Sexteto Mayor

Sexteto Mayor is an Argentine tango ensemble founded on 29 April 1973 (sources cite 23 April in some cases) in Buenos Aires by bandoneón players and arrangers Luis Stazo and José Libertella. The group maintains the traditional six-piece instrumentation of two bandoneóns, two violins, piano, and double bass—a format based on Julio De Caro’s 1920s ensemble. Initially performing without stable vocalists, they prioritize instrumental arrangements that emphasise the passionate roots of tango. The ensemble achieved international prominence in 1981 with their Paris debut at Trottoirs de Buenos Aires, and gained lasting fame through nine years touring with the theatrical production Tango Argentino (1983–1993) across Paris and Broadway. Sexteto Mayor became the first Argentine tango ensemble to win a Latin Grammy in 2003 for their album Homenaje a Piazzolla. Despite significant personnel changes following co-founder José Libertella’s death in 2004 and Luis Stazo’s retirement in 2005, the group continues its distinctive international touring schedule, returning to Buenos Aires only one or two months annually. The ensemble remains widely considered the most prominent Argentine tango ensemble worldwide.

Sources note: Sources provide two slightly different formation dates: Wikipedia states 29 April 1973, while some sources cite 23 April 1973. The album Trottoirs de Buenos Aires was released in 1995–1998; the 1981 date refers to when Sexteto Mayor performed at the opening of the Parisian tanguería that inspired the album’s name. Homenaje a Piazzolla is variously catalogued as 2003 or 2004.