Daniel Melingo (1957 – 2026)

Their Story

Daniel Melingo was an Argentine musician who moved from Buenos Aires' vibrant pre-Democracy rock scene of the 1980s to become one of tango's most original contemporary voices, defined by constant artistic transformation and international recognition, particularly in Europe. A true multi-instrumentalist, he mainly played saxophone and clarinet, but was also a guitarist and singer. His childhood music exposure came through his stepfather, who was manager of legendary tango singer Edmundo Rivero, and his paternal grandmother who had sung at Milan's La Scala theater. In late 1979, he traveled to Brazil to escape the military dictatorship and played with Brazilian musician Milton Nascimento. Back in Argentina, he joined Los Abuelos de la Nada, playing saxophone, clarinet, and guitar alongside Miguel Abuelo, Andrés Calamaro, and Cachorro López. In 1982 he co-founded Los Twist with Pipo Cipolatti; the group, which also included Fabiana Cantilo and Hilda Lizarazu, marked an era with its irreverent, humorous, and danceable style. He also was part of Charly García's universe, participating in the album Piano Bar, considered one of the most important records in Argentine rock history. In 1997, he hosted a TV show about tango and began composing tangos blending the genre's traditional roots with poetry, jazz, and Brechtian cabaret style. While critically acclaimed in Argentina, his innovative reinterpretation of tango achieved widespread recognition in Europe, particularly France, Spain and Italy, where he became a regular at major festivals and concert halls.