In 1989 Roberto Alvarez, first bandoneon of Osvaldo Pugliese´s orchestra, creates together with other musicians “Orquesta Color Tango”.
1990
Their debut takes place in Holland in a tour of 26 concerts.
In March 1990 the orchestra records its first CD “Color Tango” which is very well received in different European countries and Japan.
In Argentina they perform in Radio Nacional (National Radio) and become the stable orchestra of the state television channel (A.T.C).
They also perform in theatres such as: Municipal General San Martin, Presidente Alvear, C.C. Recoleta, Casa del Tango, Café Tortoni, Café Homero, El Mesón and many others.
1992
In 1992 the orchestra takes part of the gala performance in Expo-Seville together with other notable argentine artists including Julio Bocca, Eleonora Cassano and Alberto Cortés.
1993
In March 1993, they return to Europe touring Italy and The Netherlands. Once again in Italy, during the month of September, they participate in the festival “Musical September” in the Teatro Reggio, Torino and the “South American Musical Festival of Portofino”.
1994
March 1994 finds them on their third tour around Italy (Genoa, Bologna, Milan) with their show “Tangueros”.
That year, in Argentina, they are nominated by the Asociación de Cronistas de Espectaculos for their CD “A Toda Orquesta”.
1995
In March 1995 they return to Italy, this time touring to 11 cities and adding Paris. In June they tour in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil with the very successful show “Una noche en Buenos Aires” together with singer Eduardo Espinoza.
End of October, they arrive to Norway and Sweden to take part in the “Verden y Norden” festival (Oslo). In Sweden they perform in Stockholm, Uppsala and Sala with the show “Con Este Tango” and the tango dancers C. Códega and E. Moreno. In December 1995 they record a new CD for the collection “Timeless Tango” (recording label Forever Music, in Miami).
1996
In March 1996 the orchestra takes “Tangueros” to Italy and open a new show called “Milonga Boulevard” based on the story “Las puertas del cielo” (Heavens doors) by writer Julio Cortazar. This last show included tango dancers : Pepito Avellaneda, Suzuki, Teté,Maria, Alejandro Aquino and Mariachiara Michieli.
June of that same year takes them to Japan with famous tango dancers Juan Carlos Copes and Maria Nieves, Elsa Maria, Nélida and Nelson and Carlos Rivarola.
In October , they perform in different cities around Holland and Belgium together with singer Abel Córdoba.
1997
During February and August, they carry out a tour for 20 cities of Italy.
Back in Buenos Aires they will perform in historical places such as La Ideal and T. Tasso Cultural Centre.
1998
In 1998 a new CD, “Color Tango…Con Estilo”.
In February, they travel to New York with their show “Milonga Boulevard”.
1999
In March 1999, 11 shows in Holland with dancers Ricardo and Nicole and singers Daniel Cortés and Viviana Vigil.
They perform in Switzerland during the month of July in the festival “Tango Stadt Zurich” together with Quintet Real and R. Mederos.
2000
With the turn of the century, they start working on new musical arrangements and in April they present their new CD “Con Estilo Para Bailar- Vol 2” with Leopoldo Federico as guest.
They have an active participation in the International Tango Festival in Buenos Aires.
2001
In March 2001 their two last CDs are edited in Berlin by Oriente Musik music label in a double CD format.
In April, they tour in Switzerland, Germany and Turkey with great success.
In July they travel to Los Angeles (USA) to perform at the “Tango Fireworks 2001 Festival”.
In December they travel to Holland, their fourth visit to this country, to play in “Tangomagia 2001”.
2002
In July 2002, they visit Dallas (USA) invited by the City Hall and they also work in Los Angeles (“Tango Fireworks 2002”).
December takes them to Amsterdam : “Tangomagia 2002”, Stockholm, Copenhagen and five cities in Italy. In this extensive tour they pay homage to Maestro Osvaldo Pugliese.
In October they perform in honour of Maestro Osvaldo Pugliese in Montevideo together with Lidia Pugliese (the Maestro’s life partner) and singer Abel Córdoba.
