This
exempt violin player was born on May 14th, 1912, in Paris, while his
parents were acting jointly with Angel Villoldo as ambassadors of
Tango, errands from Buenos Aires by “Gath” and “Chaves” stores, as
cultural embassy to let everbody know our roots, which originated
this seductive expression that was the tango.
His godfather was Ángel Villoldo, (he was called in those times
“Father of the creole tango”, he was the author of “El choclo”).
Alfredo Julio Floro Gobbi, (was his christian name) was a composer,
violinist, adjustor, and director, being recognized for his collegues
as one of the best, representative for his romantic style that he
gave with his violin when he interpreted tango. His big relating
teachers were Julio De Caro Sus grandes maestros referentes fueron
Julio De Caro and Carlos Di Sarli, although they had very different
styles, he tried to join them, giving to his interpretations something
different from everyone else. When his parents decided to come back
from europe to Argentina for the sudden death of Villoldo; Alfredo was
a six months baby, and they moved into a small house in “Villa
Ortúzar”. To help his parents, at the age of ten, he worked as a
“canillita” (“newspaper seller”). His parents being aware of the hard
life his son was doing, gave him a violin, as a present and they
inscribed him in a conservatory , to learn all the secrets of this
difficult instrument. He was an excellent student from an excellent
teacher called Natalio Carnini, and only three years later with just
thirteen years old, he formed his trio with his friends, which had
guitar, a violin and a bandoneon. This precocious artist encouraged
the popular meetings in the area where he lived. He begun playing
tangos for the clients in a cafe near his house, just for a few coins.
He made some violin presentations in a saloon of Sarmiento street. At
the age of 14 he had already demonstrated a special talent to play
the violin, trying to be a better musician, listening to Julio De
Caro´s sextet. He really begun in tango at the age of fifteen when the
Director Luis Casanova incorporated Alfredo to his orchestra as a
professional violinist. Alfredo joined in 1927 Juan Maglio (Pachu)´s
group, they encouraged the carnival dancings of the “Pabellón de las
Rosas”, The he played transitorily with Roberto Firpo, until he was
called by the bandoneon
player Carlos Trigall, who acted in the cafe “La Germinal” . Then he
joined the piano player Miguel Buzón´s orchestra´s, Raúl Kaplún who
also played there, was his partner. In 1929 he joined
Anselmo Aieta´s
group, having as a partner to anoither remarkable violin player,
Antonio Rodio. For those times Gobbi played the piano in the matinee
of a central cinema. In 1930 Alfredo formed a trio with a bandoneon
player called Domingo Triguero, and a piano player, Orlando Goñi,
nicknamed: “el Pulpo del Tango”, (In 1937, this remarkable pianist was
one of the fundamental pillars fundamentales, in the formation of one
of the most important orchestras: Anibal Troilo´s orchestra. The
trio was dissolved in that same yea, he joined to the sextet directed
by Elvino Vardaro and Osvaldo Pugliese, the othe musicians that played
there were: The bandoneon player called Miguel Jurado, an unknown
young boy, Aníbal Troilo and a double-bass called Luis Adesso. In
1931, this remarkable sextet dissolved due to lack of work . The
arriving of the sound cinema, was a “boom” among the people who
prefered this news that came accompanied by a strange music”Jazz”,
that than the typical orchestras, which called the attention of the
people and enlute, temporarily tango . We have to remember that one of
the musicians´s work was to add music to the films in the cinemas, for
the reason that they were silent. Nevertheless Pugliese- Gobbi bet to
continue, and they formed their own sextet. In 1932 due to the lack of
work in our city, the splendid sextet, made a tour for the insides of
the country. The things were wrong and when they returned, dissolved
the group. But this musicians were looking for the way to be better
everyday when they played their instruments.They made that the owners
of Radio Prieto, an important radio station of that period, offered
the duet Gobbi-Pugliese, to interpret tangos, for the tango radio-listeners.
