Tango y Cultura Popular ® English Edition TyCP Special | Page 33

Osvaldo Pugliese:
To the Greatest, with affection
A few years ago, I wanted
to pay an “in life” tribute to
Don Osvaldo Pugliese, whom
I admired and respected.
And for that, I used my best
resource: poetry. As if it
were one of his orchestra’s
instruments, that could
sound along with it from the
word dimension. From it,
I rescue these chords built
out of images, metaphors,
questions, and answers that
come from its unmistakable
sounåd and essentially
translated into the most
authentic tango language.
“From what remote
tenement, in which
neighborhood; in what dark
miracle of poverty; where
yokes do not reach; in which
slump of misfortune, outside
the dream; where was that
yumba’s drum? That patch
without patch whose beats
come from nowhere. (...)
Where did Don Osvaldo go
find it? Where did you find
it? With what innermost
gesture, you put it there in
tango?”
That “yumba” opened a
new and different chapter
for that orchestra that had
conquered milongueros’
devotion in the 40s. And
it signaled a path towards
other searches that would
take place. He recorded
it in 1946. Until then, the
orchestra was the most
genuine continuity of the
“De Caro style”, which Don
Osvaldo fervently worshiped.
His beginnings; in the “Café
de la Chancha” (as they
called it), in his native Villa
Crespo; were far behind.
His performances with
the unforgettable Paquita
Bernardo’s legendary group,
being almost a teenager,
where along with Paquita’s
bandonen the violin of
Elvino Vardaro also carved.
His early experience in the
quartet of Enrique Pollet (the
“francesito”). His recognition
as a composer with his
tango Recuerdo (especially
after its recording by Julio
de Caro’s Sextet). Then his
times in the orchestra led by
Roberto Firpo, and the Pedro
Maffia’s one. And from there,
after his new encounter
with Elvino Vardaro (one
of the greatest violinists
in Tango history), the
formation of that amazing
Sextet: Vardaro-Pugliese,
who excelled themselves
because of the quality of
their performances, since
they continued out of
vocation and conviction,
the evolutionary “De Caro’s
school”. For his part, Don
Osvaldo was a disciple and
also a clear exponent of
Francisco De Caro’s piano
style. Evolved tango and
musical richness without
detracting from its roots.
Thus, with that instrumental
vision, the famous Sextet
was formed, which
also included Vardaro
and Pugliese, with the
contribution of Alfredo
Gobbi’s violin, the bandoneon
of Ciriaco Ortiz, and other
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