Oscar Alemán
| Oscar Alemán | |
|---|---|
Oscar Alemán
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Oscar Marcelo Alemán |
| Born |
February 20, 1909 Machagai Chaco, Argentina |
| Died | October 14, 1980 (aged 71) Buenos Aires |
| Genres | Jazz, swing |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1915–1980 |
| Associated acts | Freddy Taylor, Josephine Baker |
| Website | www |
Oscar Marcelo Alemán (February 20, 1909 – October 14, 1980) was an Argentine jazz guitarist, singer, and dancer. He is widely recognized in his country and abroad as one of the best jazz performers, and as an influential artist.
Alemán was born in Machagai, Chaco Province in Northern Argentina. He was the fourth child of seven born to pianist Marcela Pereira (a native Argentine of the Toba people), and Jorge Alemán Moreira, who played guitar in a folk quartet, with his children Carlos, Jorgelina and Juan.
At the age of six, young Oscar joined the family ensemble, by then the "Moreira Sextet", and played the cavaquinho, a Brazilian ukulele before taking up the guitar. The group travelled to Buenos Aires for gigs at the Parque Japonés, Nuevo Theater and at the Luna Park. Later they toured in Brazil.
Alemán was orphaned by the age of ten when his mother died and his father committed suicide. He sustained himself by working sporadically as a dancer and musician on the streets of Santos, Brazil. When he saved enough money, he bought a guitar and started to play professionally in party venues, in a duo called Los Lobos with his friend, Brazilian guitarist Gastón Bueno Lobo. The duo moved to Buenos Aires in 1925 to work under contract for the comedian Pablo Palitos.
In Buenos Aires, they formed a trio with violinist Elvino Vardaro. They added tango to their repertoire, and recorded with Agustín Magaldi. They later played with Carlos Gardel and Enrique Santos Discépolo.
In 1929 Los Lobos and dancer Harry Fleming travelled to Europe, and after the tour, Alemán stayed in Madrid to play as a soloist. In the 1930s he discovered American jazz via Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti. He then moved to Paris where he was hired by Josephine Baker to lead her band, the Baker Boys at the Cafe de Paris, providing him an opportunity to play regularly with American musicians who would come to see Baker and sit in with her band.
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