Artista Juan José Escobar

Escobar (1943) nació en Constitución, Salto. Su abuelo por parte de madre vino de Italia. Tenía granja y se dedicaba a la viticultura y fruticultura. Su abuelo paterno era tropero y hablaba portugués. Su abuela, de apellido Cardozo, era oriunda de Argentina, «media correntina», según Escobar.[1]

«La afición por la ejecución de instrumentos es parte de los Cardozo», explica. Uno de sus parientes de esa línea era el peluquero Baltazar Cardozo, que tocaba el acordeón de dos hileras con un repertorio de maxixas, polcas, rancheras y música brasileña. Además, su padre tocaba el violín y su tío era bandoneonista. Después de aprender a tocar la guitarra y acompañar otros músicos, a los diecinueve años de edad, Escobar comenzó a estudiar bandoneón. Estudió de oído y con un método impreso.

Aprendió su repertorio de oído, observando a músicos de la zona que tocaban con su padre, como los acordeonistas Rivadavia Martínez e Israel Barboza. También aprendió de los discos 78rpm, que sus abuelas pasaban en las victrolas en sus casas.

Escobar recuerda que sus abuelos hacían velorios en sus casas, velando la cruz, el niño Jesús o santos. Se hacían oraciones y promesas y luego terminaban en «juegos de velorio» y baile con acordeón de dos hileras.

Él también es compositor de letras y poesía, y se integró a las murgas locales en época de carnaval. Se jubiló como empleado municipal.

[1] Comunicación personal, 2018.

Escobar (1943) was born in Constitución, Salto. His grandfather on his mother´s side immigrated from Italy, and had a farm dedicated to grape-growing and fruit production. His grandfather on his father´s side was a cattle driver and spoke Portuguese, and his grandmother, last name Cardozo, was from Argentina «kind of correntina[1]», according to Escobar.[2]

He explains that, «the tradition of playing musical instruments comes from the Cardozos». One of his relatives on that side was a barber, Baltazar Cardozo, who played the two-row button accordion with a repertoire of maxixas, polcas, rancheras and Brazilian music. Also, his father played the violin and his uncle was a bandoneonist. After learning to play the guitar and accompany other musicians, Escobar began studying bandoneon at age nineteen. He learned by ear and also with a method book.

He learned his repertoire by ear by observing other local musicians that played with his father such as accordionists Rivadavia Martínez and Israel Barboza. He also learned from the 78rpm records that his grandmothers would play on their victrolas at home.

Escobar remembers that his grandparents would hold velorios[3] at their houses in homage of the Holy Cross, Baby Jesus and saints. The congregants would make prayers and promises and the event would end in «juegos de velorio«[4] and a dance with music played by two-row button accordion.

Escobar is also a composer of lyrics and poems, and has participated in Carnaval with local murgas[5]. He retired as a municipal employee.

[1] Person from the Argentine province of Corrientes.

[2] Personal communication, 2018.

[3] Ceremonial event in popular Catholicism.

[4] Games played by participants in a velorio involving horseplay.

[5] Male choirs that perform satirical songs, often with political and socially critical content, during Uruguay´s yearly Carnaval period.

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