They participate in “World Tango Festival” in Buenos Aires becoming one of the principal attractions.
2003
During March 2003, they participate in the “International Tango Festival of Buenos Aires”, teaching the “Pugliese style” at the C.C. Gral. San Martin (Sala AB). They close the festival at the “Gran Milonga de la Calle Corrientes”.
They perform during the opening and closing ceremony of the international festival “CITA 2003”.
They also take part in the live recording of radio station Radio 2×4 and play in a charity event at the Luna Park Stadium.
They travel to USA and Canada in July to play in Dallas, Los Angeles (“Tango Fireworks Festival 2003”) and “International Tango Festival in Montreal”.
Towards the end of that month they travel to Zurich and take part of the tango festival “Zurcher Tangowoche”, there they conduct a seminar and two concerts, one of them during the closing ceremony of the festival.
During August and September they present their very successful CD called: “Tango a Pugliese” at the C.C. T. Tasso.
In October they perform in the “World Tango Festival” taking place in Buenos Aires.
In November they travel to Europe for a series of concerts in Saarbrucken, Munich, Karlsruhe, Dusseldorf, Vienna, Turin, Milan, Basel and Arnhem. During this tour they conduct the seminar “The History of Tango” in all these cities and they present their new CD with the contents of the seminar called “A History of Tango”.
During December they travel to Montevideo, Uruguay to take part in the II Tango Seminar organised by the Universidad de la República.
In Buenos Aires they perform a homage for Osvaldo Pugliese at the C.C. de la Cooperación where a bust is uncovered by Pugliese´s wife.
2004
In February 2004 they take up their activities performing at the typical milongas and they travel to the south of the country, province of Rio Negro to perform in the city of Gral. Roca.
In March they participate in the VI Festival of Buenos Aires Tango presenting “Corazoneando” a musical show with text and choreography reflecting the style and thought of Maestro Pugliese in now a day tango. The texts are narrated by Roberto Alvarez and actor Franklin Caicedo, sung by Abel Córdoba and Julio Balmaceda together with Corina de la Rosa dance.
Once again they take part in CITA (Cosmotango) performing during the opening and closing ceremony of the festival wich took place in Palacio San Miguel.
In April they travel to Europe for a series of concerts in Munich, Berlin, Chemnitz, Padova, Cesena, Torino (Torino Tango Festival) and Copenhagen.
During May and June they play oftenly in “milongas” of Buenos Aires.
In July they carry out a new tour of concerts for Europe, visiting Tarazona, San Sebastian, Sasso Marconi (Bologna Tango Festival 2004), Grosseto, Scandiano, Castelnovo Ne’ Monti and Zurich (“Zurcher Tangowoche 2004”).
Also in July, they travel to Santiago de Chile and play a show during the classificatory stage of the “II Mundial de Tango”.
During October and November they travel again to Europe performing at Tango Festivals and important Theatres in Rotterdam, Teramo, Gent, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, Nimes, Avignon, Brussels (“Beltango Festival”), London, Karlsruhe, Milan (“1º Milano Tango Festival”), Padua, Munich, Hasselt (“Festival Noches a Media Luz”), Schloss Elmau (Tango Festival), Vienna (Concert en Radiokulturhaus, Ö1- ORF), Dresden, Koblenz and Baden-Baden.
In December they Travel to Medellin (Colombia) performing in the Teatro Metropolitano de Medellín during the tribute “70 años sin Gardel”.
2005
In March 2005 they take part again in the Bs As Tango Festival performing at the open air closing milonga for crowded of people dancing on the street.
In March/April they travel again to Europe performing at Turin (“Torino Tango Festival”), Rome, Naples, Lorrach, Bettembourg (“3º Festival du tango rioplatense”), Berlin, Ljubljana (“1º International Tango Festival Slovenia”), Padua, Paris (“11º Festival Couleurs Tango”), Chemnitz (“Festival Tango mi Amor”), Nuremberg and Ludwigsburg.
In June they travel to Uruguay performing in Montevideo and Tacuarembó.
In July they travel to Canada performing in Toronto and in Montreal (“International Tango Festival Montreal 2005”).
