BBC - Radio 3 - Awards for World Music 2005

GOTAN PROJECT (FRANCE)

Full track details

Tango arrived in Paris from Buenos Aires at the start of the 20th Century so sparking a craze for the dance that has never died. Rudolph Valentino briefly turned tango into an international phenomenon, Astor Piazolla created an art music comparable to jazz or contemporary classical. Now Parisian outfit Gotan Project have taken tango into Western Europe's clubs and cafes.

Gotan Project - Gotan being a play upon 'tango' - consists of a core nucleus of three French musicians: Phillippe Cohen Solal, Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H. Muller. They are joined by several exceptional Argentinian musicians: pianist Gustavo Beytelmann and bandoneon (the tango accordion) player Nini Flores and vocalist Cristina Vilallonga (from Catalunya). Their album "La Revancha Del Tango" (XL) was released in 2001 and quickly became a sensation, selling over 750,000 copies in Europe alone.

Gotan pioneered a way to build bridges between tango and Jamaican dub music, realising dub'’s ability to distort and colour sound could reshape tango while retaining its weary, soulful beauty. Initially they released three ten-inch singles on their own Ya Basta label. Almost immediately the likes of Radio 1 DJ Giles Peterson were championing the band and they became the hottest flavour in France. A deal with XL followed and the "La Revancha Del Tango" album was immediately recognised as a contemporary classic. "The thing we wanted for the album is to make something with one sound, one mood," says Phillipe. "And I think that the tango music is quite melancholic. We wanted a very raw sound for the drums, something very organic. We wanted to make a short album with just essential tracks."

In 2004 they released "Inspiracion-Espiracion", a new Gotan DJ set with remixes from their debut album, new tracks and funky tangos. This album is remarkably varied, ranging from a twangy Calexico remix to African American rappers laying down rhymes over pure percussion remixes. All of which suggests 2005 will find Gotan Project making music that continues to reinvent and reshape tango as we know it.

Garth Cartwright (courtesy of fRoots)

Audio and Video from R3 Awards 2003
La Revancha Del Tango album review
Gotan Project official website

Your Comments

Zara ...Canada
I'm 80 yrs old a small tiny woman who loves the tango.I've heard it all until Now.Been waiting all my life for this sexy beat and music.....

Ian,England
I fell in love with the 2001 album and have ordered the 2006 album,geniuses(i hope i spelled that right)

Carl Patagonia, Chile
it´s a pleasure to have this music from heaven in the Earth of the dreams to live the reality.

Ricardo Díaz G - México
I think that the Gotan Project music is awesome, i bought the new Cd, Lunático and is the best Cd that i ever had, i recommend all cd, i like so much the single Diferente. I hope you buy this Cd.

Khabarovsk, Russian Federation
Guys!!! I just have no words to express my feelings! I'm crazy fan of jazz for many years & YOU!!! YOU are phenomenon! thanks

louis CHI TOWN
the new global sound of south america

Lucas Castro - Brazil
In my married I will be dance Gotan Project...heheehhehhe Its so perfect!!! Go back to Brazil please

Mariana - Bulgaria
Fabulous! I can't stop listening!!! I hope there will e more albuns!

Wim, Belgium
Gotan Project introduced me two years ago into (modern) tango music at the Werchter Rock Festival. And how! The music gets better and better every time you listen to it: melancholic, sensual, it catches your heart from the beginning till the very last note.

Linda, British Columbia, Canada
Wow!!!!! Love the music, gets you swaying to the beat.

Andrei - Canada
fantabulous!! They need more releases!!!!!!!

Maria Gabriela Biasotti - Canada
That music is great...

John, Bristol UK
big thumbs up from me

Will, London
You know those tunes that stay with you - almost speaking your daily rhythm? These Gotan boys have it sussed!

Rosen, Sofia, Bulgaria
GOTAN PROJECT is the best!!! I like them!!!

Anna Guyenot
The name of the player in the photo is VICTOR VILLENA and not Nini FLores, and he is Bandonion player and not accordion player!!! Be careful with your info!!!

Allegra, somewhere in the Balkans
Their music made me happy and smiling.

Petya, Bulgaria
There are NO words that can describe their misic. You just have to LISTEN!!!

Rae (Singapore)
Most sensual music I have ever heard~! Simply a chill out theme with a twist of sexy tango. The combination is simply intelligent~!

GianCarlo, Miami Beach, Florida
Gotan Project is the Astor Piazzola of our time. Thanks to them, tango has evolved with our times and has a secure place in the future.

Bart , Belgium
I love the rhythms and all the different kinds of instruments and the way the songs are built... just pure pleasure to listen to if you ask me

Melodie,España
AMAZING!!!!!!!!