The elegant style and restrained passion of tango has made it one of the most recognized and popular forms of music and dance around the world. Its romantic allure has earned it such a wide following that there are now tango clubs from Seattle to Sydney. Over the past decade, DJs and contemporary musicians have taken tango in new directions with electronic-based compositions known as "new tango." Putumayo has traveled the globe to find many of the best tango and tango-influenced songs the world has to offer. From tango's birthplace in Buenos Aires to its adoptive homes of Athens, Lisbon, Helsinki and other cities, Tango Around the World weaves together passion, style and elegance to create a rich musical tapestry that features traditional tango alongside contemporary fusions.
Watch the video for Fortuna's "Tango Idishe"
Fortuna was born and lives in Brazil but records Sephardic music, the music of the Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492. Sephardic communities in North Africa and the Middle East have maintained their traditions for hundreds of years and the music blends elements of Spanish flamenco and Middle Eastern music. Fortuna also explores the Jewish connections in South America, where there is a substantial Jewish population. She notes, for example, that one of the first synagogues in the Americas was founded in the Brazilian city of Recife, and that there may be Jewish influences on the popular accordion-based dance styles common to the area.
A portion of Putumayo's proceeds from the sale of Tango Around the World will be donated to L.I.F.E. Argentina, which works to improve the quality of life of underserved and underprivileged Argentinean children.