In August, September and October they play often in Argentina performing in Sunchales, Cañada Rosquin, Rosario (Pcia. de Santa Fe), Rio Grande (Pcia. de Tierra del Fuego), Gral. Roca (Pcia. de Rio Negro) and Rio Cuarto (Pcia. de Córdoba).
They present in October their new CD “Pugliese Inédito”, based on 10 unedited compositions from Maestro Osvaldo Pugliese, plus 5 new tangos composed by members of Color Tango de Roberto Álvarez.
In October/ November they travel again to Europe performing at Warsaw (“Pasja Tango” Festival), Avignon, Milan, Rome, Naples, Stockholm, Bremen, Graz and Brescia.
In December they play at C.C. San Martin taking part of the Tribute to Maestro Osvaldo Pugliese, in the day of the 100 years birth anniversary.
2006
Color Tango started the year performing in the IIX Buenos Aires Tango Festival.
In March the orchestra participated in the first edition of “Festival Internacional: Tango frente al mar” in Florianópolis, Brazil.
In May they toured around Europe participating in the “Internacional Tango Festival of Lisboa”, “International Tangofestival Berlin 2006” and the “4th Tangocamp Greece 2006”, performing also in the cities of Vienna, Rome, Hamburg and Bolonia.
In June they travelled to Italy and participated in the “7°Padova Tango Festival” in Padua and the “IV Tano Tango Festival” in Naples.
In July the orchestra performed in the “XXIII National Tango Festival” in La Falda, Córdoba, Argentina.
In July and August Color Tango toured around the United States participating in the show “I TANGO” in ocassion of the “Stowe Tango Fest” festival in Vermont, Washington and Nueva York. The orchestra also performed two concerts in the city of Dallas, Texas.
In August Color Tango released their first DVD called “En Vivo” for Típica Records label. The film includes a live concert with guest artists and interviews with the musicians. The launching included series concerts in Centro Cultural Torcuato Tasso.
In October the orchestra participated in the opening and closing of a new edition of the“World Tango Festival” in Buenos Aires.
In November they participated together with three tango couples of dancers in the show “Bien de Tango”, at ND/Ateneo Theatre in Buenos Aires.
In December Color Tango performed concerts in San Pablo and Curitiba, Brazil.
2007
In February the orchestra travelled to Florianópolis (Brazil) and participated in the “2º Festival Internacional: Tango frente al mar”.
In March Color Tango participated in the opening and closing of a new edition of the “International Argentine Tango Congress” (CITA-Cosmotango).
In May and June they toured Europe performing in Lisboa (Portugal) – “Festival de Tango de Lisboa”, Lausana (Suiza) – Les Tangofolies de Lausanne, 9th International Festival of Argentine Tango, Brescia (Italy), Verona (Italy), Rivoli (Italy), Vodingborg (Denmark), Drammen (Norway), Oslo (Norway), Dusseldorf (Germany) “Tangocamp” festival, Génova (Italy), Isla de Capri (Italy) “Capri Island World Tango Festival”, Rome (Italy) and Atenas (Greece) “Tangocamp” festival.
In September and October they toured around United States performing in the cities of Dallas (TX), Chicago (IL), Tampa (FL), Burlington (VT), Boston (MA) and Miami (FL), in the last three cities, taking part of the show “I Tango”, together with six couples of dancers. In Tampa (FL) they filmed the Tango History Seminar (that has been given for six years) for its edition and commercialization in DVD format.
All this year they performed in several different cities of Argentina such as: Campana, Junín, Bahía Blanca, Chivilcoy (Prov. de Buenos Aires), Cañada de Gómez and Rosario (Prov. de Santa Fé).
2008
All year they performed concerts and played at milongas in Buenos Aires and other cities of the country such as: Campana, Lobería, San Justo, La Plata, Chacabuco, Banfield, Berazategui, San Miguel, Lomas de Zamora, Los Toldos (Pcia. de Buenos Aires), Neuquén (Pcia. de Neuquen), Cañada de Gómez y Rosario (Pcia. de Santa Fe).
