Gaston Bueno Lobo - 3. A summary of details.

Up till now our inquery on details regarding Lobo's passing away and the circumstances according this issue is still open to definitive answers. However, we have received some correction and additional info regarding Lobo from the editor of The Magazine of Brazilian Music & Culture, Daniella Thompson. This will be summarized in this entry.

In our first entry on the subject in charge I (incorrectly) mentioned that Oscar and Lobo teamed as a duo and formed Les Loups in 1926. The correct year, however, is 1924, when Lobo met Oscar in Santos, Brazil, and started a co-work after hearing Oscar playing his cavaquinho at some taverna. Lobo became Oscar's mentor and secound father. - Les Loups made their professional debut in Rio de Jainero 1925, then toured a great part of Brazil and were at some
point engaged by the Argentine comedian Pablo Palitos, who would feature the duo in performances both in Brazil (Bahia and Pernambuco) and later in Buenos Aires at the prestigious Teatro Casino. After this engagement Les Loups would be featured on radio and started to record for the Victor label late 1927. During 1928 Harry Flemming's revue company was on tour in Argentina and Les Loups were hired as a special act and started a partnership with Flemming. This partnership brought Les Loups on tour to Europe in 1929, starting in Portugal and lasting until their breaking up with Flemming early 1931 in Spain. Les Loups quit Flemming's group because of financial disagreement, they tried for some time to find work as a duo in Spain, but they met hard times and no steady job. Some sources mention that Oscar and Lobo were constantly argueing about money and as a result of this they would split. Other sources, however, put it in this way: Lobo would discover he suffered an incurabe disease (probably cancer) and then decided to return to Brazil, where he committed suicide. - The story about Lobo going to Paris, France, to do audition for a job as a guitarist with the Josephine Baker orchestra is probably true. He had heard from Belgian trumpeter Robert de Kers that Baker needed a guitar player with the Baker Boys, but the musicians did not want Lobo after the audition. Instead they mentioned Oscar Alemán as another option, Josephine therefore sent for him - a telegram was sent to him in Madrid. Now the story goes that Oscar first declined Josephine's offer because of loyalty to Lobo, his mentor and stepfather. Anyway, we know for sure that Alemán in the end accepted the diva's offer, joined the Baker Boys and stayed with her until 1939. What became of Lobo after his beeing neglected by Baker's musicians is, however, still an open question. We know for sure he returned to Brazil and that he continued his career as a musician, the evidence is recordings made in 1932 and 1938.

According to discographical info available in the Funarte database of Brazilian recordings from 1902-64 at http://www.fundaj.gov.br/isis/disco.html Lobo cut nine recordings during the 1930'ies, most of them in 1932, but also the two sides with Laurindo Almeida in 1938. Furthermore, the Brazilian musician and researcher, Jorge Mello, has informed that Lobo worked as a staff musician at Rádio Mayrink Veiga until the beginning of 1937. He played with Garoto, Laurindo Almeida (who joined Mayrink Veiga in 1936), and Aymoré, and formed the 'Conjuncto Hawaiano'. His co-work with Almeida is documented by the mentioned 78 rpm Odeon recording from 1938 and from their co-authorship on the composition "Se Recordar É Viver," which was recorded by Roberto Paiva in October 1939. This is, so far, what is known about Lobo's activities during the 1930'ies after returning to Brazil.

Jo

My web site dedicated to Gaston Bueno Lobo