Gobbi Instrumentals

Gobbi was a violinist. He played with Troilo, Vardaro, Pugliese and Laurenz before forming his orchetra in 1942. His instrumentals sound dynamis and strong, often mistaken as Pugliese's.
He only recorded 19 instrumental tangos but all of them are exquisite, such an underated orchestra.
He recorded mostly Guardia Vieja composition and a few new composition from the Golden Age.

Read more about him on todotango.

La Viruta (Dust)

Music: Vicente Greco
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1947

Guardia Vieja (1900-10s) composition.
Compare with Juan Maglio "Pacho" 1912, Luis Petrocelli 1928, D'Arienzo 1936, Di Sarli 1943, Biagi 1948

Jueves (Día De Moda) (Thursday (Day of Fashion))

Music:  Udelino Toranzo & Rafael Rossi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1947

Compare with De Caro 1930, D'Arienzo 1937, Pugliese 1949, Trío Ciriaco Ortiz 1951, Quinteto Pirincho (Canaro) 1952.

El Incendio (Fire)

Music: Arturo De Bassi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1948

De Bassi composed this song in 1906 inspired by the sound of the firemen.
Compare with Greco 1912, Biagi 1938, Di Sarli 1940 & 1951.

Independiente Club (Independiente Club)

Music: Agustín Bardi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1948

Dedicated to a soccer club in Buenos Aires. Soccer is #1 sports in Argentina.


Puro Apronte

Music: Agustín Bardi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1948

Apronte in lunfardo means test run of horse racing. 

(turf.) Carrera de ensayo de caballos// (pop.) Ostentación, aspaviento, alarde de capacidad.

Orlando Goñi

Music: Alfredo Gobbi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1949

Gobbi composed this song 4 years after the death of his childhood friend, Orlando Goñi.  Goñi was one of the best tango pianist who played with and characterized the style of Aníbal Troilo. Goñi was a bohemian and a heavy drinker and passed away at the age of 31.

Racing Club (Racing Club)

Music: Vicente Greco 

Another song dedicated to a soccer club in Buenos Aires.

Chuzas (Spears)

Music: Agustín Bardi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1949

Guardia Vieja composition by Bardi.

Pelele (Fool)

Music: Pedro Maffia Lyrics: Juan Andrés Caruso
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1950.

Compare with De Caro, Pugliese.

La Catrera (Bed)

Music: Arturo De Bassi
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1951

Catrera means bed in lunfardo, the word also appears in El Bulín De La Calle Ayacucho. Guardia Vieja composition

El Andariego (Restless)

Music: Alfredo GobbiArrangement: Ismael Spitalnik
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1951

Gobbi's own composition dedicated to his father Alfredo Eusebio Gobbi who traveled the world performing and recording tango.

Nueve Puntos (At Full Speed)

Music: Francisco Canaro
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1952

Guardia Vieja composition by Canaro.
Compare with Di Sarli version.

Si Sos Brujo (If You're Bewitched)

Music: Emilio Balcarce
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1953

New composition by Pugliese's violinist Balcarce.
It became the title of a documentary about a tango orchestra school in Buenos Aires which Balcarce became the first director.

Compare with Pugliese version.

Fraternal (Fraternal)

Music: Ismael Spitalnik
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1954

New composition by Spitalnik. He was a bandoneonist for D'Agostino, Salgán, Pugliese as well as arranger for Troilo. He composed many modern tangos.

Camandulaje (Gang)

Music: Alfredo GobbiArrangement: Ismael Spitalnik
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1955

New composition by Gobbi. Camandulaje is a lunfardo meaning a group of friends who would hang out bars, who might even commit crime together.

A Media Luz (In Dimmed Light)

Music: Edgardo Donato
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1955

The original recording has lyrics, you can read them here.

Entrador (Daring)

Music: Mario Demarco
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1956

New composition by bandoneonist Demarco, composer of Pata Ancha.
Compare with Pugliese's recording.

Sin Vuelta De Hoja (Undoubted Truth)

Music: Alberto Garralda
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1956

"no tener vuelta de hoja" is an expression meaning undoubtedly true.
New composition made by Gobbi's lead bandonist, Alberto Garralda.

Eduardo Rovira

Engobbiao (In Gobbi's Style)

Music: Eduardo Rovira
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1957

New work by Rovira, avant-garde composer (also the composer of A Evaristo Carriego). Rovira played bandoneon in Gobbi's orchestra and admired Gobbi's innovations and dedicated this tango.

Saludos (Greetings)

Music: Armando Pontier
Recorded by Alfredo Gobbi in 1958

Pontier composed this song while he was playing bandoneón in Caló's orchestra.