Mark Delpriora

Tango Caffé Carciofo

The composer says: Some time ago; while I was playing guitar at a cafe in Brooklyn; New York; there was a regular patron: an unusual woman of uncertain age who would dine there each week. She came at the same time; sat at the same table and she usually wore a fanciful hat during the entire course of her meal. That hat recalled to me the shape of an artichoke. This woman was an ardent fan of tango music and she would often interrupt my performance of the usual standard classic guitar music with a request for a tango. Because she was so enthusiastic and I wanted to please her; I set about to learn a few tangos by a variety of composers. Some evenings; she became so excited that she would get up and dance; wild-eyed; creating quite a ruckus. After several months; she stopped coming to the cafe and shortly thereafter; I stopped playing there. It is with her in mind that I composed the Tango Caffé Carciofo. [Carciofo is Italian for artichoke]..