Jorge Durán

Jorge Durán, born Alfonso Jesús Durán on 19 January 1924 in Albardón (or General San Martín), San Juan province, Argentina, came from a family of Andalusian immigrants who cultivated fruit and vines and operated a small bodega; singing was a constant in the household during rest periods.^[1][2] As a schoolboy he stood out in the choir of the Colegio Don Bosco in his native city. In 1941 he made early radio appearances on LV5 Radio Los Andes in San Juan singing tangos under an artistic name; the following year the family settled in Buenos Aires, where he began performing in neighborhood venues and confiterías.^[1][4]

The bandoneonist Jorge Argentino Fernández heard him and hired him for his orchestra; Durán debuted on Radio Mitre but soon left in search of greater opportunities.^[1][5] He then joined Buenaventura Luna’s Tropilla de Huachi Pampa, a folk ensemble, appearing in shows and recording his first discs as Alfonso Durán: the zamba Zamba del gaucho on 13 March 1944 and En las sombras on 19 September 1944.^[1][2][5] Friends such as Roberto Rufino and Alberto Marino encouraged the shift toward tango. He next entered Emilio Balcarce’s orchestra, performing at the confitería Reviere and recording early tangos including Mi Buenos Aires querido and Me están sobrando las penas.^[1][5]

In early 1945 Carlos Di Sarli, having heard him, invited him to join; on the same day Durán finished with Balcarce on Radio Belgrano in the afternoon and debuted with Di Sarli on Radio El Mundo in the evening.^[1][2] Di Sarli renamed him Jorge and asked him to sing a tone higher, which his range accommodated without difficulty. This first period with Di Sarli, lasting roughly two years until early 1947, is widely regarded as the most brilliant of his career; he participated in approximately two dozen recordings, among them Que no sepan las estrellas (recorded 3 January 1945 for RCA Victor), Porteño y bailarín, Hoy al recordarla, Un tango y nada más, Duelo criollo, and Otra vez carnaval, the last being Pueblera on 14 January 1947.^[1][2][6][7] The voice—medium stature, strong build, wide shoulders—earned the nickname Cajón when, in a gray suit, his silhouette in a hallway prompted bandoneonist Juan Carlos Bera to exclaim that he looked like a coffin.^[1][2]

After leaving Di Sarli he joined Pedro Laurenz in 1947 without recording, then spent a period with Horacio Salgán, registering three numbers for RCA Victor that were not commercially released.^[1][2] In 1950, following the departure of Francisco Fiorentino and Ricardo Ruiz from José Basso’s orchestra, Durán entered alongside Oscar Ferrari and remained about three years, leaving twelve recordings that include Anoche a las dos, Martirio, Mamboreta, Tomo y obligo, and a duo with Ferrari on Ronda de ensueño.^[1][2][4] Further short associations followed: one number with the Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna (directed by Aquiles Roggero) in 1954, and two with Francisco Rotundo in 1955 (the vals Poema para mi madre and Sus ojos se cerraron).^[1][2][4]

On 26 April 1956 Durán returned to Carlos Di Sarli for a second extended period that lasted until 1958 and produced nineteen recordings, among them A la luz del candil, Sonatina, Muriéndome de amor, and Buenas noches, Buenos Aires (16 January 1958); later sides were issued on Philips.^[1][2][6] In 1959 he formed an orchestra with Roberto Florio under the piano leadership of Orlando Tripodi; they began an RCA Victor long-playing album that the company ultimately did not complete, leaving known sides such as Dame mi libertad, Yo no quise hacerte mal, and several duets.^[1][2][4] Subsequent collaborations included a second stage with José Basso in 1962, work with Armando Pontier in 1968, a recording with Oscar de la Fuente in 1970, and a final 1971 cassette of twelve numbers accompanied by the guitars of Juan Carlos Gorrías, Domingo Laine, Rubén Morán, and Héctor Estela.^[1][2]

Durán’s interpretive style was that of a baritone who imparted stamina and dramatism without excess; attentive listening reveals ductility and a romantic lament that suited the more lyrical side of the Di Sarli repertoire as well as the stronger dramatic vehicles.^[1][5] Néstor Pinsón noted that many listeners discovered him late and that he deserved wider recognition as an excellent singer.^[1] He continued performing, including appearances at venues such as El Rincón de los Artistas, despite health issues related to heavy smoking; he died of pulmonary emphysema on 20 August 1989 in Buenos Aires.^[1][2] The body of recordings with Di Sarli in both periods remains the core of his discographic legacy, preserving a voice that combined power with expressive nuance within one of the Golden Age’s most refined orchestral settings.^[1][6]

From San Juan to Buenos Aires

Born Alfonso Jesús Durán on 19 January 1924 in San Juan province to Andalusian parents who farmed and ran a small bodega, Durán sang in the family and in the school choir before moving to Buenos Aires with his family in 1942.^[1][2] Early professional work included appearances with Jorge Argentino Fernández on Radio Mitre and folk recordings as Alfonso Durán with Buenaventura Luna’s Tropilla de Huachi Pampa in 1944.^[1][5] The transition to tango was encouraged by colleagues such as Roberto Rufino and Alberto Marino.^[1]

First period with Carlos Di Sarli

In 1945 Di Sarli hired him, renaming him Jorge and adjusting the key; the same day he finished with Balcarce and debuted with Di Sarli on Radio El Mundo.^[1][2] The roughly two-year association produced about two dozen sides for RCA Victor, beginning with Que no sepan las estrellas on 3 January 1945 and including Porteño y bailarín, Un tango y nada más, and Pueblera (14 January 1947).^[1][6][7] This is regarded as the peak of his career; the nickname Cajón dates from the period.^[1][2]

Later orchestras and second Di Sarli period

After short stays with Pedro Laurenz (no recordings) and Horacio Salgán (three unreleased sides) in 1947, Durán spent 1950–1953 with José Basso alongside Oscar Ferrari, leaving twelve recordings.^[1][2] Brief associations with the Orquesta Símbolo Osmar Maderna (1954) and Francisco Rotundo (1955) preceded the return to Di Sarli on 26 April 1956, which lasted until 1958 and yielded nineteen sides.^[1][2][6] In 1959 he co-led an ensemble with Roberto Florio under Orlando Tripodi; later work included returns to Basso, collaborations with Armando Pontier, and a final guitar-accompanied cassette in 1971.^[1][2]

Voice and legacy

Durán’s baritone conveyed stamina and dramatism tempered by ductility and a romantic lament, suiting both the more forceful and the more lyrical sides of the Di Sarli book.^[1][5] Pinsón observed that recognition often came late; the dual Di Sarli periods nevertheless preserve a substantial and distinctive contribution to the Golden Age repertoire.^[1] He died of emphysema on 20 August 1989.^[1][2]