Martin Alvarado (Tango) UK Tour March 2013
Award-winning* Argentine tango singer, Martin Alvarado, will be starting his UK tour on Sat March 16th in Southwell (Notts) encompassing 12 dates in England and Wales.
Considered Argentina's finest and most significant tango vocalist this is Alvarado's fourth time in the UK and his 24th international tour - a feat in itself for someone relatively young.
[* see here for news on his latin award and new UK/International record deal: www.worldmusic.co.uk/martin_alvarado_latin_uk_award_and_new_record_d]
His opening concert is in the Nottinghamshire cathedral town of Southwell at the medieval Great Hall at Southwell Minster, where he played to a full house a year ago. Other dates include his debut in Wales, in Cardiff, and also London, Liverpool, Harrogate, Hull, Essex, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland and Devon.
Joining him on the 17-day UK tour will be an outstanding pianist and bandoneonista from Finland, Mikko Helenius, with whom Martin is recording his next album.
Helenius is a classically trained pianist from Helsinki and studied bandoneon from some of the instrument’s Argentine maestros in Paris. The bandoneon or button accordion, which is central to the tango sound, is renowned for being an extremely difficult instrument to play. Helenius is thought to be unique in the world for having mastered the ability to play both the piano and bandoneon simultaneously.
Alvarado has won wide acclaim across the world for his “extraordinarily beautiful*” tenor voice, and is increasingly recognised as one of the most significant vocalists in the history of tango. In Russia last year, he was described as “a new Carlos Gardel”.
As well as being a naturally gifted singer, he is also renowned for his commanding and charismatic stage presence and his outstanding and carefully chosen repertoire from four albums, which features work by Argentina’s most celebrated poets and composers, including rare work by Astor Piazzolla, as well as some of his own, as yet unrecorded, compositions.
In the past few years he has had numerous TV performances in Finland, Russia, Slovenia and Argentina, performed at many major venues and festival, often to sold-out audiences, and collaborated and performed with some of the leading musicians in the genre.
He is currently working on three new albums including one with Mikko Helenius.
For tour dates and ticket information see http://www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or see bottom of this page.
Reviews
“With his high ranged and sensitive voice, Martín Alvarado turns on its head the tango model created by Carlos Gardel.” El Universo, Ecuador
"One of the great voices in tango today" - 2×4 Radio, Buenos Aires (April 2012).
“…he has an extraordinarily beautiful voice…” Helsingin Sanomat
“A brilliant singer” BBC Radio Nottingham.
“Martín Alvarado is taking tango to a whole new dimension…”
Rainlore’s World of Music (March 2012)
“Incredible sets by Martín Alvarado. What a show! Martín Alvarado’s voice has range, power, feeling and charm. A gifted, very technical singer and superb showman.” Negracha Tango Club, London (March 2012)
"… a certain Latino charisma mesmerises his audiences… the emotive phrasing was pure Argentinean seduction." - Nottingham Post (March 2012)
"The quality of his voice is something very special indeed… Each night isn’t just a show, for Alvarado, it’s a work of art. In Martín Alvarado’s hands – and moreover, his voice – tango has found not just a curator but an innovator to carry it forward. If you get the chance to see this man, grab it with both hands, you won’t see many of his like." - (Glyn Phillips - worldmusic.co.uk (November 2011)
"A voice to melt a thousand hearts," – DJ Ritu, SOAS Radio, London (October 2011)
"I believe I have been given a gift to play and sing and reach people’s hearts. So giving it all whenever I have the chance to perform is my way to honour that gift I have been given." - Martin Alvarado: Interview in Nottingham Post (July 2011)
Tour dates and ticket information
Martín Alvarado ‘Así es mi Tango’ with guest Mikko Helenius
SOUTHWELL: Saturday, March 16, 8pm (doors 7.30pm) The Great Hall, Church Street, Southwell Minster, Notts, NG25 0HD. Tickets: £14 on the door, £12 in advance from The Cathedral Shop, Church Street, NG25 0HD (Tel: 01636 812933) or from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions
ASHBOURNE: Sunday, March 17, 7.30pm (doors 7pm), Ashbourne Town Hall, Market Place, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1ES. Tango social dance 3pm-6.30pm. Tickets: £12 on the door or £10 from GT News (cash only) 27 Market Place, Ashbourne or from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions
LONDON: Thursday, March 21, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, Highgate, N6 5HG. Tickets £12 on the door, £10 in advance from Brooksby Newsagents 70 Highgate High Street N6 5HX (cash only) or from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions
LIVERPOOL: Friday, March 22, Tango Liverpool, Maranto’s, 57-63 Lark Lane, L17 8UP, 7.30pm, £12 on the door or £10 from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or email tangoliverpool@btinternet.com
HULL: Saturday, March 23, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) Cottingham Methodist Church, Hallgate, Cottingham, Hull, HU16 4BD. Tickets £12 on the door £10 in advance from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or from Barkers Newsagents,Cottingham.
CHIPPING ONGAR: Sunday, March 24, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) Budworth Hall, High St, Chipping Ongar, Essex CM5 9JG. Tango social dance 3pm-6.30pm. Tickets: £14 on the door, £11 in advance at www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or £10 in advance from Budworth Hall.
GAINSBOROUGH: Wednesday, March 27, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) Old Nick Theatre, Gainsborough. Tickets £10 on the door £8 in advance from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or from the Old Nick Theatre Box Office (Tel
01427 810616).
OAKHAM: Thursday, March 28, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) at Oakham Castle, Market Place, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6DT. Tickets £14 on the door £11 in advance at www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or £10 in advance from Music and More (cash only) 4 Melton Road Oakham, LE15 6AY
TOTNES: Friday, March 29, 8pm, Rudolf Steiner School, Dartington, Devon, TQ9 6AB. Tango social dance 5-8pm. Tickets £12 on the door £10 in advance from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions
CARDIFF: Saturday, March 30, 8pm, St Catherine’s Church Hall, Kings Road, Cardiff, CF11 9DG. Tango social dance 5-8pm. Tickets: £12 on the door, £10 in advance from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions or from Spillers Records, Morgan Arcade, Cardiff.
ALCESTER: Sunday, March 31, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) Alcester Town Hall, Henley Street, Alcester, B49 5QX. Tango social dance 3-6.30pm. Tickets £12 on the door, £10 in advance from Venue Xpresso, 8 High Street, Alcester (cash only) or from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions
HARROGATE: Monday, April 1, 7.30pm (doors 7pm) at Harrogate Masonic Hall,
Station Avenue, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 5NE. Tango social dance 3-6.30pm. Tickets: £12 on the door or £10 in advance from Harrogate Masonic Hall, Harrogate Tourist Information Centre or from www.musicglue.com/ltangopromotions