Jose "Pepe" Colangelo reviews his life to tango.
The last survivor of the orchestra opens the chest Pichuco memories to relive the most important events of its commitment to the local industry.
By Gabriel Cocaro
Jose Leonardo Colangelo is an emblem 2×4. Pianist shone in clusters of Leopoldo Federico and Anibal Troilo. He stood out in front of the quartet that bore his name. Accompanied figures as Julio Sosa, Roberto Goyeneche and Susana Rinaldi. His magic hands subjugated audiences in Latin America, Europe and Asia.
Over more than six decades of career, he brought the genre a combination of swing and refinement. At the request of PáginaI12, the last survivor of the orchestra "Pichuco", He opened the trunk of his memories to relive the most important episodes of a life crossed by the tango.
He born in Buenos Aires City, in the neighborhood of Floresta, the 22 October 1940. Pepe, his nickname as always, the tango was part of the family heritage. His uncle, Salvador Colángelo, He had played with the bandoneon Salvador Grupillo and Julian Divasto. His father, Leonardo, It sounded the "bandoneon" in troupes such as marine Plata States.
At seven he began taking piano lessons. "The garrón", "From the Soul" and the ranchera "Chain of Love" were part of the eclectic repertoire enthusiastically learned. Some time later the family bought him a piano and music began to permeate the walls of the house from the street Donizetti 559.
Father and son used to play melodies that were received with uproar by their neighbors. "The old encouraged me to follow my vocation. It was a great companion and very important in my life ", He says excitedly.
The first public performances were in a festive context. Colángelo, along with two friends who played the accordion, It was part of the numbers that animated carnival parades in his neighborhood. the trio, balancing on the open box of a truck, he walked along Avenida Juan Bautista Alberdi offering waltzes and paso dobles.
Not having a piano, so difficult to transfer, Pepe assumed the role of accordion or bandoneon. With just fifteen years, He was recruited by the orchestra of Alberto Davila. An amateur group whose main activity was to relieve most renowned ensembles when they could not fulfill their commitments.
He also joined the new stars of Tango, Ephemeral project whose musical style emulated by Juan D'Arienzo.
In the middle of 1957, he joined orchestra Angel Genta. With this combo, which they were part of bassist and singer Alcides Roberto Rossi Chalean, He first signed a contract and receive a salary. That stage of progress, but nevertheless, He was not without hardship.
"When Genta evil got a note with the fueye, I ran a withering glance. So he explains he was taking responsibility for their own mistakes. I, then a beginner, He felt his anger and trembling ", assures. It was Rossi who rescued the pianist attacks director. “Alcides, with kind words, He gave me the confidence to ignore the rants and move on ", holds.
Two years later, he joined the group of Angel Dominguez. the bandoneonista, newcomer who treated with respect and affection, he conveyed many of his knowledge. The productive cycle with the nicknamed Gallego was overshadowed by the death of his father, who just he was fifty. "I felt much his departure, to the point of thinking of leaving the profession ", reveals.
During those formative years, Colangelo strengthened their stage presence through numerous performances at milongas and cabarets disreputable. Sites like the Red Dragon, the neighborhood of Congress, Palacio Güemes, Palermo, or plane, La Boca, They represented a challenge for even the most experienced musicians.
Any disagreement among the habitués of these clubs ended in a massive brawl. "Just they are beginning to blow up the chairs -Agents pianist- the director of the group told us: 'Don Juan very strong touch!’”. "The idea was that the tango sound louder than the noise of the battle of turn", rinsed with a laugh.
The public loved 2×4 and exerted, undiplomatic methods, his power of persuasion to extend the duration of the evening. "One night, at the end of a concert with the singer Eduardo Solano, I was approached by a man, He took a huge facón and, while he was cleaning his nails with, he asked in a threatening tone: 'Are you going to play a little longer?’”, Pepe recalls. "So, We returned to the stage and continue. With these people he assures he could not discuss ".
In the middle of 1959, It was summoned to perform a series of recordings under the orders of Juan de Dios Filiberto. The composer, author of anthems like "Caminito" and "Complaints of bandoneón", he had put up his Porteña Orchestra. It was for RCA Victor label that reflected, with the voices of Patrocinio Diaz and Jorge Alonso, the last sixteen songs of his career.
