La Musica!

God:

Thank you for giving me the boldness to come out here and the boldness to speak a language that I am not accustomed to. Thank you for putting people in my life to guide me and for giving me something new to experience every day. Most of all, thank you for traveling with me and keeping me safe.

Love,

Dre

Why did I have to leave LA and come to BA just to find a good music spot? Last night I joined some of my housemates as they went to a little music spot. The place was quaint and intimate. The vibe was chill and the music was great. The musicians really enjoyed playing and the singer (cantador as they are called), in particular, was very animated…which was actually good for me because it helped me catch what he was saying better.

This is a picture of a Bandoneon. It is a traditional instrument of Argentine music. You may recognize the is instrument in a lot of tango music. It is like an accordion sound but it has a distinct difference that I can’t quiet explain.

The music was a mix of tango, and rock. It is hard to describe so you will just have to hear it for yourself. This is a clip of the beginning of the performance (see the short clip below...the real good clip wouldn't fit.)

Things got a little bit rowdy towards the end. I don’t know if it was alcohol, weed, or just the excitement for music but the guy playing the Bandoneon was really getting into it (lost his shirt and all).

What I loved most about this group was that they seemed to really enjoy playing their instruments. They played with such passion, especially the guy with the Bandoneon. This guy made love to his instruments and with his words. It was quite an experience. This passion is what popular singers today are missing. They don't love on the music and the words. Heck, most don't even write and compose for themselves so how could they. I think to really love your product you have to have to be vested in it, you have to have a hand in creating it and too many popular singers are not the producers, they are merely the reproducers.

The spot was quiet exclusive, one that only local Argentineans know about. It would be easy for one to pass up the little door that led to the store top room. Nevertheless, I had an inside contact and was privileged to enter and enjoy. As I sat amongst the others, waiting for the music to began, thoughts began to run thru my mind. “I hope no one is offended my me, a tourist, being here. I hope they don’t think that I am simply here to take pictures and to brag about my being here. “ The fact is that I was not there to intrude or to disrespect. I was there because I have the same a genuine love for music that they did. These questions of acceptance must be how other people feel when they enter into a group that is very homogeneous. I think about the times I have seen someone from another race enter into a majority black cultural event or venue. We must admit that these “outsiders” do catch our attention at first as we try to decipher their intentions. It is rare that anyone is ever excluded but there are, at times, questions of intentions. After all, cultures are best received if they are not to be displayed as mere entertainment or elusively spied on from a far, but rather when they are partaken in and enjoyed. For me, and many other outsiders, we recognize and embrace the similar values and loves that we share and our intrigue and enthusiasm for other cultures is a complement and attempted to be sought with the utmost respect. I am so glad that I was able to enjoy and participate in the music on this night. I was not excluded but rather embraced by the strumming for the guitars and beat of the percussion. And as I left I greeted the singer with a cheek to cheek kiss, complementing him on the beautiful music I was able to experience. Argentina has not let me down yet. Que bueno.