Osvaldo Fresedo

Led by Osvaldo Fresedo1928–1966[1][12][18][3][28][39][42][43][5]

Plays in a youth trio with his brother Emilio at Café Paulín and other cafés of the barrio.1913[2]

Records for Victor in a bandoneon duo with Vicente Loduca, and plays in the large Firpo-Canaro orchestra at the Teatro Colón in Rosario.1917[2]

His first orchestra plays at the Casino Pigall, and its success makes it the band of the moment.1918[3]

Records in Camden, New Jersey, for Victor with Enrique Delfino and Tito Roccatagliata as the Orquesta Típica Select.1920[3]

Plays at the Abdullah Club, in the basement of the Galería Güemes on Florida, and in Mar del Plata.1922[3]

Moves to Odeon and accompanies Carlos Gardel on 'Perdón, viejita' and 'Fea'.1925[2]

Runs several orchestras at once: the main one at the Tabarís cabaret on Corrientes, others at the Bar Fresedo, the Casino Pigall and the…1927[3]

Travels to Europe with his orchestra and plays in Paris.1928[3]

Premieres his tango 'Vida mía' with Roberto Ray, who also makes its first recording.1933[4]

Plays at the inauguration of LR1 Radio El Mundo, adding vibraphone, harp and drums.Nov 29, 1935[3]

Buys the Rendez Vous cabaret at Maipú 854.1948[3]

Dizzy Gillespie improvises over his orchestra in a live recording at the Rendez Vous.1956[4]

Last dance performance, at the Sociedad Rural Argentina.1969[3]

Dies; buried in the SADAIC pantheon.Nov 18, 1984[5]

Composed “El Once” (1924).1924[6]

Around 1923-24 Fresedo deliberately chose not to follow Julio De Caro toward harmonic complexity, opting instead for melody and romance even at the cost of some sophistication.[46]

Fresedo is Lavocah's favourite 1927 orchestra and, he argues, at his all-time best in 1927-28, just before a European trip; a second peak comes in 1931 during the Depression, when Fresedo allows a touch of melancholy in.[46]

Fresedo is Lavocah's favourite orchestra of 1927, edging out Firpo and Maglio; this period's stripped-back, six-piece Fresedo has a 'romanticism with bite' not present in his later, more polished 1940s sound.[47]

Fresedo played the bandoneón solos on his own recordings and continued performing into the early 1930s, unlike Firpo, who had already stopped playing in his own orchestra and only conducted.[47]

Fresedo stopped recording in 1928 to go travelling, cutting short what Lavocah calls his best period, 1926-28.[48]

Fresedo is one of tango's 'dinosaurs,' recording since the early 1920s, and deliberately didn't chase the D'Arienzo trend the way Canaro did; his sound sits between the romantic Fresedo/Di Sarli stream and the De Caro/Troilo stream.[49]

Fresedo's music turned deliberately thick and slow in 1931 to match the Depression's mood, then deliberately upbeat again in 1932, since the Depression never touched him personally; he opened a stage show with the jazz number Happy Days Are Here Again before his own El Espiante.[50]

Every member of Fresedo's 1942 orchestra was new — his previous band had quit en masse over money after a film opportunity — which Lavocah compares directly to what happened to Di Sarli's band in 1956.[51]

Fresedo shows the effects of the Depression more than any other orchestra: slow, spacious and melancholic, with a 1931 sound unlike his sweet 1940s one and unlike his earlier 20s music.[52]

Fresedo's usual music is a kind of pain one can afford if wealthy; he came from a very rich background and played for upper-class audiences, but in 1931 the music turns dark, like a Madeira.[53]

Fresedo recorded 16 sides with Oscar Serpa in 1945, all in poor sound, so his soft romanticism does not cut through the crackle.[54]

Fresedo, born into money and a New York visitor as early as 1920, cared less than others about being the most popular band and so adapted to the 40s; later in the decade he stops playing for dancers and plays in hotels.[54]

