TangoSparks revives the finest recordings of tango music, delivering them to DJs, collectors, and devoted listeners with the definitive sonic fidelity.
This project does not aim to compile complete artist discographies, nor is it confined to a single recording medium (such as shellacs, vinyls, or tapes). Instead, it focuses solely on achieving the most outstanding and authentic sound quality, one transfer at a time.
The difficulty of achieving this is the holistic approach to sound sources, i.e., to get all available sources of particular songs and choose the best from them. In some cases, when a sole sound source cannot fulfill the task, different transfers from various sources could be spliced together to address imperfections that cannot be restored or compensated for in a single transfer. This project is powered by Frank Jin Studio.
Mar.16 2025, by Frank Jin
Speaking of the name. Sparks symbolize the fleeting brilliance of all beautiful and inspiring things, just like tango music and its transient golden age. This is the essence behind TangoSparks.
The inspiration for this project came from a trip to Cuba, when the 500th anniversary was celebrated for the founding of Havana. Standing on the Malecón on a full-moon night, immersed in the crashing waves, I suddenly felt the immense impact that the Age of Discovery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade had on history. A rich array of musical arts started to emerge ever since, and I personally refer to them collectively as Oceanic Music.
Tango belongs to this lineage without a doubt, and it is an art of contradictions, too. Its rhythms ride the ocean waves, yet its soul clings to the grandeur of a lost continent - just like its creators, the porteños, who, despite living by the coast, are deeply devoted to pizza and beef.
This paradox is captivating. Left the past behind, yet cannot let go of it. Found the new love, yet longing for the old flame. In a sense, they were “ill-suited” explorers of the New World, drawing invisible walls trapping themselves at the world’s end. But it is the nature of humanity, no?
The golden era is gone, and traditional tango has become a heritage. Countless times, wandering the streets of Buenos Aires, an inexplicable nostalgia linked me to the spirits of the tango giants. This is not merely a century’s condensation of immigrants’ tears and feelings; rather, it feels like the solitude, anxiety, and uncertainty that human civilization experiences when standing at a historical crossroads.
Looking back on the wonderful people I have encountered through tango over the years, I believe that through music, poetry, and dance, we can resonate with those who came before us and those yet to come. In shared empathy, we find sincerity, comfort, and strength.
From this perspective, tango never fades — it remains an eternal sanctuary for the rawest truths of human nature. Yet, its musical heritage is fragile, aging and fading over time. The very mission of the TangoSparks Project is to preserve this musical truth before it vanishes.
This sense of reverence awakened my muse. The painting on the right is my tango goddess incarnation. I found her at a small stall in a mysterious Havana marketplace, and in that instant, we connected through a single glance.
Salud, dinero y amor.
(中文页)