Enrique Rodríguez

Historical background

Enrique Rodríguez formed his orchestra in 1936 under the name "the orchestra of all rhythms" (la orquesta de todos los ritmos): an orquesta característica which, unlike a standard tango orchestra, played fox-trot, paso-doble and polka alongside tango, vals and milonga. Seen in Buenos Aires as more of a "pop" band than a serious tango orchestra, it nonetheless found lasting success in Europe, where Michael Lavocah first discovered it in 1994.

Rodríguez's simple, cheerful style hits its sweet spot between 1942 and 1943 with singer Armando Moreno, at a slightly slower tempo ideal for relaxed dancing — Lavocah explicitly contrasts it with the rhythm of Donato or D'Arienzo, calling it less tense and less unpredictable. A mid-1944 attempt at sophistication with the arrival of pianist Armando Cupo was, by the author's own admission, a failure: dancers steered clear of these tracks, and the orchestra reverted to its original style by 1946.

Source: Michael Lavocah, Tango Masters: Tango Stories, Musical Secrets, chapitre 10 « Enrique Rodriguez: cheerful tango ».