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Known as El Zorzal Criollo, the songbird of Buenos Aires, Carlos Gardel is a legendary figure in Uruguay and Argentina. He was born on December 11st, 1890, in Toulouse (France). His place of birth have been claimed by the Uruguayans and Argentinians, however, his Birth Certificate and his Will proves, and leaves no doubt, that Carlos Gardel was born in France. The charismatic singer's career coincided with the development of that intrinsically Argentine cultural icon, the tango (the traditional Argentinean music).
The elite overcame their aversion to the tango's humble origins and open sensuality only when the man and his mus
Known as El Zorzal Criollo, the songbird of Buenos Aires, Carlos Gardel is a legendary figure in Uruguay and Argentina. He was born on December 11st, 1890, in Toulouse (France). His place of birth have been claimed by the Uruguayans and Argentinians, however, his Birth Certificate and his Will proves, and leaves no doubt, that Carlos Gardel was born in France. The charismatic singer's career coincided with the development of that intrinsically Argentine cultural icon, the tango (the traditional Argentinean music).
The elite overcame their aversion to the tango's humble origins and open sensuality only when the man and his music were already widely accepted in New York and Paris.
Radio performances and a film career extended this appeal. Gardel's sky-rocketing career was cut short in 1935, when he lost his life in a plane crash in Colombia. An orgy of grief swept from New York to Puerto Rico, and a woman in Havana suicided. Hordes of people thronged to pay their respects as the singer's body made the journey to its final resting place in a Buenos Aires cemetery, traveling via Colombia, New York and Río de Janeiro. Instantly immortal and preserved forever young, his enduring fame is measured by the oft-heard Argentine expression 'Gardel sings better every day'. Sixty years after his death, a devoted following keeps the legend blazing, playing Gardel's music daily, placing a lit cigarette in the hand of the life-sized statue which graces his tomb and keeping his few films in circulation.
Carlos Gardel, née Gardès, was born in Toulouse to a single mother that emigrated to Argentina with her baby. They lived in the Buenos Aires Abasto neighborhood where the mother earned their living with a modest ironing job. Carlos soon left school at secondary grade, got job as a claquetist (man who clapped hands at artists'performances for some cents) and stagehand which made him know backstage work and singer's techniques, and started singing in local cafés. At first he sang many genres, until he started with tangos with "Mi noche triste". He made a duo with tango singer José Razzano and changed his surname to Gardel; they worked together for 15 years. In 1912 Gardel recorded his first songs for Tangini Records on behalf of Columbia, featuring "Pobre mi madre querida". The duo went on to sing in major cafés, the Teatro Nacional and then in Montevideo, Uruguay, where they had such a warm welcome that it would become Gardel's second homeland. Then they toured Spain and Paris, Razzano became ill and Gardel started as a soloist.
Besides recording he went into movies. His first approach was in 1917 with Peach Blossom (1917), where he also sang some songs although most of the film was silent. In 1930 he made a series of ten shorts ("Encuadre de canciones") each one based on a different song. Keen on new technological possibilities he would also record duets with himself in "Gardel canta a Gardel". In 1931 he went on another tour to France and made his first long-feature at Joinville Paramount studios, Las luces de Buenos Aires (1931). Audiences across South America, Spain and even New York loved it and repeatedly asked to rewind Gardel's own composition "Tomo y obligo". He went on transforming himself : lost weight, dressed in smart tailored suits, bought racing horses ("Lunático" was the first) and progressively raised to become a national legend. He started a successful association with screen, songwriter and composer Alfredo Le Pera who would stay with him until the very end. He was paired with actress and singer Imperio Argentina in a couple of films : La casa es seria (1933) and Melodía de arrabal (1933), and got a broadcasting contract for NBC, traveling to New York. He made his films for Paramount Pictures, whether in France or America; he starred in Cuesta abajo (1934) and the Hollywood-style comedy El tango en Broadway (1934). He sang two songs in the star-studded "Cazadores de estrellas", a.k.a. The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935), with appearances by Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman and other radio stars, but as it was premiered after his untimely death his scenes were suppressed outside South American countries, and are actually hard to find. Then in 1935 came El día que me quieras (1935) and Tango Bar (1935), set in Barcelona, where he was specially loved since the days of his first trips to Spain, as there was a previous tango predilection. Although mostly with weak and melodramatic plots, Gardel's films went on to full houses and long running times worldwide. Sometimes when there were no vacancies in theatres where he would perform he prolonged his stay, sang in the street or ordered to lower tickets' prices to more affordable ones. Soon afterwards he started a South American tour and he, Le Pera and most of his team and crew died in a plane crash against another plane when taking off at Medellín Colombian airport. The day was June 24th 1935. From then on the myth started.
In 1935 he wrote one of his all-time favorite tangos, "Volver", which brought him international fame. "A media luz", "Adiós muchachos", "Caminito", "La Cumparsita", "El día que me quieras", "Mi Buenos Aires querido", "Tomo y obligo" or "Sus ojos se cerraron" are only several of Gardel's hits to which a whole generation danced.
His unique voice and delivering style have become forever associated with the tango.
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Tags: French (1), Legend (1), Plane Crash (1), Musician (1), Singer (1), Tango (1), Argentine (1), Born 1890 (1), Died Young (1), Born In France (1), Died Aged 44 (1), Died 1935 (1), Born December 11 (1), Aviation Death (1)
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