 |
 DALE ARTHUR MEYER
Bandoneonista and composer
May 21, 1948 - June 22, 2002
Another Bandoneon Goes Silent (1)
On Saturday morning, June 22, 2002, Ginger and I received
a telephone call from Kate Motoyama, Dale Meyer's life-mate, informing
us that Dale had passed away at about 3AM. Dale and his Strictly Tango
Band had provided the music at the "Moulin Rouge Gala"
milonga at Mission Blue earlier that evening.
Thus began a period of deep mourning for dozens of Dale's
friends, admirers, and fellow lovers of the soulful music of the
Argentina tango. Dale had devoted his recent years full-time to the
study and performance of Argentine Tango. He was a devout student of
the history, composition, performance, and promotion of tango music.
Aside from our wonderful memories of Dale and his
performances with Strictly Tango, what we now have left are videos and
CD's created by this wonderful man of music. Dale had recently expanded
the format of his band to include tango cabaret, following the spirit
of cabarets found in Berlin and Paris in the 1920's and 30's. The Bay
Area's foremost European cabaret singer, Mia, had joined the band to
make this possible. She had recently gained this title in a formal
competition against the best of the area's European cabaret singers.
 The
following is a brief outline of Dale's professional career:
Dale Meyer started his musical career as a percussionist
touring and playing with C.C Cale, Paul Horn, The Diamonds, and The
Vogues. His extensive recording experience in Nashville sparked his
interest in musical composition. Dale arrived in the San Francisco Bay
Area in the early 1990's and began his odyssey with Argentine Tango.
The National Society of Arrangers and Composers recognized his
prize-winning score featuring the accordion at the Golden Score Awards
in Los Angeles. Dale obtained his Bachelor of Arts in electronic music
composition from San Francisco State University and recently earned his
Master of Arts in music composition from Mills College. Dale Meyer was
one of the few bandoneon performers in the world who was following in
the footsteps of the innovative Astor Piazzolla.
Dale composed tango music under the pseudonym Parlando
Rubato. I excerpt and quote the following from Dale's Mills College
masters thesis:
"Parlando Rubato is the pseudonym used by French
composer, Annie Durand, which is the pseudonym used by Bay Area
composer, Dale A. Meyer. I became interested in tango music after
purchasing an old accordion at a flea market in 1995. After listening
to many musical genres that include free-reed instruments, I chose
tango. To be more correct, tango chose me. The first tango album I
purchased was Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla. It was love at first
sound. I was immediately attracted to the chamber music style
orchestration and the improvisational aspect of jazz. I soon realized
that the accordion was not producing the sound that I originally fell
in love with and purchased a bandoneon in 1996. The great difficulty in
playing the bandoneon is easily transcended by its beautiful timbre.
The rest is "future" history.
Tango is clearly the impetus for the music of Parlando,
but little of the tango aesthetic remains except the bass line and
remnants of the rhythm. The music of Parlando consists mostly of
smaller ensemble scores. The scores are written for ensembles featuring
three to five players. There is one composition, Malik's Garden,
written for string orchestra and bandoneon. A close examination at Malik's
Garden will prove invaluable to the understanding the music of
Parlando.
Malik's Garden is a four movement concerto for
bandoneon and string orchestra. The first movement is written for solo
bandoneon and is notated on a grand staff without barlines. The spacing
of the notes is a graphical representation of time to be interpreted by
the performer and is marked "embellish freely" (fig. 10). The
harmonic movement is rather elementary, but colored elaborately by the
use of pitches such as flat nines. Raised fourths, fifths, and sevenths
which are not related to the tonal center. Dissonant dyads such as the
tonic and raised seventh are incorporated to add dissonance to what
could be analyzed as traditional Western European harmonic progressions
(Fig. 11). Ibid (Dale then includes several movements of the work). The
first reference to tango can be found near the end of the first
movement when a habanera rhythm is used as a left hand ostinato. The
first movement ends with a completely improvised section over a simple
I, IV, I, II, V, I progression in C minor. The first movement appears
to be a vehicle for displaying the idiosyncrasies of the bandoneon.
These include long phrases lasting the length of a single push or pull,
holding sustaining notes with one hand while melodies are played with
the other hand, and utilizing notes that incorporate the bandoneon’s
near five-octave range.
The second movement employs the complete string orchestra
with bandoneon. The harmonic progression is reminiscent of the late
Classical or early Romantic period, with the use of flat sixth chords
and modulations to more remote tonal centers. Time signatures, not in
the traditional 4/4 notation, are found interspersed throughout the
second movement. The bandoneon is used throughout this movement to
perform some of the same tasks found in a tango orchestra. It will play
the melody in unison with another instrument, play in unison with
itself (the left hand doubles the melody an octave lower), create an
improvised solo, and play a marcata or golpe rhythm (placing the
bandoneon on one knee, playing a staccato chord while bounding the heel
of the foot on the floor). A habanera rhythm returns in the bandoneon's
improvised section. The last section of the second movement is played
using the traditional tango rhythm, which has a military march-like
feel. The quarter note pulse is heavily accented (Fig. 12)."
