Juan Carlos Bazán

Juan Carlos Bazán was born on 2 June 1887, according to one source, and another source gives his year of birth as 1887.^[3][4] He died on 9 May 1936.^[1]

His career, as the sources record it, ran from the first years of the twentieth century to the mid-1930s.^[1][2] He started in modest venues on the edges of Buenos Aires, joined Roberto Firpo at El Velódromo in Palermo, and later led his own quartet and orchestra.^[1] He toured Peru and led a summer orchestra in Mar del Plata.^[1] In his final years he played in the Guardia Vieja group in the film ¡Tango! and in the Cuarteto del 900.^[1][2]

As a composer he is credited with the tango Tirá la cadena, which he wrote in 1908 and which was later retitled El Pampa.^[2]

Early career

In 1902 Bazán started out at La Red, described as a shack on the bajada de Belgrano, where he played with the guitarist Félix Castillo.^[1]

In 1903 he is recorded as having played with Ernesto Ponzio.^[3]

In 1906 he joined Roberto Firpo at El Velódromo in Palermo.^[1]

Bandleader

By 1910 Bazán was leading his own quartet at the Café Oriental.^[1]

In 1921 he toured Peru with an orchestra that included Emilio De Caro and Juan Bautista Deambroggio.^[1]

From 1923 he led the Orquesta Típica Criolla y Americana at the Club General Pueyrredón in Mar del Plata, returning each summer until 1927.^[1]

Recordings

In 1917 Bazán recorded piano-clarinet duets with Roberto Firpo for the Nacional Odeon label.^[1] The sources do not list the titles of these recordings.^[1]

Repertoire

Bazán wrote his first tango, Tirá la cadena, in 1908.^[2] The piece was later retitled El Pampa.^[2]

Later years

In 1933 Bazán played in the Guardia Vieja group that appeared in the film ¡Tango!.^[1]

In 1936 he played in the Cuarteto del 900.^[2] He died on 9 May of that year.^[1]

Related

Bazán is recorded as having played with Ernesto Ponzio in 1903.^[3]