"Several of the pieces -rememora Colangelo had an interlude where he listened only piano. When I played these fragments Go on- Master told me: 'Do it again'. He repeated execution and was satisfied, but the funny thing is that the decision was adopted exactly like discarded minutes before ", certifies. At those meetings, Pepe debuted as a singer. His voice, together with the rest of the assembly, He was immortalized in the version of "The Pañuelito".
Between the years 1960 Y 1961 He comprised of clusters Lorenzo Barbero, Emiliano Orlando and Enrique Alessio. With the latter used to be presented, with significant impact, Radio El Mundo with vocalist José Berón.
It is just a twentysomething, Pepe sported a great technical and interpretive strength began to draw the attention of his colleagues. Earlier 1962, Leopoldo Federico was in full search for a new pianist for orchestra. Manuel Flores, who held that position, He lacked the impetus needed to meet the tight schedule of commitments set. It was Antonio Roscini, bandoneonista group Armando Pontier, director who suggested the name of the young native Floresta.
Federico combo, an adjusted machine tanguera, He accompanied the most famous singer of the moment: Julio Sosa. After a brief hearing, made with an upright piano at home Roscini, He was hired.
The Uruguayan singer, who had already made records with pools Enrique Francini – Armando Pontier, Francisco Rotundo and Pontier solo, He reached the pinnacle of his career with the orchestra of Leopoldo Federico. The reasons for its success, Tango in decline by the rise of folklore and rock, were several.
In each performance, along with a powerful voice and perfect diction, He unfurled certain acting skills through grand gestures, glances, and knowing smiles that reinforced the message transmitted. "I knew when to make a nod or raise an eyebrow", Colangelo says. Charismatic and seductive, He kept the crowds on tenterhooks during recitals. "On stage his is agigantaba contained and the public was mesmerized.
Especially, Clear, women", adds. The shattering sound of his albums were also heard in the proceedings. "Every concert attended by the full orchestra and the same amplification equipment was used even in the humblest club", pianist account. "The Man of the Tango" towered radio, television and even hit the big screen in the film Good night, Buenos Aires.
Colángelo labor rate accelerated to join the whole Sosa binomial – Federico. The presentations, average lasting thirty minutes, They began Thursday and ended Sunday. The circuit included: Federal District, Gran Buenos Aires and several provinces. "He left home on a Wednesday and returned recently to the following Monday.
Saturday did five shows ", details. "At that time he lived more with the orchestra than with my family". Micro long trips in the cities of the country were used to select the repertoire was perfected live before being captured on disc. The charrúa immortalized insurmountable versions of "Evening", "Mary", "Nothing", "Cambalache" and "The Last Coffee".
Pepe piano was present at all. "July, unlike other singers, He recorded his voice as the group played ", reveals. "I needed it, he claimed, to feel the vibrations of music and so empathize with each piece ", comments. "When we recorded 'En esta tarde gris' -ejemplifica- He was moved to tears ".
Sosa had a whole country at his feet. The next challenge was to bring his music to the outside. Spain was revealed as the first objective of a project without limits. But nevertheless, the dream was foiled at dawn 25 November 1964. The singer was driving at high speed along Avenida Figueroa Alcorta his Union DKW Fissore red when, Upon reaching the intersection with the street Mariscal Ramón Castilla, he ran into a truck.
to dodge, He collided with a beacon and a light cement. He died the next day, after a few hours of agony, Sanatorium in Anchorena. His body began to be veiled at the "La Argentina", but the vast influx of fans forced to move the coffin to Estadio Luna Park. "The funeral procession to the cemetery did walk along Avenida Corrientes whole", recounts Colángelo.
"The journey took more than seven hours due to the number of people who accompanied us. In our step, from the windows and balconies of buildings, people threw flowers ", recounts. "With the exception of Eva Peron, I've never seen a funeral so popular participation ".
Sosa's death was a blow to the orchestra Federico. After a break, in which they vocalists Carlos Gari and Roberto Ayala joined, the combo returned to the ring and even released two albums but the impact was not expected. Without the charrúa, the number of performances decreased drastically. In order to support his family, for he had married and fathered a child, Pepe began participating in other projects.
