Coming to Buenos Aires from his native Rosario, in the ‘50s he played with the orchestras of Miguel Caló, Juan José Paz, Joaquín Do Reyes and Enrique Mario Francini among others.  As of 1958 he was a bandoneon player and arranger for the orchestra of Osvaldo Pugliese, then in its greatest moment.

Some of that orchestra’s most famous arrangements—such as “Gallo Ciego,” “Bandoneón Arrabalero,” and “Lorenzo”—are by Lavallén.  In 1968, after many recordings and tours with Pugliese, he founded the “Sexteto Tango” with Emilio Balcarce, Julián Plaza, Osvaldo Ruggiero, Alcides Rossi and Oscar Herrero.  The sextet enjoyed 20 years of intense activity .  Later he founded “Color Tango” with other colleagues and joined the orchestra of Mariano Mores.  For more than a decade now, he has been musical director for Luis Bravo’s show “Forever Tango,” and permanently tours the world.

More than fifty years since his professional debut, Lavallén here presents his first recording as orchestral director.  “Amanecer Ciudadano” is an eagerly anticipated anthology recording: the opportunity to discover this great artist who has always been present, yet is still one of the best kept treasures of tango.

This text was originally published on the inside cover of Víctor Lavallén’s recording.