Juan Canaro

Juan Canaro (23 June 1892 – 16 March 1977) was an Uruguayan singer, conductor, bandoneonist, and composer who settled in Argentina. His brothers were the orchestra conductors Francisco Canaro and Rafael Canaro.

Professional career In 1907, his neighbor and close friend Vicente Fiorentino, who already played the violin in small groups, encouraged Juan to take up studying the bandoneon, teaching him some simple tunes using numbered notation. After much effort, he managed to learn two pieces. He continued studying but didn't dare to perform in public. He eventually did so at some local festivals alongside Vicente Fiorentino (violin) and Luis Martínez (Papanova) on guitar. After overcoming that challenge, they later performed in Junín and Pergamino. Juan had already composed his first tango, Mano brava, which he dedicated to the bandoneon player Minotto Di Cicco and which premiered in Montevideo in 1915.

He spent many years in the ensemble of his famous brother, with whom he traveled to Paris in 1925 and to New York City the following year. He returned to France from North America, and together with his brother Rafael Canaro, led an orchestra with which they toured several European countries, promoting tango until 1931.

He composed several pieces, collaborating with Juan Andrés Caruso, Jesús Fernández Blanco, Carlos Pesce, Osvaldo Sosa Cordero, and Fernando Ochoa.

Juan Canaro was a close friend of Carlos Gardel, who recorded his tangos Desengaño, El pinche, Camarada, and La brisa, with lyrics by Caruso.