Charles Romuald Gardes was born in Toulouse, France, at two A.M. on Thursday December 11, 1890. On that particular day, the Saint Joseph de la Grave hospital witnessed the birth of a child who was to become a mythical figure in Porteño history, a legend whose influence can still be felt amongst the people of Buenos Aires, a dreamlike character going by the name of Carlos Gardel. The so- called "Babylon of the South" was to be mesmerized by the mystery of his unique, timeless voice and the familiar, gentlemanly figure which has become a familiar ¡con over the years. No other character in Buenos Aires history enjoys the reverente offered to Carlos Gardel. His friendly smile daily greets the millions of inhabitants of that great metropolis from the South. His face can be seen in press kiosks, buses and the cafés where the aroma of fresh coffee mixes with the humor, the thinking and the discussions that the people of Buenos Aires l¡ke to enjoy in these true temples of communication. Like an omnipresent guest, Carlitos is everywhere.

On Saturday March 11, 1892, the vessel "Don Pedro" arrived in Buenos Aires from the distant French port of Bordeaux. One of the passengers aboard the ship was Bertha Gardes, a brave woman who had decided to take the risks of emigrating to the New World. Bertha Gardes was a French widow of 27 years, a presser by trade, Catholic, and beholder of passport no. 94. Bertha was coming with his little son Charles, who was only two years and three months old (these facts are eloquently documented by the Argentinian immigration office through registers no. 121 and 122). An unmarried woman, Bertha Gardes shared the dream of millions of immigrants who were looking for a better life in their newly found home. Her little son went on to grow up in Buenos Aires at a time when the city was going through rapid urban and social change. Transformed into a prototypical Porteño kid, the young "Francesito" very soon had to help with the family economy, which meant frequenting third-rate cafés where the air was thick with tobacco smoke, cheap gin ran freely and the patrons could be a little less than respectable. This kind of cafés often featured live appeareances by "payadores" or singers of rural origin who used to display their vocal style in boomtown circuses and taverns. From these primitive artists, Gardel learnt the basic principles of singing and guitar-playing. Nicknamed the "Morocho del Abasto" after the district where he used to perform, little by little he began to be known all over Buenos Aires.

His personal sympathy and the magic of his very particular voice were the two key elements in his early success. Buenos Aires, a city which could be heartless and cruel, proved to be generous in the case of the charismatic young vocalist. ¿Which mystery lies between the mutual attraction between Gardel and the metropolis from the South? This is an enigma of semi-mythological proportions which offers little if any answers.

A hero in Buenos Aires, Gardel sailed back to his native Europe, where he first conquered Madrid before visiting Barcelona, the city in which he was crowned undisputed king of the Tango. In this Mediterranean town, he appeared regularly at the Goya and the Principal theatres. His Spanish success was only the first step before further acclaim on the stages of Paris and New York. The magic of Gardel's voice proved to be equally bewitching in all cultural environments. His presence, able to illuminate faces with joy, attracted the women like a magnet. His generous character became a legend. Luckily, motion pictures and records allow us to enjoy his personality today. This book is an attempt to gather part of his rich photographic legacy; we believe that the sepia images will help to maintain the memory of Carlos Gardel, the greatest of the Porteño legends.

From the book Carlos Gardel En Imagenes by Roberto Daus
ALMENDRA MUSIC S.L. - Ediciones Musicales BLUE MOON S.L. - Producciones Discograficas
© Roberto Daus
All Rights Reserved
Published by permission of the author.

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