Luis Esteban Mandarino

Luis Esteban Mandarino (1899–1970) was a tango singer, guitarist, and composer born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He debuted professionally in Paris in 1926 with the orchestra of Manuel Pizarro, establishing an international presence early in his career. As a composer, Mandarino created multiple tango works, most notably “Evocación de París,” which was recorded by the legendary Carlos Gardel, and “No es más que yo,” performed by the prominent vocalist Ángel Vargas. His active performance career spanned from 1927 to 1933, during which he collaborated with various ensembles and accompanied vocalists such as Alina de Silva. Mandarino was one of three musical siblings; his brothers Amadeo and Humberto were also accomplished tango musicians—Amadeo as a singer and Humberto as a bandoneonist with European orchestras. Though his recorded legacy remains modest in overall volume, his compositions and recordings contributed to the tango tradition during its formative international expansion period.

Sources note: Todotango records his death date as February 27, 1983, while tango.info and other sources consistently indicate February 26, 1970. Birth month and day (June 20) are verified by tango.info.