I have included this excerpt to illustrate Dale's serious
professional approach to his compositions. Dale was a leader - an
explorer in the true footsteps of Astor Piazzolla. He made no effort to
emulate the traditional tango masters of the golden age, but rather,
was his own man, out there alone with his vision of tango music for the
present and future of the genre. In addition to Piazzolla, Dale was
inspired by the likes of Kurt Weill, Bela Bartok, Pauline Oliveros,
Alejandro Barletta, and Mauricio Kagel. Dale was also interested in the
use of the bandoneon in music other than the tango, including the
contemporary works of the Belgian group Waso, and 16
Horsepower in the U.S.
Dale's sense of humor was legendary. He was a most modest
man, who had a great ability to laugh at himself. He was fond of
mentioning his relationship with his two dogs and his music - how his
dogs would cover their ears when he practiced - and would laugh when
his music would cause the dogs to howl. I list here several examples of
humor excerpted from his thesis:
"How can you tell when a bandoneonist is playing out
of tune? - His fingers are moving.
A terrorist group abducted ten bandoneon players and
threatened to release one every hour until their demands were met.
What do a bandoneon and a lawsuit have in common? -
Everyone is happy when the case is closed."
Dale was interested in learning to dance the Argentine
Tango. He took some informal  lessons from Ginger. Eventually,
he reluctantly agreed to dance with Ginger during a band break at an
upcoming milonga where Strictly Tango was playing. The night of the
event, when it came time for the band to take a break, Dale was nowhere
to be found. Ginger accused Dale of "disappearing" when it
was time to take to the floor. Friends (and members of the band) had
great fun reminding Dale of this, and Dale's response added even more
to the fun.
Dale formed Strictly Tango, the first all-tango band in
the Bay Area, in 1995. This later inspired the formation of several
other local tango bands. San Francisco is now one of few cities in
North America to boast of three or more active tango bands.
 One of Dale's
greatest loves (in addition to cappuccino) was to play outdoors on the
street. His dream, after traveling to Amsterdam, was to return to
Europe with his band and play on the streets of European cities and
villages. He created the "San Francisco Hit and Run" milongas
played mostly in Maiden Lane near Union Square. This was his favorite
venue, second only to the year the band had a steady engagement at The
Top of the Mark atop the Hotel Mark Hopkins. The weekly Monday
milongas at the Top of the Mark were magical tango evenings and many
regulars who attended wonder if they shall ever again experience such
pleasure. Dale also fondly recalled those dreamy evenings when the
band had a steady contract to play at the Glas Kat Club in San
Francisco. In addition to the "regular" venues, Strictly
Tango appeared at several Napa Valley wineries, Bay Area Borders Book
Stores, Foreign Cinema, Gordon's House of Fine Eats, SF Business
District Association and Market Street Association street concerts (in
cooperation with the American Federation of Musicians Trust Fund),
charity fund-raisers, music festivals, and local tango milongas, to
mention a few. The band was always a hit at the Cotati Accordion
Festival.
Entirely self-taught in bandoneon and tango, Dale
developed a unique insight into the needs of tango dancers, always
insisting on a pronounced beat for the dancers. He loved playing for
the dancers and got to know many of them personally.
Dale was a very generous person; he never walked past a
street musician without leaving something in his open case and offering
words of encouragement.
Dale's death came at formative portion of his tango
career. His music was evolving in an innovative manner and was gaining
wider recognition with each performance. Dale and the band produced
several CDs. Tangled Lies (recorded under the band name
Parlando) was made up entirely of Dale's original compositions. This CD
remains the favorite of many of Dale's fans. Other CDs are Hit &
Run, Tango at the Top, and Strictly Tango. Another CD
featuring tango cabaret was in production when we lost Dale. Dale had
recently purchased a fine master bandoneon in Germany, a prized
instrument made by the Germany's finest manufacturer. However, fine
bandoneons are expensive and there isn't much money to be made playing
in a tango band in San Francisco. To illustrate Dale's love for the
bandoneon and tango, he sold his much-loved custom-built motorcycle to
secure the funds for the purchase.
The Bay Area received many notes of loss from Dale's
friends and fans across the world. The following article appeared in
the San Francisco Examiner:
"FOR DALE MEYER
As you know if you read this column regularly, your
Striped One is a fan of the great Argentine composer and bandoneonista
Astor Piazzolla. For the last several years, my best source of
Piazzolla insights, bandoneon instruction and just plain musical
camaraderie was the local composer and bandleader Dale Meyer. Dale
passed away suddenly, aged only 54, two Saturdays ago, leaving his
family, friends, and band, Strictly Tango, in shock. I can't imagine
what it is going to be like not to call him with a historical tango
question or to laugh about the latest Piazzolla-wannabe CD played on
the saxophone, glockenspiel or kazoo.
Dale Meyer was not only an exceptional composer but he
was also a very fine arranger. In my opinion, he wrote the most
original arrangement of what I consider Astor Piazzolla's finest song,
"Oblivion". One version of it (though not the best) appears
on Strictly Tango's CD "Hit & Run" (Planet Waldo Music).