Fresedo's instrumentals are old in feel, so building an instrumental set of him means choosing pieces years apart that still cohere.[54]

Besides Troilo, Fresedo's orchestra also championed Piazzolla's new ideas in 1950-51, a surprise Lavocah and Dag recall from the 1951 show.[55]

Fresedo's 1933 may be his best year: he has found a light, romantic style quite different from the heavier 1927-29 sextet, with a piano that is not the backbone of the orchestra.[56]

Fresedo was huge in 1933 partly because he was good and partly because competitors vanished; he travelled to North America three times and was very influenced by North American music.[56]

In Fresedo's orchestra the piano is not the spine of the band: he writes for it like a harp, to decorate.[57]

The 1948 Fresedo with Roberto Ray is a brief darker, restrained interlude before Fresedo changes style in 1950 like many bands.[58]

Fresedo's melodies like Capricho de amor and Divagando are exceptional but the interpretation of the originals does not suit dancers; Lavocah would like a modern band to make new recordings of them, since modern bands cannot compete with the original recordings of the hits.[59]

Fresedo played a lot besides tangos, waltzes and milongas, including foxtrots and congas; many labels only issue the tangos, waltzes and milongas, which gives an incomplete picture. He preferred to play for upper-class people in hotels rather than Saturday-night dances.[60]

At the end of 1941 Fresedo lost his entire band, who went on strike for more money and quit; Lavocah says the same had happened to D'Arienzo and Di Sarli.[60]

Después del carnaval has what may be the best counter-melody in tango; Di Sarli is master of counter-melodies, but this one grabs the heart every time.[60]

In October 1928 Fresedo gave up his record contract and left for Europe (having been to the US before), not returning for about a year and a half. He ran four bands simultaneously, the fourth at the Phoenix cinema-theatre led by Carlos Di Sarli on piano, so Di Sarli had a ready sextet and repertoire that Victor quickly signed.[61]

Fresedo in 1928 is intense, with a heavier beat that is not a walking beat but great for dancing, and a strength he doesn't have in the 1940s; Lavocah calls it his favourite period and 'one could easily argue' his best year.[61]

Fresedo's light, romantic reputation hides a serious side: Ojos muertos is one of his most intense recordings, and the late-1920s Fresedo was meatier.[62]

Fresedo's band is organized like a European or British light jazz orchestra, since he travelled to the United States three times; he still has a guitar.[62]

Buried in the SADAIC (Sociedad Argentina de Autores y Compositores) pantheon, which Wikipedia lists as his burial place.[5]

Known as «El Pibe de La Paternal»[5]

Real name Osvaldo Nicolás Fresedo[5]

After talking pictures pushed live orchestras out of the cinemas, Fresedo and De Caro each expanded their bands with outside arrangers and extra instruments like piccolos, trombones and harp to play the new Astor cinema from June 1932, calling the result symphonic tango, though Canaro had already used the term "symphony band" years earlier without getting the credit.[50]

Uno de los renovadores del tango a principios de la década de 1920[5]

La delicadeza del gusto, los ligados, los suaves matices[5]

Release “Lo mejor de Osvaldo Fresedo en estereo” (1989) on CBS 4616192, AR1989source

Release “De FM tango para usted” (1994) on BMG Argentina 74321 71373-2, AR1994source

Release “El pibe de La Paternal” (1994) on El Bandoneón EBCD 49, ES1994source

Release “Reliquias: Nostalgia” (1996) on EMI–Odeon S.A.I.C. 8374182, AR1996source

Release “Tango argentino: Tangos de salón” (October 16, 1996)Oct 16, 1996source

Release “Reliquias: De un tiempo que pasó” (1998) on EMI–Odeon S.A.I.C. 4 95377 2, AR1998source

Release “Sentir el tango: Vida mía” (1998) on Altaya T.A. 0191998source

Release “Tango argentino: Sus éxitos con Oscar Serpa y Ricardo Ruiz” (1999) on BMG Argentina 74321 67576-2, AR1999source

