Canarissimo
Canarissimo is a show based on the tango style of Francisco Canaro with the vintage jazz rhythm of the 1920’s.
Image: Francisco Canaro, Getty Images
Francisco Canaro was born in San José de Mayo, Uruguay, in 1888. His parents were Italian immigrants, and later, when he was less than 10 years old, they emigrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina in the late nineteenth century. As a young man he found work in a factory, where an empty oil can, in his skilled hands, became his first violin. Performing in seedy bars initially, he ultimately forged a career that spanned many decades, and his orchestra is credited with over 4000 recordings. He became the wealthiest orchestra leader in tango.
In 1925 Canaro brought his famous orchestra from Buenos Aires to Paris where he fell under the spell of Josephine Baker and the American Jazz scene. His subsequent recordings clearly reflect the rhythm of the 1920’s stride piano movement, as exemplified by Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and Willie “The Lion” Smith. To this day, this highly danceable Canaro rhythm continues to be a favorite among Argentine dancers.
Image: Fats Waller, Getty Images
Image: Josephine Baker, Getty Images
Canarissimo celebrates that connection with a fresh Northern Hemispheric re-imagination of Canaro’s music in the style of the stride. The Stride Tango Trio consists of tango specialist Bertram Levy on bandoneon and vintage jazz greats Ryan Hoffman on guitar and Jonathan Doyle on clarinet. The group features the dramatic vocals of Robin Kallsen with her uniquely 1920’s voice.