For many weeks after Dale's death, members of the band could not
perform this piece without tears, especially Mia, who had to sing
lyrics that so described the feelings of loss. As time passed, it
became an anthem for the musicians to rise up and continue Dale's
work. Today the band has brought in new musicians, sought out new
repertoire and written new arrangements, always respectful of the man
and the dream that made it all possible.
This brings me to the point. Musicians, composers and
performers need strong egos or they can't function. Yet Dale Meyer was
literally the most generous, forgiving person I've ever met in the
music business. Sure, he wanted success for his band and his music, but
only if it was gained honestly and fairly. There would be no rewards
for the band at the expense of others. And as musicians left the band
and moved on, there were never ill feelings, only those of
encouragement. I'm going to miss that attitude as much as I'll miss
the laughs and the mournful sound of his bandoneon."
Dale left his life-partner Kate Motoyama, three grown sons
and a brother, many friends, including fellow musicians, dancers,
neighbors, and fans. His legacy is his music, his band, his many
friends, and our loving memories of him. Dale brought great joy to many
Bay Area tango events with his music. We have all suffered a great loss
as... no kinder, more considerate, and gentle man that I have ever
known has walked this planet.
His
friend, Richard Simoni
A Buenos Aires Cafe
As a kid I looked in from the
outside
as I would at things beyond my
reach:
my nose against the windows,
blue like the cold
that I would later know
as I lived my life ...
Like a school for everything,
as a boy you already amazed me:
with cigarettes...
with faith in my dreams,
and the hope of love.
Lyrics: Enrique Santos Discepolo from CAFETIN
DE BUENOS AIRES (1948)
Music: Mariano Mores
From: TANGO, Isabel Munoz & Evelyne
Pieilleer, Editions Plume of Paris, France,
copyright 1994.
STRICTLY TANGO is a fantastic ensemble of very talented
musicians who have been performing together since 1995 in the San
Francisco area.
The most recent members of the ensemble were Dale Meyer
(Bandoneon)-Paul Binkley (Guitar)-Su Buchignani (Violin/Piano)-Steve
Hanson (Bass), Mia (Vocals). Others that have performed and recorded
with the band are Joe Prussner (Bass)- Michael Silverman (Bass)-Greg
Kehret (Bass)-Katrina Wreede (Viola)-Mark Wyman (Piano).
Following Dale's death, the group has reorganized and as
a sextet performs under the name Ensemble Bizou. The members are Paul
Binkley (Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo), Su Buchignani (Violin/Piano), Steve
Hanson (Bass), Dave Miotke (Accordion/Vocals), Mia (Vocals), John
Tenney (Violin/Mandolin). These musicians' combined credentials are
awesome. As Strictly Tango before it, Ensemble Bizou is in demand by
their ardent followers at Bay Area festivals, performance halls and
hotels. A demo CD of the new band is in production.
DALE MEYER was one of the few bandoneon performers in the
world, following in the footsteps of the great Astor Piazzola He
started his musical career as a percussionist touring and playing with
C.C Cale, Paul Horn, The Diamonds, and The Vogues. His extensive
recording experience in Nashville sparked his interest in musical
composition. His prize-winning score featuring the Accordion
acknowledged at the Golden Score Awards in Los Angeles by the National
Society of Arrangers and Composers. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in
electronic music composition from San Francisco State University and
recently earned his Master Of Arts in music composition from Mills
College.
PAUL BINKLEY began his guitar studies in London, Ontario,
performing his first professional concerts before graduating from high
school. He has a Bachelor of Music degree from the San Francisco
Conservatory of Music and a Master of Arts in Music degree from San
Francisco State University. He has concertized with major symphony
orchestras, opera and ballet companies. He is also proficient on
classical mandolin and performs in the internationally acclaimed Modern
Mandolin Quartet.
SU BUCHIGNANI began her music studies at the age of three
and has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen, when she
became the youngest member of the San Jose Symphony. She is equally
comfortable performing in a wide range of styles from classical to jazz
and is considered one of the finest strolling violinists in the San
Francisco Bay Area. She also works as an arranger and coaches
non-classical vocal style.
STEVE HANSON has had an extensive and varied career on
bass and tuba, from playing in Chinese funeral band to Woody Allen's
Dixieland band. After a successful career in New York, Steve made the
move to the Bay Area and hasn't stopped working since. He may be the
busiest bass player in the area. Steve is equally at home playing
traditional jazz, Dixieland, Continental, German, as well as many other
styles. Experts agree, he is the bass player of choice for strolling
musicians.
MIA defies her young age, performing a variety of vocal
styles with exceptional depth and maturity. "Discovered" by
the director of SummerSong Vocal Arts Institute, Mia went on to study
at the Conservatory of the University of the Pacific and privately in
Brussels. In addition to other awards and prizes, Mia was the
recipient of the Cabaret 2000 award for best foreign-language singer.
She holds a Bachelor of Business degree from UOP and works as a
consultant to Fortune 500 companies on web design.
If you like TANGOS then their video and CD's are a must
for your musical library.
|
|
| |  | |
| |
|
| |
