to the barbican last night to see what’s left of the bandoneonistas and other musicians of buenos aires and the rio del plata’s golden age of tango, known collectively as cafe de los maestros. the combined age of this gradually dwindling group would take them back to the middle ages.

i was particularly struck by the plaintive and still powerful singing of juan carlos gardoy - now a very frail old man whose movements onto the stage were painfully slow and mechanical. yet he sings with such intense conviction that he held the full house of the barbican in his hand.

there was also the playing of anibal arias - a virtuoso of tango guitar.