Frank Seifart: I think the art of “musicalizador” is the same worldwide. But the conditions are very different

Let's go to Germany and discover the secrets of another great dj, Frank Seifart. Retrace the European scene since 1998, the evolution of taste. Like Frank said, he started dancing tango in 1998 …"The Tango scene was very traditional at that time. I really liked very rhythmical Tangos in the beginning. With the time I fell in love also with more melodic Tango music. Within and after the “Tango Nuevo Tsunami” the Tango in Berlin and lots of other places changed dramatically. We have returned to the traditional Tango but the todays’ Tango scene has a new fresh energy". Read and Enjoy

From the beginning: I suppose that your first approach with tango, like for other dj, was with the dance. What inspired you to get into console and play music? A conscious decision or was the result of chance? 

Yes I was attracted first by the dance. I actually started DJing because I was very unhappy with the music in Milongas from a certain point on my journey. 

What was your early taste of tango? There are significant differences with the current scene? 

I started dancing Tango in 1998. The Tango scene was very traditional at that time. I really liked very rhythmical Tangos in the beginning. With the time I fell in love also with more melodic Tango music. Within and after the “Tango Nuevo Tsunami” the Tango in Berlin and lots of other places changed dramatically. We have returned to the traditional Tango but the todays’ Tango scene has a new fresh energy.

Do you remember your first engagement as a tango dj?

In 2005 I organized my first own Milonga because I was not very happy with the music which was played in the Milongas in Berlin at that time. That was the first time I played publicly. And I discovered very soon that there is more about being a good DJ than having a computer.

When do you prepare or construct your Set? A long time before the gig, on the day of the milonga, or do you improvise freely during the evening? 

In the beginning I used playlists and prepared Tandas. Today I always improvise.

Have you ever played a boring set? Did you maybe understand too late that the milonga could not give you the right motivation and you could not wait to finish? 

I do not remember a boring DJ set by myself. But there might be other opinions, hehe. But I remember Milongas where I was struggling the whole event to find out what the dancers need. 

Do you accept whatever gig is offered to you or do you try to select engagements, preferring a special location or fascinating evening with friends? 

I only accept invitations when I have the impression the event is really about Tango and if I feel good about it. And if my schedule allows it, of course.

How would you define your style? Has it evolved over time? Into which direction? What can influence you during an evening, the audience, the dancers, the acoustics of the location, the duration of the Milonga...

For the dancing I really love the very energetic music from the golden age and some very good Tangos from the 50^th. That is the music I mostly play today. When I started I also played some very nice Tangos from the end of the 20^th and beginning 30^th. I still love the older Tangos but I use them very rarely to play in a Milonga today. There are of course other indicators what kind of music I play. The dancers, the time of the day etc. If the acoustics of the venue is bad, I refrain from playing Tangos which have a difficult quality. 

Do you prefer playing alone or sharing the night with a / colleague. Do you generally prefer to work alone, or with friends who you feeling? Or, you love the thrill of experimenting with a colleague ever heard until then?

Usually I prefer to play alone. But I played several times with James Bates. And that was very inspiring. We decided every Tango together and that was a very interesting process. I would do it again with colleagues which have a similar preference in dance music.

If someone asks you the name of a track, do you give him the requested information, perhaps mentioning the CD where he can find it, or do you refuse and thus force him to engage into an adventure of search and find? 

Although I think you learn the most by sitting your ass down and listen to the music and read, I freely answer all sorts of questions if I have enough time.

The audience bothers you with absurd requests: what do you do? Are you a jukebox? 

I think it is just normal and professional to stay friendly. In most cases I would say something like “I will see what I can do”. If I can fit in special requests I do it. But I will not play anything if it does not feel right for me. In case of Neotango, I just do not have it on my computer. ;)

Do you like to dance and listen to your colleagues enjoy the selections and styles of others from your performances?

For me it is always very interesting to listen to colleagues. And as long as the DJ is playing for the audience and not for being special I mostly enjoy dancing to the music.

Do you believe that the art of “musicalizador” is different for geographic areas? Argentina, USA, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean ... or is it similar in every countries? 

I think the art of “musicalizador” is the same worldwide. But the conditions are very different. In Buenos Aires and other Argentinian cities many people are growing up with Tango, weather they dance it or not. Additionally most of these people like many other spanish speaking people understand the lyrics. Most people from other countries need some time to get access to the music. And many never will understand the lyrics. And that influences of course the way a DJ would choose the music.

Would you like to have a milonga just for you, furnish it with the appropriate facility to your desires, try to create a wave that satisfies you over to play when you want and create a calendar of events to measure your tastes? 

I would rather go for a very nice venue to have a fantastic regular Milonga for many dancers.

Three orchestras that can not miss in one evening.

easy

Troilo, D’Arienzo, Di Sarli

Your three favourite orchestras, which may also be different from the previous ones. 

That is a difficult question since there is so much wonderful music. Ok I’ll try.

D’Arienzo, Tanturi, Pugliese, Troilo, Di Sarli

Sorry!

Suggest a tanda of tango instrumental, a tanda of tango singer, one of vals and milonga.

Tanda instrumental:

Tanda with a singer: 

Vals:

Milonga: 

Come to one of my DJ sets. 

What are the three bands or singers you can not stand?

I have the biggest respect for all the known orchestras and singers. But some orchestras  were played far too often in the last ten years for my taste. (For example: Canaro, Fresedo, Donato,)

What is the band most underrated by the general public and which is the most overrated? 

I think D’Agostino is widely underrated. And I am not even sure if it is the public but the DJs. It is very subtle but fantastic music.                                                                                         And I think that Canaro Tangos are played far too much. It was great music in the time before the golden age of Tango. As a dancer I get bored very fast by this kind of Tango music.

Your top three nights (in your opinion of course ...)

Since I play frequently in the two Milongas I am organizing (Café Dominguez and El Ocaso in Berlin) there is so many nice memories but I have also very fond memories of the Tango Salon Festival in Lodz and the recent Remolino DJ Festival in Lviv.

We are less serious: Last night a dj saved my life. Are DJs sexy? have you ever had a relationship with a fan or a flirt with a colleague?

Every public person gets a bit more attention. But as a gentleman I would never talk about this subject.