Sunday 11 December 2011

Musicians in the subway - Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The trio, made up of Vicente Rojelio Juarez, 63, on trumpet, Juan DeBiaggi, 31 on guitar and Leo Solis, 31, playing the cajon or box, frequents the D Line on the Buenos Aires subway system. Together they play music for commuters and travelers alike.

They can be found Monday through Friday and the occasional Saturday, starting around noon and finishing as rush hour begins about 5 p.m. In total they will earn an average of 300 pesos a day, roughly 75usd. Divided among the trio each will take home approximately 25 dollars. Juarez says it is enough for him to cover his weekly hotel bill in Constitucion and food. He said he swore off alcohol, drugs and women long ago.

Despite the heat and humidity underground in the summer, the band is a regular, electing the fuller cars as they arrive in Tribunales for the outbound route. Thirteen stops later they get about a five minute breather at Congreso de Tucuman. Enough time to count some change, grab a quick smoke or take a seat.

Solis has been playing the cajon for over 10 years, Juarez the trumpet for more than 52 years and DeBiaggi, 18 years playing guitar, recently having traded a new guitar for his current instrument, Ursula, who he says might be a little beat-up and patched-up, but claims she sounds much better.

Together now for about a year, the trio has a name about as long as their individual histories and both are constantly growing. Juarez, DeBiaggi and Solis are 'Los Alegres Muchachos De Antes No Usaban Viagra Ni Gomina. El Trio Más Mintado Que Piso El 33.'

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