dig into the making of Arco y Aire – Una noche entre sueños. They also wonder about what happens when tango escapes traditional instrumentation.From unconventional duos to commissioning eight brand-new works, this episode is a journey through contemporary tango, musical risk-taking, and why sometimes limitations (like “no bandoneon player available”) can spark your most creative projects.They also explore the deep divide between music for dancing and music for listening. And wait, there is more, what about chamber tango?💬 Bonus:* How a mid-milonga album drop led to unexpected tears* What accessibility means in music* And is Max the only tango cellist in North America?This episode is about listening differently, breaking molds, and taking your own tango path, whether there’s a bandoneon in the room or not.Playlist:Tu Mirada - Arco y AireLas Orillas del Tiempo - Arco y AireCheck out the whole album by Heyni’s duo Arco & AireOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

In this episode, Heyni and Adam dive deep into the magic of a la parrilla, no, not the barbecue (well, sort of), but the spontaneous, by-ear approach to arranging and performing tango that shaped their musical journeys in totally unexpected ways.What begins as a conversation about an arrangement of Lágrimas turns into a deep dive into how tango musicians learn to think like arrangers, bandleaders, and composers , sometimes without ever writing a single note.From improvised arrangements to fully composed pieces, the conversation explores how tango blurs the line between performer, arranger, and composer. There’s a lot of nerding out (naturally), including theories about why parrilla might literally mean “grill,” musical memories from asados, and the deep influence of legends like Troilo, Pugliese, and Salgán.💬 Plus:* Why playing “by ear” might actually be a master-level skill* How classical musicians fall into the tango trap (in the best way)* Why composing your own tango is like refusing to re-record the Beatles’ White Album 🎙️* The musical DNA of a tango and what makes it sound uniquely yoursA little celebration dance because they stayed away from 🚨 nerd room.🎧 Stick around for a blind-listen moment where Heyni hears a Pugliese version of Lágrimas for the first time, after finishing her own arrangement. And Adam brings in a jaw-dropping mini-masterclass on A Fuego Lento by Horacio Salgán. Trust us: this one’s a wild ride, and it's only 3 minutes long.Playlist:Lágrimas - Osvaldo PuglieseA fuego lento - Quinteto RealOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

In this episode, Adam and Heyni explore (pandemic) creativity, unexpected musical collaborations, and how a duo of bandoneon players (the Ávalos–Solera Duo) ended up performing Bach fugues in churches across two continents.They also dive into Adam’s 2024 album: Cuartetos Guitarreros, a collection of original compositions for tango guitar quartet that blends traditional Argentine rhythms with a contemporary chamber vibe. And yes… there’s a sticker album involved. (Think World Cup, but with guitarists. 🎸)Join them reflecting on the beauty of doing small things that lead to big projects, and how musical obsession (and a little bit of madness) can spark something truly special.This episode is a deep dive into music-making, collaboration, and the quirks of tango musicianship, with a lot of laughs, a little nerdiness, and a whole lot of heart.And yes, there's also a 🚨 nerd room, complete with time signatures, hemiolas, and a baritone guitar. You've been warned. 🤓💬 Plus:* What’s the difference between a tango, a milonga, and a tango-milonga?* What exactly is a guitarrero?* What does musical obsession during lockdown look like?* And how many 🚨 Nerd Alerts can Adam trigger before Heyni calls him out? (Spoiler: a lot.)* Don´t forget to check “Quedate en casa,s o” the daily stream Adam had during the first few months of the pandemic. Here is the link to the episode having Adam as a host and Heyni as the guess artist.Playlist:Zorro Gris - Osvaldo PuglieseLa Semilla - Adam TullyVidalita de la Lluvia - Adam TullyMotivos Camperos - Adam TullyOur hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni SoleraTheme music: La Tomajena by Shino OhnagaInterstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully.Our home: Why tangoOur instagram: Why tangoOur email: [email protected] phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOYWhy Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com