Why Tango Podcast

Why Tango

Adam Tully and Heyni Solera host this podcast dedicated to tango music. whytango.substack.com

  1. 2025-11-13

    Ep 7 - Listening Like Composers Do

    We’re back! And Season 2 is all about listening. To kick things off, Adam ambushes Heyni with one of the wildest tango openings ever recorded: Atilio Stampone beginning Responso… with a choir. Yes, a literal choir. Yes, it somehow works. Yes, it’s glorious. Baroque wig energy meets Buenos Aires grit. Heyni fires back with a brand-new 2024 six-movement fever dream inspired by Roberto Arlt’s 300 Millones release. This Julián Peralta piece is full with drama, darkness, dream logic and one extremely satisfying apex moment. From there, things unravel in the best possible way: 🎧 how composers listen (spoiler: obsessively)💃 why “danceable vs. non-danceable” is a false binary💿 are albums dead? (they shrug, keep listening)🎶 and the strange magic of transitions… the tiny details that make music flip from one world into another This episode is your permission slip to get lost: in weird openings, bold choices, slow movements, heartbeat bass lines, and albums that actually take you somewhere. Season 2 starts here; with curiosity, deep dives, and two musicians discovering what makes their ears light up. Why Tango? Why not. Playlist: Responso - Atilio Stampone Orgullo Criollo - Atilio Stampone Los Mareados - Atilio Stampone Sofía y los Sueños Pt.1 - La Sirvienta - Julián Peralta Sofía y los Sueños Pt.5 - El Galán - Julián Peralta Our hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni Solera Theme music: La Tomajena by Shino Ohnaga Interstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully. Our home: Why tango Our instagram: Why tango Our email: whytango.ok@gmail.com Our phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854 Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOY Why Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

    39 min
  2. Ep 6 - Tango Today: Tradition, Innovation, and Hallways of White Noise

    2025-10-10

    Ep 6 - Tango Today: Tradition, Innovation, and Hallways of White Noise

    Live (and caffeinated) from Buenos Aires, Adam and Heyni finally record face-to-face and dive headfirst into... composition. But not the tortured-genius, candles-and-quill-pen kind. This is tango composition in 2025 — weird scales, minimalist obsessions, mandolin orchestras (yes, that’s a thing), and the unexpected inspiration of white noise in hospital corridors. Heyni unpacks her new piece inspired by 24-hour shifts and walking alone through echoey hospital halls. Adam talks about the unusual scale he’s been using and how he stopped recording covers and started writing original music for himself and other performers. They also wonder: is tango entering another cycle of “back to tradition” — or are musicians just trying to survive by playing stuff people will actually dance to? 💬 In this episode: * What’s going on with tango music in the twenty first century? * Can you write music about loneliness… while surrounded by people? * And what the heck is a trilonga? Playlist: Las Orillas del Tiempo (Exequiel Mantega) - Arco & Aire Despedida y después - Adam Tully Our hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni Solera Theme music: La Tomajena by Shino Ohnaga Interstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully. Our home: Why tango Our instagram: Why tango Our email: whytango.ok@gmail.com Our phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854 Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOY Why Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

    1h 13m
  3. 2025-08-01

    Ep 5 - Tango, but Make It Chamber

    In this episode, Adam and Heyni dig into the making of Arco y Aire – Una noche entre sueños. They also wonder about what happens when tango escapes traditional instrumentation. From unconventional duos to commissioning eight brand-new works, this episode is a journey through contemporary tango, musical risk-taking, and why sometimes limitations (like “no bandoneon player available”) can spark your most creative projects. They also explore the deep divide between music for dancing and music for listening. And wait, there is more, what about chamber tango? 💬 Bonus: * How a mid-milonga album drop led to unexpected tears * What accessibility means in music * And is Max the only tango cellist in North America? This episode is about listening differently, breaking molds, and taking your own tango path, whether there’s a bandoneon in the room or not. Playlist: Tu Mirada - Arco y Aire Las Orillas del Tiempo - Arco y Aire Check out the whole album by Heyni’s duo Arco & Aire Our hosts: Adam Tully & Heyni Solera Theme music: La Tomajena by Shino Ohnaga Interstitial music: Imágenes (Almas) written by Adam Tully, played by Arco & Aire and Fernando Otero by Adam Tully. Our home: Why tango Our instagram: Why tango Our email: whytango.ok@gmail.com Our phone number: (+1) 212-942-6854 Production: Sol Linares for TANGOdeHOY Why Tango is a production of TANGOdeHOY and Penny Productions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whytango.substack.com

    35 min

About

Adam Tully and Heyni Solera host this podcast dedicated to tango music. whytango.substack.com