Tanespimycin in Treating Patients With Stage III-IV Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed melanoma

  * Stage III or IV disease
* No primary melanoma of the choroid or mucosa
* Measurable disease

  * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \>= 20 mm by conventional techniques OR \>= 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* Tumor amenable to biopsy (for the first 10 patients in each stratum only)

  * Patients must have measurable disease in addition to the tumor(s) to be biopsied
* No brain or epidural metastases

  * Completely resected solitary brain metastases allowed provided patient has been free of CNS metastases for \>= 6 months
* Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
* Performance status - ECOG 0-2
* More than 3 months
* Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
* WBC \>= 3,000/mm\^3
* AST and ALT =\< 2.5 times upper limit of normal
* Creatinine normal
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No history of myocardial infarction
* No history of prolonged QTc interval
* No active ischemic heart disease within the past 12 months
* No uncontrolled dysrhythmia or dysrhythmias requiring medication
* No congenital prolonged QT syndrome
* No left bundle branch block
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG)
* No prior serious allergic reaction to eggs
* No other uncontrolled illness
* No active or ongoing infection requiring systemic antimicrobial treatment
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic melanoma

  * Prior vaccines, cytokines, or interferon alfa is not considered prior therapy unless administered with a chemotherapy drug
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
* Prior radiotherapy dose =\< 3,000 cGy to fields including substantial marrow
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior radiotherapy field that included the heart (e.g., mantle)
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No concurrent medications that may prolong the QTc interval
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No concurrent treatment with any of the following medications or herbal remedies:

  * Inhibitors of CYP3A4:

    * Fluconazole
    * Itraconazole
    * Ketoconazole
    * Macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, or troleandomycin)
    * Midazolam
    * Nifedipine
    * Verapamil
    * Diltiazem
    * Terfenadine
    * Cyclosporine
    * Cisapride
  * Inducers of CYP3A4:

    * Carbamazepine
    * Phenobarbital
    * Phenytoin
    * Rifampin
  * Herbal extracts and tinctures with CYP3A4 inhibitory activity:

    * Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)
    * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
    * Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw)
    * Echinacea angustifolia roots
    * Trifolium pratense (wild cherry)
    * Matricaria chamomilla (chamomile)
    * Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice)
    * Dillapiol
    * Hypericin
    * Naringin
* No other concurrent herbal extracts