Roberto Grela – The Master of the Guitar

Roberto Grela was born in the neighborhood of San Telmo and from a very young age he started with music since his family circle were very fond of it. His father and uncle were part of a guitar duo: Los Hermanos Delpaso.

For many he was the greatest guitarist who has given tango. He belonged to the group of guitarists who played by ear, and who were artistically formed in everyday work, perfecting themselves by their own talent and by contact with other musicians.

He was defined as self-taught, ‘orejero’, who used the pick because in it he found the sonority sought. But this one was neither a gimmick nor strident. Horacio Ferrer says: “Artist of exquisite sensitivity and rare musical ability, he assimilated to his instrument the brilliant and linked phrasing of the bandoneonistic tradition”.

His union with Aníbal Troilo left for the history of tango the most emotional Grela and the best Troilo in his profile as a bandoneonist. But it is Grela who moves Troilo to give his best. Over time he made a similar experience with Leopoldo Federico and we discovered that he was no longer the same, that Troilo lacked, despite Leopold’s superior technique. Evidently the Troilo-Grela conjunction was unique and unrepeatable, El Gordo also provoked in the guitarist a deep climate and great feeling. They were spiritually consubstantiated.

With the musicalization of Las cuarenta, the name of Grela was forever associated with a tango that will last through time. He also composed “Viejo baldío” (lyrics by Víctor Lamanna), “Callejón” (lyrics by Héctor Marcó) and “A San Telmo” (in collaboration with Héctor Ayala).

He is part of the folkloric ensemble of Abel Fleury, with whom he learned all the secrets of the instrument. To such an extent that he considered him the father of the guitarists of his generation. He was short-lived with folklore and looked for new directions in jazz, coming to have his own syncopated group, Los American Fire. He also became interested in Brazilian music.

He returns to tango at the invitation of Troilo, who together with Cátulo Castillo, author of the script, were about to premiere the musical comedy El Patio de la Morocha. Without thinking about it, the Troilo-Grela quartet was being formed. To the duo were added the guitarrón of Edmundo Porteño Zaldivar and the double bass of Kicho Díaz. The quartet performed for a while and then came together solely to record albums. In 1958, he formed a guitar quartet to perform in public with Laine, Báez, Ayala and the double bass of Pro.

In his long career he was accompanied by an endless list of performers: Edmundo Rivero, Nelly Omar, Alberto Marino, Agustín Irusta, Tito Reyes, Osvaldo Cordó, Héctor Mauré, Osvaldo Ribó, Alberto Podestá, Jorge Vidal, among many others.

He composed, among others: Old Wasteland (lyrics by Victor Lamanna), Callejón (lyrics by Héctor Marcó) and To San Telmo (in collaboration with Héctor Ayala), Las cuarenta (1939, lyrics by Francisco Gorrindo), Color gray, Bitter farewell, Tip and taco, Blessed (waltz with lyrics by Horacio Ferrer), Mi zambita rea (lyrics by Ferrer), Celedonio Bécquer (lyrics by Ferrer and Raúl Garello), Danzón de la chiflada (lyrics by Ferrer and Garello), Tristería (lyrics by Ferrer and Garello) and Serenata a mi guitarra.

Grela died in Buenos Aires on September 6, 1992, at the age of 79.

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