Jorge Valdez

Jorge Valdez was a tango singer ^[1]. One source gives his date of birth as 27 January 1932 ^[3]. He was heard singing at the Aconcagua cinema in Villa Devoto by Carlos Lazzari, a bandoneonist in Juan D'Arienzo's orchestra, who brought him to audition ^[1].

In 1957 Valdez joined D'Arienzo's orchestra together with Mario Bustos ^[1]. The two replaced the singers Alberto Echagüe and Armando Laborde ^[1]. He recorded with D'Arienzo from May 1957 until November 1964, when Osvaldo Ramos later took his place ^[1]. A recording catalogue lists 27 recordings sung by Valdez on the RCA Victor label between 1957 and 1964 ^[4].

After leaving D'Arienzo, Valdez recorded "Chirusa" again in 1966 with Jorge Dragone's orchestra for the Alanicky label ^[2]. His recordings with D'Arienzo made him an idol in Colombia, which he visited for the last time in 2001 ^[1]. He died at the Sanatorio Colegiales in Buenos Aires on 21 February 2002 ^[1].

Early life and discovery

One source gives Jorge Valdez's date of birth as 27 January 1932 ^[3]. The dossier does not give his place of birth, his family background or his early musical training.

According to his biography, Valdez was singing at the Aconcagua cinema in Villa Devoto when Carlos Lazzari heard him ^[1]. Lazzari was a bandoneonist in Juan D'Arienzo's orchestra, and he brought Valdez to audition for the orchestra ^[1]. The biography dates this to 1957 ^[1].

With Juan D'Arienzo (1957–1964)

Valdez joined Juan D'Arienzo's orchestra in 1957 alongside the singer Mario Bustos ^[1]. The two newcomers replaced Alberto Echagüe and Armando Laborde, who had been the orchestra's singers ^[1].

His first recording with D'Arienzo was the tango "Andate por Dios", made on 8 May 1957 ^[1]. On 29 October 1958 he recorded "Chirusa" with the orchestra, and his biography describes it as his most popular title ^[1]. On 19 November 1958 he recorded "Adiós Chantecler" with D'Arienzo for RCA-Victor ^[2].

His last recording with D'Arienzo was "Amor de verano", made on 18 November 1964 ^[1]. Osvaldo Ramos later took his place in the orchestra ^[1].

Later career

In 1966 Valdez recorded "Chirusa" again, this time with Jorge Dragone's orchestra for the Alanicky label ^[2]. The dossier gives no further detail on his work with Dragone or on other engagements after he left D'Arienzo.

His recordings with D'Arienzo made him an idol in Colombia ^[1]. His biography records that he visited Colombia for the last time in 2001 ^[1].

In 1990 Valdez was badly injured in a car crash on the highway from Buenos Aires to La Plata, near Dock Sur ^[1]. The source statement for this event is truncated in the dossier, so the outcome and any effect on his career are not recorded here ^[1].

Valdez died at the Sanatorio Colegiales in Buenos Aires on 21 February 2002 ^[1].

Recordings

His biography names these recordings ^[1][2]:

- "Andate por Dios" (tango), with Juan D'Arienzo, 8 May 1957: his first recording with the orchestra ^[1] - "Chirusa", with Juan D'Arienzo, 29 October 1958: described as his most popular title ^[1] - "Adiós Chantecler", with Juan D'Arienzo for RCA-Victor, 19 November 1958 ^[2] - "Amor de verano", with Juan D'Arienzo, 18 November 1964: his last recording with the orchestra ^[1] - "Chirusa", with Jorge Dragone's orchestra for the Alanicky label, 1966 ^[2]

A public recording catalogue lists 27 recordings sung by Valdez ^[4]. All of them carry the RCA Victor label, and they are dated as follows ^[4]:

- 1957: 29 June, 8 August and 22 August ^[4] - 1958: 19 June, 10 July and 23 December ^[4] - 1959: 15 October (two recordings), 12 November (two), 19 November (two) and 26 November ^[4] - 1960: 7 September (three recordings) ^[4] - 1961: 6 June, 29 June, 9 October and 27 December ^[4] - 1962: 3 September and 3 October ^[4] - 1963: 2 September ^[4] - 1964: 30 June, 25 September (two recordings) and 18 November ^[4]

The catalogue entries in the dossier do not give song titles or orchestras ^[4]. Their dates fall within the period in which the biography places Valdez in D'Arienzo's orchestra, from 1957 to 1964 ^[1][4]. The final catalogue date, 18 November 1964, matches the date the biography gives for his last recording with D'Arienzo, "Amor de verano" ^[1][4].