The Golden Strangers is the latest project from The Tango Saloon leader Julian Curwin.
The band follows somewhat in the footsteps of The Tango Saloon, though ultimately finds its way to a dive bar in a Tarantino film, choosing 45s from the jukebox and sharing a booth with Bowie and Morricone.
The music is realised with the expertise of Ollie Thorpe (pedal steel, vocals), Brendan Clark (bass) and Jamie Cameron (drums, percussion).
Visit the Events page to see The Golden Strangers next gig.
Julian Curwin (composer/leader of The Tango Saloon and The Mango Balloon) is about to launch a new album and project – named ‘Midnight Lullaby’, it is essentially a collection of dark lullabies, blending jazz, classical, film music and latin sounds. The album features an all-star ensemble of pianist Stu Hunter (The Migration, Tina Harrod, Moniker), bassist Lloyd Swanton (The Necks, Ambon, The catholics) and percussionist Jess Ciampa (Spaghetti Western Orchestra, The Tango Saloon, Brandenburg Orchestra).
Sadly, due to social distancing there will be no album launch. However, the Midnight Lullaby band will perform live, streamed by Johnston Street Jazz on May 7 at 8pm! Check it out at the Johnston Street facebook (can be viewed even without an account).
‘Midnight Lullaby’ is available for preorder now through Bandcamp.
We’re very happy to announce that The Tango Saloon’s next gig (our first since 2015) will be April 4 at 107 Projects in Redfern. Playing for the monthly double-bill put on by Art As Catharsis. More info and tickets shortly…
Things have been a little quiet on the Tango Saloon front of late, however there is a very special release/launch coming up from Saloon wrangler Julian Curwin and Saloon crooner Jane Sheldon. Their new duo collaboration ‘Crossing’ falls somewhere between early music and folk song, with a dash of film score and world music thrown in for good measure. Official launch is June 1st at The Newsagency (74-76 Pyrmont Bridge Rd Annandale), with Showa 44 and Bonniesongs.
Meanwhile, new ideas are slowly bubbling for The Mango Balloon, and the band has two shows coming up at Gasoline Pony, a great little bar in Marrickville – June 22 in duo mode, and July 11 full band.
As part of Romero Records moving their catalogue over to Bandcamp, two of our releases have this week been made available: ‘The Mango Balloon: Volume 2’, featuring Brian Campeau, and ‘In Black And White’ featuring Elana Stone.
While you’re over there please feel free to also check out some related artists that have recently made their way to Bandcamp – The Fantastic Terrific Munkle and Gauche.
Julian Curwin ‘The Mango Balloon Volume 4′
review by John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald (4.5 stars)
Julian Curwin loves opening trapdoors between set-in-stone idioms and in that sudden transfer of light and ideas, emancipating music from all slavishness to genre. Why he is not the most in-demand film composer in Australia – the world! – I don’t know, as he has the imaginative range and skills to shade any image with a perfect counterpoint. As time has passed he has reined in his instinct for affectionate parody, just as he has pared back his arrangements for his endlessly nuanced band. The music is instantly engaging and variously gentle, witty, sad or dramatic (without becoming histrionic). Each of the 14 pieces creates its own aural world, and yet each bears the unmistakable stamp of Curwin’s unique sonic dreams. This time his own guitars, Marcello Maio’s accordion and piano, Sam Golding’s trumpet and tuba, Mark Harris’ bass, Danny Heifetz’s drums and Jess Ciampa’s percussion are joined by the electric piano of guest Matt McMahon. Together they realise the little compositions with an impeccable blend of flair and restraint, whether leading us through desert soundscapes or tossing pebbles into Blue Lagoon.
To celebrate 5 years running as a label, Romero Records has just made their first 3 releases available for download on Bandcamp – that includes The Tango Saloon’s ‘Shadows & Fog’ and ‘Transylvania’, as well as the sci-fi/lounge/metal weirdness of Darth Vegas. Definitely worth revisiting, have a listen…
Next month, Romero Records will put on a very special event to celebrate 5 years in operation. It will centre around an album launch for The Mango Balloon: Volume 4 (featuring keyboardist extraordinaire Matt McMahon) and will also include surf rockers La Tarantella, and Micky Stu’s Magical Polymba Experience (aka Mick Stuart).
April 20th at Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville, join the party!
For the start of 2017, a slight change of pace… Cannibal Spiders is a new surf/punk ‘super group’ featuring Salooners Julian Curwin and Danny Heifetz, alongside regular Tango Saloon/Mango Balloon guest Brian Campeau and all-round nice guy Abel Cross. Check out the new album here, and see them launch it February 17 at Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville.
In other news, The Mango Balloon Volume 4 is moments away from completion. The special guest this time around is Matt McMahon, one of the finest keyboard players in the land. It’s sounding mighty fine, if we do say so ourselves, looking forward to sharing it with you very soon!
On September 15, Pigeon Laundry launch their debut album – for the uninitiated, this is the duo project of The Tango Saloon leader Julian Curwin and regular Tango Saloon/Mango Balloon guest Shenzo Gregorio. For the launch the pair will be joined by fellow Salooners Jess Ciampa, Sam Golding and John Hibbard, and supported by Diamond Duck.
Book ahead to avoid disappointment (and for cheaper tickets).
The band has also been releasing a series of promotional videos leading up to the launch, check them out in this playlist.
The Tango Saloon 