ndoubtedly, the Internet is a grab bag full of surprises. Navigating adrift like a bird with no destination, as in the Carlos Gardel and José Razzano’s tango, I discovered a voice that dazzled me with its color and Gardelian style.

It belonged to Tabaré Leyton, a young Uruguayan singer, with a tenor range and an expressivity that is not generally heard nowadays.

He is a singer like those of the early days of tango, with a hushed tonal quality, groovy phrasing, with a good intonation and with some flashes typical of his generation, and also with his murga background.

It is clearly evident his power of brilliant tenor which he restrains and controls with criterion and good taste. At times he is at a very short distance from operatic singing.

My oriental friends told me that he started by singing at the night venues of Montevideo and that he established his image at the mythical barroom Fun Fun on Ciudadela Street, in the building of the Mercado Central, at the back of the Teatro Solís. Also at the traveling stage of Tangobus, always accompanied by the guitarists Eduardo Martínez and Alberto Magnone.

In 2007 he appeared in Buenos Aires alongside other porteño artists, among them: Andrea Bonelli, Tanghetto, Rodrigo de la Serna and Luis Matteo.

The following year he sang at the Sala Zitarrosa on 18 de Julio Avenue on the corner of Julio Herrera y Obes, in downtown Montevideo, for the anniversary of “La cumparsita”. He also made appearances at the Centro Cultural Torquato Tasso in the neighborhood of San Telmo, in Buenos Aires.

Three years later he won the contest of the Spanish Embassy in Uruguay whose award was his appearance at the Festival de Tango in Granada in 2010. Thereafter he made a tour of Spain and France.

He has released two compact discs, the first one in 2010, La Factoría del Tango, with a multifarious repertoire that goes from traditional to electronic tango and some numbers of his own. The art direction and production of the disc was in charge of Max Masri (Tanghetto) for the Constitution Music label. The standouts are the Gardel’s numbers and a couple of pieces of his own, “El tango no va a morir” and “Una foto en mi cajón”. He was awarded the Graffiti prize in 2012 because this disc was regarded as best tango album.

His second compact disc was presented at the Sala Zitarrosa in October 2014 and was entitled Charrúa. It was released by the same record company and also Max Masri was producer and art director. On this disc Rubén Rada is featured in one of the numbers as guest artist. This release is quite eclectic and includes many rhythms which have no connection with tango, save for two or three pieces.

I foretell a successful career for Tabaré Leyton if he takes care of his vocal cords and consolidates his tango spirit. Quite possibly, he does not even know he was blessed with a wonderful voice.