In March the orchestra participated in a new International Argentine Tango Congress (C.I.T.A. 2008).
In June they toured around Europe performing in Bologna, Milán, Padova (Italy), Praga (Czech Republic) “2nd Praga Tango Festival”, and “Tangocamp 2008” festival, carried out in three cities: Eretria (Greece), Halmstad (Sweden) and Dusseldorf (Germany).
In July they travelled to France to the “Internacional Tango Festival of Tarbes 2008”, performing concerts, playing at milongas and giving workshops. There they also gave the first performance of the show “Corazón a Corazón”.
In October and November the orchestra participated in the opening and closing of the “Festival Tango Intercontinental” in Buenos Aires.
2009
In February Color Tango travelled once again to Florianópolis, Brazil, and participated in the “4º Festival Internacional: Tango frente al mar”.
In July they toured around Europe performing in Toulouse (France) “1er. Tangopostale Tango Festival”, Berlin (Germany), Mantova, Milan, Padua: “10° Padova Tango Festival”, Barletta: “3rd. Barletta Tango Festival” (Italy), London (England), Palma de Mallorca and Sitges (Spain) “XVI Festival Internacional de Tango de Sitges”.
In August they participated in the “XI Festival de Tango de Buenos Aires” in ocassion of a Tribute to Master Osvaldo Pugliese at the Avenida Theatre.
In October the orchestra participated in a great performance at the Luna Park Stadium in the city of Buenos Aires.
In November Color Tango released their new album called “20 AÑOS”, celebrating the twenty years of the orchestra’s trajectory.
In December they performed at Casa Rosada (National Goverment seat), in ocassion of the celebrations for the Tango National Day.
As well as its usual activity in the city of Buenos Aires, the orchestra also performed in several different cities of Argentina, in the “V Festival Nacional de Tango Junín 2009” Junín, Campana, La Plata (Argentine Theatre) (Prov. de Bs. As.), Rosario, Arroyo Seco (Pcia. de Santa Fe), Junín de los Andes (Prov. de Neuquén) and Marcos Juárez (Pcia. de Córdoba).
2010
All year the orchestra performed concerts and played at milongas in Buenos Aires and other cities of the country such as: San Miguel, San Nicolas, La Plata, Gral. Rodriguez, Berazategui, Quilmes, Chivilcoy (Pcia. de Buenos Aires), Gral. Roca (Pcia. de Rio Negro), Santa Rosa (Pcia. de La Pampa), Comodoro Rivadavia (Pcia de Chubut), Rosario, San Jorge (Santa Fe), XII Festival de Tango de Buenos Aires, San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca (Pcia. de Catamarca), among others, and continued presenting the new CD “20 años”.
In June the Orchestra travel to Medellin, Colombia for playing at “IV Festival Internacional de tango de Medellin”, performing 3 times during the festival.
In July the orchestra toured by Europe with presentations on Sitges (Spain) (“XVII Festival Internacional de Tango de Sitges”), Rome, Piacenza, Mantua, Udine (Italy), Moscow (Russia), y Zurich (Switzerland)(“Festival de tango TangoWoche 10”).
In September beggins to record a new CD for the Japanese label “Latina”
2011
The year beggins with a very important tour of 2 months and 41 concerts around 29 cities of Japan (Tokio, Kiryu, Kannonji, Hiroshima, Kokura, Marugame, Fukuoka, Saga, Kurume, Nagoya, Shinfuji, Kakegawa, Numazu, Kanazawa, Okayama, Chiba, Hitachinaka, Sendai, Kushiro, Sapporo, Tomakomai, Hakodate, Kanagawa, Kobe, Yokkaichi, Kyoto, Iwaki, Hirosaki, and Toyota) sponsored by the agency Min-On Concert Association.
The rest of the year continued touring Argentina playing at Iguazú (Pcia de Misiones), Mar del Plata (Teatro Auditorium), La Plata (3er Tango World Championship), Florencio Varela (Pcia, de Buenos Aires), Justo Daract “Séptimo Festival Internacional de Tango en Justo Daract” (Pcia. de San Luis) among others, and also performed at milongas on Buenos Aires.
