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Federico Britos

There is no greater proof of the universality of jazz and classical music than that which embodies the career and life work of Federico Britos. This titan of the violin, who is as equally adept within the world of jazz music as he is in the classical realm, has built a solid reputation throughout the Southern Hemisphere of the Americas.

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Federico began playing violin at age five. George Boulanger, Rumanian violinist, while touring in Uruguay, premiered one of his musical pieces "Capricho Uruguayo"; Federico was eleven years old at that moment. He had the opportunity to meet and perform for David Oistracht and Jasha Heifetz at his teacher's home, Adolph Bornstein. Both of them agreed that he was a gifted musician, capable of playing classic and jazz as well.

Serving as principal chair, soloist, and ultimately Concertmaster with some of the great symphony orchestras of Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru, Cuba, and United States (Miami), Federico has toured extensively throughout the Americas and Europe. He would, in time, not only perform with some of Latin America's greatest musicians, such as Astor Piazzolla, Horacio Salgan, Bola de Nieve, Cachao, Joao Gilberto, Dorival Caimi, Vinicio de Moraes, Armando Manzanero and Tania Libertad. He would also have the opportunity to share his outstanding talent with Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Bucky Pizzarelli, Charlie Haden, Ken Peplowski, Eddie Higgins and Charlie Byrd. He has toured Europe with the Hot Club USA and Franck Vignola.

As a composer, Federico has written and recorded many works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, ballet and dance. He has also composed music for films, TV and theater. His never-ending inspiration is only comparable to his never-ending skill to improvise.

Federico has performed at various Jazz Festivals, such as: Montreux Jazz Festival; San Francisco Jazz Festival; International Jazz Festival in Espoo, Finland; Bern and Basile Jazz Festival (Switzerland); North Carolina Jazz Festival; New Bern Jazz Festival; Miami Jazz Festival; Boca Raton Jazz Festival; Puerto Rico Jazz Fest; Regatta Bar Jazz Festival (Boston); Summit Jazz Festival (Denver, Colorado); A Celebration of American Fiddle Music (Troy, NY); Django Reinhardt Festival at Birdland Jazz Club in New York and Miami Beach World Music Festival. He played as a special guest in The Grappelli Legacy on December 1998 at Carnegie Hall on the first anniversary of Stephane Grappelli's disappearance.

Performed in the Concert Hall of Kennedy Center in Washington in a program called "AMERICANOS", along with Cachao, Nestor Torres, Jose Feliciano, Juan Luis Guerra, Gloria Estefan and Paquito D'Rivera, produced by James Edward James Olmos.

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8
Album Review

Federico Britos: Hot Club of the Americas

Read "Hot Club of the Americas" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Violinist extraordinaire Federico Britos originally from Montevideo, Uruguay and affectionately referred to by his close friends as “Federico the Uruguayan"--state's one of his closest colleagues, Paquito D'Rivera--has always had a particular affinity for the music of Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and the renowned Hot Club of France. Britos pays tribute to the music of that era with one major cultural twist, he designs a unique interpretation of the rhythm-based music with the stylish Latin-flavored Hot Club of the Americas billed ...

386
Album Review

Federico Britos: Voyage

Read "Voyage" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


The world continues to awake to the rising tide of undiscovered music and musicians from the South American paradigm, in an almost ironic kind of reversal of Alejo Carpentier's voyage of musical discovery in his 1953 work, The Lost Steps. As this is going on, the Uruguayan violinist Federico Britos celebrates five decades in the lonely and all-but-forgotten Chair of the Magisterium of South American Music with a spectacular Sunnyside offering, Voyage. This sojourn, documented at several moments in time, ...

260
Album Review

Federico Britos: Candombe & Jazz

Read "Candombe & Jazz" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


One of the aspects that gives music its inherent beauty lies in the universality it can enfold. When the players have empathy for, and the sensitivity to mould, the different strains, the experience can be compelling. Britos has that perception. He melds jazz and candombe, which is an African derived rhythm that has been part of Uruguayan culture for two centuries; but he takes his conception even further. Derivatives of the melody and the harmonic concept of “Malungo” can be ...

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178

Radio

WLRN's South Fla. Arts Beat Presents the Federico Britos Group, Friday, May 14th at www.wlrn.org

WLRN's South Fla. Arts Beat Presents the Federico Britos Group, Friday, May 14th at www.wlrn.org

Source: Michael Ricci

Please tune in for another great musical performance on WLRN's South Florida Arts Beat, Friday, May 14, 2010 featuring the FEDERICO BRITOS GROUP Multiple Grammy award-winning violinist and composer, Federico Britos, is a musical legend. He has served as principal chair, soloist and Concertmaster with some of the world's finest symphony orchestras (including the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra). As well, he has performed with Jazz legends Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Haden, Dexter Gordon ...

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Recording

New release 'The Sound Of Strings' Federico Britos & Jorge Garcia

New release 'The Sound Of Strings' Federico Britos & Jorge Garcia

Source: All About Jazz

Winner of several Grammy awards for his work with Charlie Haden, Bebo Valdes and Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Federico Britos is regarded as a titan of the violin. Jorge Garcia, born in Cuba, brings all the richness of Latin rhythms from his birthplace into the folds of this ensemble. Garcia has performed with great talent the likes of Tony Bennett, Richie Cole, Patti Page and Joel Grey to name a few. Britos and Garcia’s recording has received accolades from jazz artists ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Hot Club of the...

Self Produced
2015

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Voyage

Sunnyside Records
2010

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Candombe & Jazz

Metrix Music
2002

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