Described as a French Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, Gardel was the most prominent figure in the history of tango.
Three Gardel Tangos
1. Tomo y Obligo (Let’s Drink it Over)
2. Sus Ojos se Cerraron (Your Eyes Closed)
3. Golodrinas (Swallows)
Carlos Gardel was born Charles Romuald Gardès in Toulouse, France in December 1890. Gardel's baritone voice and the dramatic phrasing of his lyrics made miniature masterpieces of his hundreds of three-minute tango recordings. Together with lyricist and long-time collaborator Alfredo Le Pera, Gardel wrote several classic tangos. Both Gardel and Le Pera died in an airplane crash in Colombia in June 1935. After his death in an aeroplane crash at the height of his career he became a tragic hero mourned across the whole of Latin America. For many, Gardel embodied the very soul of the tango style and was commonly referred to as "The King of Tango”. Gardel began his singing career in bars and at private clubs. He went on tour through Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Colombia, as well as making appearances in Paris, New York, Barcelona and Madrid. He sold 70,000 records in the first three months of a 1928 visit to Paris. As his popularity grew, he made a number of films for Paramount in France and the U.S. While sentimental films such as Cuesta abajo (1934) and El día que me quieras (1935) lack lasting dramatic value, they were outstanding showcases of his tremendous singing talents and movie star looks. When news of his untimely death surfaced, millions of Gardel's fans throughout Latin America went into mourning. Hordes came to pay their respects as his body was taken from Colombia through New York City and Rio de Janeiro. Gardel's legacy is intimately tied with the tango. For his tango singing, Gardel is still revered from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, a popular saying in Argentina, which serves as a testimony to his long-lived popularity, claiming also that "Gardel sings better every day." In March 2011, the United States Postal Service issued a set of five "Latin Music Legends" stamps including one picturing Carlos Gardel.
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music.