But the avisadores were not satisfied with their permormance, so they
were taken out of the programme. But Gobbi continued fighting,
although they were difficult times, he accepted the challenge and he
was persistentel , and he formed again, another sextet, the musicians
were: Anibal Troilo, José Goñi, (Orlando´s brother), Alfredo Calabró,
Agustín Furchi, and
Osvaldo Pugliese. They were short period contracts, they acted in
cafes or cinemas , the country in the 30´s was going through a very
critical period, a lot of poverty, a lot of uncertainty. Alfredo was
without work again, so he joined the Pugliese´s brother´s group, a
violinist, called Alberto. In 1935, he is hired to perform as first
violinist to one of the most extaordinary group , of one of the
biggest bandoneon player,of our popular music, Pedro Laurenz. This
remarkable music acted in the 36 billiards of Corrientes street. When
Corrientes street was still narrow. It was a powerful orchestra by
quality of its musicians and it was one of the favourites groups of
the people. Osvaldo Pugliese (Piano), Armando and Alejandro Blasco
jointly with Laurentz in bandoneon, Gobbi formed the violins trio
jointly with José Niezow and Sammy Friedenthal, and Vicente Sciarreta
(Double bass). In 1937 Joaquín Do Reyes was part of the group, and
Armando Balliotti , this orchestras played in different cabarets, and
they acted for a long period in an elegant haven called “Novelty”
situated in Esmeralda street. In 1941, Gobbi travelled to Uruguay and
he became in first violin of Pintin Castellanos, (author of “La
Puñalada”), the singer of that song was Enrique Campos, Donato
Racciatti was the third bandoneon. In 1945, and due to the changes in
our country, there was a reborn in the people´s expectances, economic,
labor, politic, and it included tango too . I the beginning of tours,
contracts, clubs, radios, here in the country and around the world.
Our music was going through an excellent moment , it was the 40´s, the
Gold period. Gobbí came back from Uruguay and he start working in a
radio, but this time is was for The Big Door, firstly he was hired to
perform in Radio Belgrano and the Radio El Mundo, where he was the
lead figure of tango. In he was hired by the recording company R.C.A.
Víctor to record and he kept recording for ten years there. His
singers were: Carlos Heredia and Hugo Soler. In 1948, they were
Pablo
Lozano and Héctor Maciel in 1949, Jorge Maciel and Ángel Díaz. In
1950, Héctor Coral and Jorge Maciel, in 1953, Carlos Almada and Jorge
Maciel, in 1954, Jorge Maciel and Tito Landó, from 1955 to 1956 ,
Alfredo del Rio and Tito Landó. In 1957, Tito Landó, Mario Beltrán,
and Carlos Yanel, in 1958, Alfredo del Río and Tito Landó. When this
master of the music composed compuso his great hits: “El andariego”
and “Camandulaje”, he did it in collaboration Ismael Spitalnij, (singer,bandoneon
player and “orquestador”). At the end of 1950, Gobbi´s orchestra was
formed by the first violin, he was accompanied by Ariel Haroldo
Gessaghi, and Eduardo Salgado, (bandoneons) Mario Demarco, Luis
Maggiolo, Osvaldo Piro, and Emilio Nurié, ( piano); Normando Lázzara
and Osvaldo Monteleone (double bass). Due to the expantion of the
foreign music the works condition were hard again. Young pople trying
to imitate the foreigns invaded us, tango and folklore was in the
second place for the people specially the younger ones. Gobbi
decided to dissolved his group and he formed a quintet to keep
fighting for our music, directing from the piano and playing in a pub
of Corrientes Street called “Siglo XX”. By the year 1963 he played as
a soloist in a pub called Olmos in Once . In 1964, being still young
, he had 54 years , his dessaperence took place. Good musician, best
friend, he left to all the people he met, the affection and the
recogcition of the big ones. Rovira he dedicated his tango “El
engobbiao”, Troilo, “Milonguero Triste”, Piazzolla, “Retrato de
Gobbi”. This violinist , knew how to give to tango his own style and
a “Decareano”(from Decaro) style, he left his style in all his
interpretaciones, for the enjoyment of all the people who loves him
“The best music of the world, Tango” .
Anselmo Aieta´s
group, having as a partner to anoither remarkable violin player,
Antonio Rodio. For those times Gobbi played the piano in the matinee
of a central cinema. In 1930 Alfredo formed a trio with a bandoneon
player called Domingo Triguero, and a piano player, Orlando Goñi,
nicknamed: “el Pulpo del Tango”, (In 1937, this remarkable pianist was
one of the fundamental pillars fundamentales, in the formation of one
of the most important orchestras: Anibal Troilo´s orchestra. The
trio was dissolved in that same yea, he joined to the sextet directed
by Elvino Vardaro and Osvaldo Pugliese, the othe musicians that played
there were: The bandoneon player called Miguel Jurado, an unknown
young boy, Aníbal Troilo and a double-bass called Luis Adesso. In
1931, this remarkable sextet dissolved due to lack of work . The
arriving of the sound cinema, was a “boom” among the people who
prefered this news that came accompanied by a strange music”Jazz”,
that than the typical orchestras, which called the attention of the
people and enlute, temporarily tango . We have to remember that one of
the musicians´s work was to add music to the films in the cinemas, for
the reason that they were silent. Nevertheless Pugliese- Gobbi bet to
continue, and they formed their own sextet. In 1932 due to the lack of
work in our city, the splendid sextet, made a tour for the insides of
the country. The things were wrong and when they returned, dissolved
the group. But this musicians were looking for the way to be better
everyday when they played their instruments.They made that the owners
of Radio Prieto, an important radio station of that period, offered
the duet Gobbi-Pugliese, to interpret tangos, for the tango radio-listeners.