In June the orchestra performed at welcome and goodbye party of the “Copa America 2011” (football) at the Hilton Hotel Buenos Aires.
In November they travel for the first time to Paraguay, playing on Asuncion city.
2012
During all the year they continue performing at the most important milongas of Buenos Aires, also playing at Gral. Rodriguez and La Plata (Pcia. de Buenos Aires)
In July perform for a documental Japanese film about tango.
In September the “Academia Nacional del Tango” perform an Homage to Maestro Roberto Alvarez and Color Tango in honor of their artistic career.
In October, Mtro. Alvarez receives the “Orden del Buzon” and is selected as one of the 14 major bandoneonists for participate on the homage to Anibal Troilo “ Troilo Compositor”, recording a C.D. and performing in important theaters.
In November the orchestra travel to Brasil for playing on “3° festival de Uberlandia” at Uberlandia, Brasil.
In december the Chamber of Deputies of Provincia de Buenos Aires declares Roberto Alvarez “Personalidad Destacada de la Cultura de la Provincia de Buenos Aires” honoring his artistic career.
2013
This year starts performing at “32° Mundial de Vuelo a Vela” in González Chaves (Pcia. de Buenos Aires). They also perform in Mar del Plata (Pcia. de Buenos Aires) at the “Teatro Auditorium” and in Chacabuco (20° Festival de Tango y Folclore), where Mtro. Alvarez was declared “Ciudadano Ilustre”.
In March Color Tango travel to Turkey for perfoming at Antalya, Ankara and Istambul (5° Tango To Istambul Festival), performing concerts and the masterclass “ Una historia del tango”.
Also this year they perform in the city of Rosario, Cañada de Gómez (Province of Santa Fe), La Plata, Junín, Trenque Lauquen (Province of Buenos Aires), General Pico, Santa Rosa (Province of La Pampa).
In September they travel to Carmelo (Uruguay) to perform at the Uama Theater.
Also in September they travel to Europe to tour Italy, Holland and Russia: 1st International Trieste Tango Festival, Trieste (Italy); Anton Philips Zaal, Den Haag (Holland); De Oosterpoort, Groningen (Holland); Muziekgebouw, Eindhoven (Holland); Concertgebouw De Doelen, Rotterdam (Holland); Rasa, Utrecht (Holland); Paradise, Amsterdam (Holland); EMUP “COSMOS” Concert Theater, Ekaterinburg (Russia).
2014
In February they travel to Turkey again performing at the “Tango to Istanbul Festival”, in the cities of Istanbul, Adana, Ankara, Eskisehir and Samsun. In the city of Adana, they perform the world premiere of the project “Roberto Álvarez Color Tango Orchestra & Symphony Orchestra” together with the Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra (Çukurova Devlet Senfoni Orkestrasi) conducting Tolga Tavis.
In August they travel to the city of São Paulo (Brazil) to perform at the Milonga de Gala, Club Homs.
In October they perform for the “Tango Pasion Nacional cycle on Argentine Public TV.
In November they travel to Switzerland to perform in Zurich, Bern and Basel, “First International Tango Festival Tangobale”.
2015
For the third consecutive year they travel to Turkey performing in Istanbul (Volkswagen Arena), Eskisehir, Antalya and Bursa where they once again present their symphonic program this time together with the Bursa Symphony Orchestra (Bursa Bölge Devlet Senfoni Orkestrasi), performing a concert with the guest conductor Stefano Mazzoleni, at the “Atatürk Kongre Kültür Merkezi” hall in the city of Bursa. The hour-long concert was filmed by TRT AVAZ, Turkey’s state television channel, and broadcast in full on the “Klasik Esintiler” program.
In June they travel to the city of Medellín, Colombia, to perform at the “IX Medellín International Tango Festival”.
In Argentina this year they perform in Bahia Blanca, Baradero Festival (Prov. of Buenos Aires); Marcos Juárez (Prov. of Cordoba); Río Gallegos, (Prov. of Santa Cruz); Sunchales, Sauce Viejo (Prov. of Santa Fe).