He joined the group of Ricardo Malerba and armed the quartet Four Friends for Tango. In the middle of 1966, replaced a few days Osvaldo Berlingieri in the group of Aníbal Troilo. His great performance would not pass unnoticed by the bandoneonista. Two years later, The Tano left when finalizing Pichuco, the man chosen to replace him was Colángelo.
The pianist was playing in a cabaret Palermo neighborhood when a man Troilean environment made him a formal offer. "Ciriaco Ortiz, then I coworker, he heard the proposal and said: 'Notify your lady buy a larger pot because now you are eating every day'…”, remember. Fueye veteran was right.
The 8 November 1968, at the nightclub "Relief", Colangelo debuted as a permanent member of the orchestra of Troilo. When he arrived at home, "With pockets full of fear" evokes in poetic tone, fueye the magician was waiting at the door. Once in dressing rooms, He learned that scores would not count as Berlingieri had taken them.
The help of bassist Rafael Del Bagno, who lent him a notebook where he tablature but the pieces for his instrument, He could not save the newcomer from the debacle. "That night He sincere- I played as I could ". Once the concert, a couple approached the pianist to say he preferred his predecessor. Then Pepe, with tears in the eyes, He appeared before Pichuco and offered his resignation.
Master did not accept. "He invited me to take a whiskey and, after a long time chat, He managed to convince me to continue ", dice. The rematch came just three days after a recital at the Teatro San Martín, where the novel member of the group had an outstanding performance.
The earliest records of Colángelo with the group appeared in Our Buenos Aires, an LP in tribute to the "Reina del Plata". The disc, with songs written by Armando Pontier and especially Federico Silva, He sealed the encounter between Roberto Goyeneche and "Pichuco" after five years without recording together. In the middle of 1970, Tito Reyes vocals, Che Buenos Aires and launched early next year it was the turn of Troilo for Export Volume. 3, a compendium of classic tangos in bright instrumental versions. Most parts of these last two productions were arranged by the bandoneon player Raul Garello.
"In trials, 'El Gordo' modified arrangements. Garello despaired, but when I heard the finished work admitted that the changes were appropriate ", says the pianist. In the middle of 1971 saw the light Do you remember ... Polish? where the pair Troilo – Goyeneche gave anthological reinterpretations of songs like "Sur" and "Red Ink". "The teacher told us: 'Orchestra always ahead but the singer when he appears, body to ground!’”, remember. Definitely, the whole interpreter service.
The group performed at the Teatro Dante, El Viejo Almacen, in Caño 14, on television and made successful summer seasons in the city of Mar del Plata. Colangelo's performance was getting better and it was noted bandoneonista: "I said it was the new version of Orlando Goñi, the first pianist of the orchestra, which meant an honor ". The compliment was accompanied by a recommendation: " 'Touch joyfully!. Do not let be stolen!’, I used to advise ".
The 17 August 1972, "Pichuco" trod the boards of the Teatro Colón. That night, where also involved sets Florindo Sassone, Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Salgán, the group dazzled the audience with sweeping renditions of "Dancer" and "La Cumparsita". After that historic day, and various discomforts jaqueado by, Troilo's health began to decline. He died 18 May 1975, due to a brain aneurysm caused by hypertension. "Playing with Troilo perhaps the closest thing to play with God", defines Colángelo.
In the second half of the 70s, He participated in discs of Hugo Diaz, Rubén Juárez and Floreal Ruiz. Between 1980 Y 1982 He was the musical director of the orchestra that accompanied the singer Susana Rinaldi held concerts in France, Germany and Israel.
In October 1985, leading a local group, he performed in various cities in Japan. The success allowed further visits to the country and the release of seven albums for the Japanese market. Along with his world tours, He continued to record with figures like Jorge Falcón, Libertad Lamarque and Placido Domingo. In October 2009 he joined the troupe of "Café de los Maestros" with which it was presented in Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Brussels. In July 2015 He launched "His piano and tangos", CD where Revisited own compositions accompanied by legends like Leopoldo Federico and Horacio Malvicino. The next year, lung cancer took him away from the stage after a successful operation but returned to the ring with renewed energy.
To the 78 years, Colangelo boasts a youthful vitality. Continues to perform live and interact with new generations of colleagues through workshops. "I love tango deeply", emphasizes. "I am grateful to life for Cross have told me".
Source: Página / 12 – 5 May 2019