But the avisadores were not satisfied with their permormance, so they
were taken out of the programme. But Gobbi continued fighting,
although they were difficult times, he accepted the challenge and he
was persistentel , and he formed again, another sextet, the musicians
were: Anibal Troilo, José Goñi, (Orlando´s brother), Alfredo Calabró,
Agustín Furchi, 
and
Osvaldo Pugliese. They were short period contracts, they acted in
cafes or cinemas , the country in the 30´s was going through a very
critical period, a lot of poverty, a lot of uncertainty. Alfredo was
without work again, so he joined the Pugliese´s brother´s group, a
violinist, called Alberto. In 1935, he is hired to perform as first
violinist to one of the most extaordinary group , of one of the
biggest bandoneon player,of our popular music, Pedro Laurenz. This
remarkable music acted in the 36 billiards of Corrientes street. When
Corrientes street was still narrow. It was a powerful orchestra by
quality of its musicians and it was one of the favourites groups of
the people. Osvaldo Pugliese (Piano), Armando and Alejandro Blasco
jointly with Laurentz in bandoneon, Gobbi formed the violins trio
jointly with José Niezow and Sammy Friedenthal, and Vicente Sciarreta
(Double bass). In 1937 Joaquín Do Reyes was part of the group, and
Armando Balliotti , this orchestras played in different cabarets, and
they acted for a long period in an elegant haven called “Novelty”
situated in Esmeralda street. In 1941, Gobbi travelled to Uruguay and
he became in first violin of Pintin Castellanos, (author of “La
Puñalada”), the singer of that song was Enrique Campos, Donato
Racciatti was the third bandoneon. In 1945, and due to the changes in
our country, there was a reborn in the people´s expectances, economic,
labor, politic, and it included tango too . I the beginning of tours,
contracts, clubs, radios, here in the country and around the world.
Our music was going through an excellent moment , it was the 40´s, the
Gold period. Gobbí came back from Uruguay and he start working in a
radio, but this time is was for The Big Door, firstly he was hired to
perform in Radio Belgrano and the Radio El Mundo, where he was the
lead figure of tango. In he was hired by the recording company R.C.A.
Víctor to record and he kept recording for ten years there. His
singers were: Carlos Heredia and Hugo Soler. In 1948, they were
Pablo
Lozano and Héctor Maciel in 1949, Jorge Maciel and Ángel Díaz. In
1950, Héctor Coral and Jorge Maciel, in 1953, Carlos Almada and Jorge
Maciel, in 1954, Jorge Maciel and Tito Landó, from 1955 to 1956 ,
Alfredo del Rio and Tito Landó. In 1957, Tito Landó, Mario Beltrán,
and Carlos Yanel, in 1958, Alfredo del Río and Tito Landó. When this
master of the music composed compuso his great hits: “El andariego”
and “Camandulaje”, he did it in collaboration Ismael Spitalnij, (singer,bandoneon
player and “orquestador”). At the end of 1950, Gobbi´s orchestra was
formed by the first violin, he was accompanied by Ariel Haroldo
Gessaghi, and Eduardo Salgado, (bandoneons) Mario Demarco, Luis
Maggiolo, Osvaldo Piro, and Emilio Nurié, ( piano); Normando Lázzara
and Osvaldo Monteleone (double bass). Due to the expantion of the
foreign music the works condition were hard again. Young pople trying
to imitate the foreigns invaded us, tango and folklore was in the
second place for the people specially the younger ones. Gobbi
decided to dissolved his group and he formed a quintet to keep
fighting for our music, directing from the piano and playing in a pub
of Corrientes Street called “Siglo XX”. By the year 1963 he played as
a soloist in a pub called Olmos in Once . In 1964, being still young
, he had 54 years , his dessaperence took place. Good musician, best
friend, he left to all the people he met, the affection and the
recogcition of the big ones. Rovira he dedicated his tango “El
engobbiao”, Troilo, “Milonguero Triste”, Piazzolla, “Retrato de
Gobbi”. This violinist , knew how to give to tango his own style and
a “Decareano”(from Decaro) style, he left his style in all his
interpretaciones, for the enjoyment of all the people who loves him
“The best music of the world, Tango” .