Carlos Di Sarli

Bahia Blanca, Argentina (7 de Enero de 1903 – 12 January 1960) whose real name was Gaetano Di Sarli and was nicknamed “The Lord of the Tango”

Son of Michael di Sarli and Serafina Russomano.
The music was present in the family: his brother Dominic was a professor at the conservatory Williams, Bahia Blanca, his brother Nicolas became a renowned baritone and Roque, the youngest, was pianist as well as Carlos. He began studying music at the conservatory where his brother taught Carlos met at night, with its neighbor and other friends in the Paulista coffee, Chiclana Street between Columbus and O'Higgins. From there they went towards the port area or to suburb cafes, where they could hear some tangos, that played trios composed by flute, guitar and violin.

And when there was a piano near him, Carlos would delight the audience with the best-known tangos in 1919. The wasteland that gathered their homes, was the other venue where with a phonograph horn they listened to Eduardo Arolas and Roberto Firpo's records..
“By the time of fifteen (…) [the] tango began to mark in his inspiration an irresistible vocation.(…)
In his walks, Carlos and his neighbor friend added May Park, where there was a confectionery with orchestra and were performed folk dances and Corsican traditional flowers. Something came to reinforce the aspiration of Carlos Di Sarli, to dedicate to tango and to undertake this adventure in Buenos Aires. Was, in 1921, the presence in the Municipal Theater of the Orchestra of Roberto Firpo and Gardel Razzano duo. The audience cost 40 cents!. Di Sarli attended all the functions every night, had the privilege of free access to the stage because his “next door neighbor” worked as a machinist and the future “Lord of the Tango” would go with him like a stamp.

Two years, between 1916 and 1918 he remained accompanying silent films and then leading tango meetings that were held in the confectionery.

By means of musician Alberico Spatola, who was director of the police band in Buenos Aires, he got the bandoneonist Anselmo Aieta to incorporate him to his band. In early 1924 he integrated an ensemble led by the violinist Juan Pedro Castillo and, later, Alejandro Scarpino trio, the author of Canaro tango in Paris. He also accompanied Bozán Olinda in recordings for Electra and worked with a sextet at the cabaret “Chantecler”.
By means of the violinist Joseph Pecora he was incorporated to 1926 the orchestra of Osvaldo Fresedo became good friends and in testimony of their admiration and gratitude Di Sarli, he dedicated to Fresedo the tango Milonguero old that he composed between 1927 and 1928 when he formed his first sextet.

Nobody like him managed to combine the rhythmic cadence of tango with a harmonic structure, apparently simple, but full of nuances and subtleties. .
Di Sarli got his own label, a different musical profile that remains unchanged throughout its long history.
In the beginning, his sextet reveals the influence of Osvaldo Fresedo. And it's true, I think that there wouldnt had been a Di Sarli if there wouldnt had been a Fresedo. But, only as a prerequisite of a style that, with time, would become a pure model, of own and distinct nature.
He was a talented pianist, Perhaps one of the most important, who led his band from the instrument, with whom he would dominate the ensemble's synchronization . chaining the bars of the piece and accentuating a delicate and elegant rhythm, special for dance.

Written by “Marianita”