Release “Sentir el tango: La viruta” (1999) on Altaya T.A. 0911999source

Release “40 grandes exitos” (1999) on Maestros del Tango Argentino1999source

Release “Rendez-vous porteño” (September 6, 1999)Sep 6, 1999source

Performed at Bar Fresedo1926[7]

Performed at Teatro ColónSep 18, 1933[22]

Performed at Radio El MundoNov 29, 1935[3]

Miguel Caló — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1926[7]

José María Rizzuti — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1926[7][8]

Ángel Ramos — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1946[3]

Julio Ahumada — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1946[3]

Domingo Varela Conte — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1946[3]

Emilio Barbato — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1946[3]

Played in Teatro Colón1933[63]

Miguel Caló — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1926[64]

Luis Petrucelli — played in Osvaldo Fresedo1936[65]

Carlos Di Sarli — joined Osvaldo Fresedo1926[8]

Roberto Ray — joined Osvaldo Fresedo1931, Dec 1931[16][17]

Roberto Bayot — joined Osvaldo Fresedo1961–1962[40]

Ernesto Famá — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1925–1928, 1928[9][10][11][19][5][66]

Roberto Ray — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1931–1948[13][21][23][16][24][25][28][5][70]

Teófilo Ibáñez — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1931[14][15][67]

Ricardo Ruiz — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1939–1942, Sep 13, 1940, Dec 30, 1941[18][29][5][72]

Luis Díaz — sang with Osvaldo FresedoApr 7, 1932[20]

Roberto Ray — sang with Osvaldo FresedoFeb 22, 1937, Sep 3, 1938[26][27]

Oscar Serpa — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1942–1947[30][3][31][33][5][69]

Osvaldo Cordo — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1947–1949, Jul 16, 1948[32][79]

Héctor Pacheco — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1952–1955[34][35][36][37][38][5][73]

Hugo Marcel — sang with Osvaldo FresedoJan 12, 1959, May 26, 1961[39][41]

Carlos Barrios — sang with Osvaldo FresedoMay 26, 1961[41]

Roberto Yanés — sang with Osvaldo FresedoApr 15, 1966, Apr 15, 1966–Oct 14, 1966[43][77]

Osvaldo Arana — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1968–1969, 1969[44][78]

Argentino Ledesma — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1980[5]

Ada Falcón — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1925[71]

Héctor de Rosas — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1958[74]

Antonio Buglione — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo[75]

Carlos Mayel — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1939–1942[76]

Genaro Veiga — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1929[80]

Blanca Mooney — sang with Osvaldo FresedoJan 1959–Jun 1959[81]

Oscar Luna — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo[82]

Juan Carlos Thorry — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo1927[83]

Roberto Bayot — sang with Osvaldo FresedoSep 27, 1961[84]

Agustin Magaldi — sang with Osvaldo Fresedo[85]

A la deriva · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1931 — recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo1931[15]

Alas · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1940 — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoSep 13, 1940[18]

Metido · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1931 — recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo1931[13]

Canción de cuna · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1928 — recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo1928[10]

Pero yo sé · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1928 — recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo1928[9]

Cariñito · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1931 — recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo1931[14]

Te llama mi violín · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1942 — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoNov 27, 1942[30]

Por calles muertas · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1948 — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoJul 16, 1948[32]

Muñequita de París · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1955 — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoJan 6, 1955, Jul 6, 1955[38]

Tal vez mañana · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1961 — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoSep 3, 1961[41]

Capicua · Osvaldo Fresedo · 1961 — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoJun 15, 1961[41]

Carlos Roldán — recorded by Osvaldo FresedoOct 10, 1941[68]

Roberto Ray — left Osvaldo Fresedo1939[16]

Ángel Ramos — left Osvaldo Fresedo1947[3]

Hugo Marcel — left Osvaldo Fresedo1961–1962[40]

tango.info · OsvalFrese[45]

Open from 1918[3]

Open until 1969Dec 1969[3]