Paraguay - Digno Garcia

Digno Garcia was born in the city of Luque, Paraguay in September 22, 1919. He started playing the guitar at a very young age. By twelve years old he was already a very proficient guitar player without having any formal musical instruction. Soon after, he also thought himself how to play the Paraguayan Harp (Arpa Paraguaya).

When he first began playing the harp he was part various music groups. He played with other accomplished Paraguayan harpists such as Tito Fernandez, Ignacio Melgarejo, Demetrio Ortiz. He then because part of the well known group, “Guaireno de Gumercindo Ayala Aquino”. As part of this new group, he toured throughout Latin America for the first time.

In 1942 he formed the trio, “Los Paraguayos”, which also included Augustin Barboza and Luis Alberto del Parana.

In 1944 he created his first composition “Cascada”, inspired by the time he spent admiring a waterfall in the town of Chololo Paraguay. This composition later became a standard piece for all Paraguayan harpists.

By 1954 the Paraguayan government decided to sponsor the trio as a sort of cultural representative of Paraguayan folkloric music to Europe.

When this mission was over, Digno Garcia formed yet another trio, this time called, “Digno Garcia y sus Carios”. With this group he began recording what would be a long series of albums. They played traditional Paraguayan folkloric pieces, as well as many compositions by Digno. Many of the albums that followed went on to be marketed and sold not only throughout Paraguay, but in more then fifteen other countries.

Digno played in over forty five countries. In 1962 he moved to Belgium. Some of his most prominent fans include King Baudouin I of Belgium and the Spanish artist Salvador Dali.

He received many honors and awards at home and abroad. In his hometown he was presented a gold medal naming him a “Distinguished Son of the City of Luque”. And in Barcelona he received a trophy from a Spanish recoding company (Belter) for his composition “Costa Brava”.

After recording 8 albums, of all which included numerous original compositions, Digno Garcia died in 1984 in Belgium.

Note: information taken from the website: musicaparaguya.org, the article used was composed based on the book by Paraguayan author Aida Lara, ­Vidas, perfiles y recuerdos: Vivencias de músicos, cantores y poetas paraguayo. The article and book from which it is a part of are both in Spanish. http://www.musicaparaguaya.org.py/dignogarcia.html

This list of works was found on: http://www.paraguayanmelodies.com/digno_garcia.htm



List of Works

Album: Digno Garcia y su Trio Paraguay
Recording Company: Montilla (USA)
Origional Composition:
Cascada

Album: Digno Garcia Paisaje de Mi Teirra
Recording Company: Divisca (Spain)
Original Compositions:
Paisaje de Mi Tierra
Madrecita
Retorno Lirico
Fuente Silvestre

Album: Esto es Paraguay
Recording Company: Belter (Spain)
Origional Compositions:
Paraguaya Mia
Asuncion
Nea Purajhei
Chipera

Album: Fiesta Paraguaya
Recording Company: Phillips (France)
Origional Composition:
Viajera

Album: Made in Paraguay
Recording Company: Palette (France)
Original Compositions:
Mi Nostalgia
Filigrana
Sabio Completo
Madrecita

Album: Noches de Paraguay
Recording Company: Discolando (USA)
Origional Compositions:
A Mi Paraguay
Arroyito

Album: Spanish Soul Digno Garcia y sus Carios
Record Company: Command Records (USA)
Origional Composition:
Costa Brava

Album: Viva Digno Garcia
Recording Company: 4 Corners (USA)