Jazz Classic of the Month
Oscar Aleman (1909-80) was born and raised in Argentina but is best-known today for his work in Europe in the 1930s. At that time, the guitarist had a very similar sound and style to Django Reinhardt (a good friend), he enjoyed opportunities to play with a visiting Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and recorded with trumpeters Bill Coleman and Freddy Taylor, clarinetist Eddie Brunner, violinist Svend Asmussen, clarinetist Danny Polo, and two sessions of his own.
After the Nazis occupied France, Aleman fled back to Argentina where he spent the rest of his life, apparently never visiting the U.S. While he worked and recorded steadily in the 1940s and ’50s and made several comeback albums during 1972-74, Aleman’s fame was largely confined to his native country despite his talents.
Ritmo Loco – El Rey de la Guitarra Swing collects 24 of Oscar Aleman’s best recordings from 1941-57. While he starts off with a quintet similar to the one that Reinhardt had with violinist Stephane Grappelli, by later in the 1940s Aleman (who had switched to electric guitar) showed more individuality and the instrumentation of his group had expanded, eventually utilizing three violinists. While a crowd pleasing singer and dancer, Aleman remained a swing stylist on guitar, swinging hard on originals and American jazz standards (which were often given names in Spanish). With
