"DID YOU EVER MEET PIAZOLLA?"

Yes. In a very difficult time for the tango – 1966, perhaps, in a small nice place called Tango 66 in the famous Pasaje Seaver. (This little passage no longer exists because of the construction of Avenue 9th de Julio.) In this little alley was the apartment of Ava Peron when she was Eva Duarte. In that place, Roberto Goyenenche sang for very little money. One of the best singers in tango history. Like Sinatra. I was with my Japanese fiancé and a friend and his date. We went to hear good tangos and drink coffee and whiskey. And between the few tables that the establishment had was Piazzolla drinking a whiskey with a lady. At another table were David Stevile, TV director of wonderful programs with his partner Barbara Mujica, a famous actress, and Marilyna Ross, a famous singer. It was an unforgettable night. At that moment I was 21 years old, and my friend introduced me to Piazzolla and Goyeneche. I was speaking of the admiration of my father for Piazzolla It was maybe 2 or 3 am. Piazzolla took me and my friends to the Obilesque where we could get a taxi. Surprise! My father passed in his car and took us all home. When I told him who I had met, my father was very emotional. ”I don’t understand Piazzolla’s music, but I like it.’

The Birds of My Father

The birds of my father? Two times, when I was 5 and 7, my father hunted them and put them in jail: canaries, cardinals, corobatitas (little tie is what the word means, because they have such at their throats,) jiligueros, and mixtos. They had to be separated, if not, they’d fight. The cage was baited with food, and they came. We had 7 to 10 cages on the walls, and in the night, in the kitchen, where it was warm. My father told me that I was the only person he knew that got the birds to trust me enough to step onto my finger. With a long time, (depending on the character of the bird, of course,) I got them to eat, bath, and finally, sleep on my finger. With some birds, this never happens.

My First Tango

My first tango: My mother taught me to tango, but the first official tango was during Carnival. I was thirteen years old and it was in my uncle’s club- Club Lomas del Mirador. Its funny because mostly the older people danced tango in those days…I took my friend Eduardo and danced a few steps. Then I noticed a beautiful girl dressed in black pants (in those days this was out of the ordinary). She was looking at me, and she came to me and asked if I wouldn’t dance with her. We embraced and I felt that everyone in the place was looking at me. I became very excited. My legs were trembling – everyone was watching. My mother was there, and my political Aunt, the wife of my Uncle was looking at me with special attention and expression. It was my first time. And with an unknown wonderful person.! Remember that in those days it was impossible that a girl invite a boy to dance. That club was not a tourist place, this girl was there with her family. One could say that I was the tourist. Also, it was uncommon for such young people to tango. So the people were looking at us with what is called in Spanish, picardia, mischievously. It was a room without a roof, a patio. When I finished the tango I had my heart in my mouth, and maybe in my hands, and I began to speak with my friend and he said, patting me on my back, “That was grand, Marcelo!” So in that moment I felt like the hero.