2016
They begin the year performing in Rosario and in the city of Santa Fe (Prov. de Santa Fe).
Throughout the year they perform repeatedly at milongas in the city of Buenos Aires.
In August they perform again at the Buenos Aires Tango Festival.
In October they perform in the city of Viedma (Prov. de Río Negro) and also in the Sala Sinfonica (Ballena Azul) of the Kirchner Cultural Center (City of Buenos Aires).
In December they perform in the city of Mar del Plata.
2017
Throughout the year they perform in different milongas in the city of Buenos Aires, as they usually do since the beginning of the orchestra.
They begin the year by performing in Salto (Prov. de Buenos Aires).
In February they perform at the Milonga of the CCK (Kirchner Cultural Center) in the City of Buenos Aires, they repeat their presentation at the same Cultural Center in October at the Sala Sinfonica (Ballena Azul).
In May they perform in Marcos Juárez (Prov. de Cordoba).
In June they perform in the concert series at the Munro Cultural Center (Prov. de Buenos Aires).
In August they perform at the Buenos Aires Tango Festival, at the “Teatro 25 de Mayo”.
In September they perform in the city of La Plata and in November in Junín (Prov. de Buenos Aires).
2018
They start the year by performing at the milongas in the city of Buenos Aires.
In May they travel again to the city of Trenque Lauquen and in June to the city of Junín (Prov. de Buenos Aires).
In September they make a new trip to Japan to perform in the cities of Tokyo (Shibuya Owada Sakura Cultural Center) and Okayama (Okayama City Hall).
In October they travel again to the city of Chacabuco (Prov. de Buenos Aires) to perform at the Teatro Italiano.
Also in October they perform as the main number at the Gala Concert held in the city of Buenos Aires (CCK, Sala Sinfónica) within the framework of the 50th anniversary of the Min-On Series and the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Japan.
2019
In March the orchestra recorded for the state TV program “La Hora del Tango” in the CCK Symphony Hall.
They perform in Mendoza, in La Plata and in numerous milongas in Buenos Aires (Marabú, Parakultural, Milonga de las morochas, Milonga Yira yira, El Beso, Milonga del Morán, Mi Refugio, Floreal milonga, Milonga al sur).
In July they travel to Chile to participate in the “Mundial de Tango de Osorno”.
In August they perform at the “Mundial de Tango de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires”.
2021
Maestro Roberto Álvarez, founding director, arranger, composer and first bandoneon of Color Tango since its beginnings in 1989, announces his retirement from the stage, leaving the continuity of the group in the hands of his musicians, with Maestro Ramiro Boero joining as first bandoneon. On December 11, 2021, Tango Day, Color Tango makes its re-debut with a concert at the CCK in this new stage of the orchestra.
2022
All year they play at milongas and festivals in Buenos Aires: Marabú, Parakultural, Gricel, La viruta, ”Mucho tango Festival”, “Apertura Tango Festival”, “Cumbre de tango”.
They perform many acoustic concerts in different halls in Buenos Aires presenting the orchestra’s historical repertoire and new arrangements (in La Paz Arriba, Pista Urbana, Bebop Club).
On December the orchestra travel to São Paulo, Brasil, for participating in Festiva TheWeekend Tango Festival.
On December they perform in Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba.
2023
On March 5, 2023, at the age of 82, Maestro Roberto Álvarez left us. As a Tribute Concert to the Maestro, a double concert is held at Pista Urbana on March 11 with the great classics and the group’s new arrangements.
On August, the group’s new album, “Sentido Único”, is released on all digital platforms, containing new arrangements and the last two recordings by Maestro Álvarez. Presentations are made at the CAFF and at the Bebop Club for the launch and official presentation of the new work.
The orchestra also performs in numerous milongas and festivals in Buenos Aires (Milonga Orozco Garufa Tango Fest, Milonga Parakultural, Milonga Federal in CPA “Leonardo Favio” in Bernal, Milonga de Plaza Alem in Munro, La viruta Tango Club, Milonga Desde el alma in Luján, Milonga Mirando al Sur in Avellaneda, Si Tango in San Isidro).