Shazam - an almost magic way of identifying tango music

Would you like a friend who could identify just about every piece of popular Golden Age Tango music for you - and even tell you the orchestra and sometimes the year and the CD you will find it on? I have such a friend and he is Amazing! I love listening to tango music with him because I learn so much.
However when my friend is not around he has recommended an iphone App which is almost as good. So I downloaded it. I threw in a few curly ones - and a bit of classical to see just how good it is. It got all the old time jazz right, so then I thought I'd ask it about tango. It recognized Demare's 1946 recording of 'Dos Corozones' and Synergy Percussion's performance of Ross Edward's 'Dragonfly Dance' (one of my favourite classical pieces). There was no problem with 'Loca de Amor' (Rodolfo Biagi) and Anibal Troilo's 'Malena', it correctly identified Di Sarli's 'Tu...El Cielo y tu' and D'Arienzo's ' Milonga Vieja Milonga' both from Youtube.
However it couldn't get Tanturi's 1942 recording of 'Muneca Brava' or my favourite recordings of Francisco Canaro with singer Ernesto Fama  from the early 1940s (it identified 'Pajaro Ciego' as 'Incantesimo' by Massimo de Santis and David Scillia (!) - sorry but I have no idea what that is) nor could it get Thursday evening's performance on ABC Classic FM which according to their program guide was Chausson's 'Concert in D for piano, violin and string quartet, Op 21' .  Nonetheless it will be great to have when my friend is not there to ask - though I am sure from time to time I will have to check if it is right. If you've got an iphone and you want to identify tango music from time to time - check out Shazam it's free!

Tango in the Chateau as it snows - so beautiful

I started to write this post the night after the Tango Ball in the Chateau Tongariro on New Zealand's North Island, but for some reason those little gremlins that work in mysterious ways in a Cloud were not going to allow it - so it has had to wait until I got home.
It was a wonderful night... and I hope for the sake of all the Aussies who cancelled - or just weren't interested - that they do it again! The Chateau Tongariro is a beautiful hotel watched over by one of New Zealand's most famous mountains, Mount Ngauruhoe (aka Mount Doom from the world of the hobbits) and it was showing off it's finery on Saturday. Snow-capped, it shone in a golden light as the sun set and the red vegetation in the foreground provided a perfect stage.  Later in the night it snowed - and the cars in the carpark were covered in a dusting of snow which melted early in the morning.
The Chateau has a picture window that frames the Mountain and the top dance floor was just in front of this window. The main floor on the next level and tables set around the floor with chandeliers above.

The hospitality of the Kiwis was warm - and we few Aussies (just 6 of us!) were made to feel really welcome. The evening began with a buffet throughout which DJ Peter played 'listening' tango. Those of us who didn't know him were not sure how the evening would progress but as soon as the meal was over he broke into an evening of excellent Golden Age music and the floor was packed all night. We left around midnight but they were still dancing at 2am - and again in the morning throughout breakfast. We loved it! and we really enjoyed the Chateau. We stayed on for another 2 nights and enjoyed the crisp mountain air and bushwalks exploring the volcanic wilderness which is known simply at National Park. The organiser of the night, Heidi from Jambalaya, is stepping aside from tango events, but the team she has had helping her will continue with the NZ Tango Festival in Wellington - and hopefully with the tango ball at the Chateau! Thank you Kiwis for your hospitality - and your excellent floorcraft!!