He put together his first orchestra in 1944.
About it, he confessed: "The idea of forming it was, in a way, linked to music composing. I began to compose because I wanted to play tango in a pre-established way. I didn't want to be a composer but to play tangos the way I liked. The same happened with the orchestra. As I liked to play tangos in my style, the only possible way was to have my group. Then I put it together. Some people enjoy being bandleaders, but I was interested in my pianistic vocation. I had no intention of creating anything".