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 Uruguay, Federico began playing violin at age five. Serving as principal chair, soloist and ultimately Concertmaster with some of the great symphony orchestras of Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru and Cuba. He was also Concertmaster of the Miami Symphony Orchestra for seven years and of the Ars Flores Orchestra. Federico has, from his earliest years, kept his musical ears wide open. He not only enriches his palette with the unique rhythms and melodies of Latin American music, but also has voraciously absorbed the sounds of North American jazz and popular music. He has performed with such great musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Woody Herman and Benny Goodman. As a composer, Federico has written and recorded many works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, ballet and dance. He has composed danzones, sones, boleros, tangos, jazz pieces, concerts, suites and bossa novas. While living in Peru and Venezuela, he also wrote music for jingles, films, TV and theater. Federico would, in time, not only perform with some of Latin America's greatest musicians, such as Astor Piazzolla, Joao Gilberto, Vinicio de Moraes, Dorival Caymi, Bola de Nieve, Enrique Jorrin, Jose Antonio Mendez, Gonzalo Roig, Bebo Valdes and Israel Lopez Cachao, but would have the opportunity to share his outstanding talent with Charlie Byrd, Bucky Pizzarelli, Kenny Baron, Michel Camilo, Arwell Shaw, Ketter Betts, Bucky Pizzarelli, Charlie Haden and Ken Peplowski. He has toured Europe with Frank Vignola and the Hot Club USA and has also performed at various Jazz Festivals, such as Jazz Festival of Bern, Switzerland; Django Reinhardt Festival at Birdland Jazz Club in New York; San Francisco Jazz Festival; Jazz Nights with Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops;Columbus Jazz Orchestra in Ohio; Miami Beach World Music Festival;North Carolina Jazz Festival; Nord Sea Jazz Festival; Montreal and Montreux Jazz Festivals. The pantheon jazz violin masters Joe Venuti, Eddie South, Stephane Grappelli, Stuff Smith and Ray Nance have all inspired Federico's jazz style. His composition for symphony orchestra and jazz quintet, SUITE GRAPPELLIANA, was premiered in 1989 by the Montevideo Symphony Orchestra. He performed in The Grappelli Legacy on December 1998 at Carnegie Hall.
In Washington, Federico performed in the Concert Hall of Kennedy Center in a Concert called AMERICANOS, along with Cachao, Jose Feliciano, Nestor Torres, Juan Luis Guerra, Gloria Estefan and Paquito d'Rivera, produced by James E. Olmos. In his book MY SAXUAL LIFE Paquito d'Rivera quotes that Federico was the one who introduced bossa nova in Cuba. Luc Delannoy in his book CALIENTE mentions also his name as the one who first played bossa nova in Cuba. Nat Chediak in his Dictionary of Latin Jazz also quotes that Federico along with Guillermo Barreto, drums; Abelardo Buch, guitar; and Cachaito, bass, recorded a very important bossa record in Cuba with LOS AMIGOS. He is a member of the Cachao All Stars Orchestra. He is the musical director of DANZON BY SIX. Actually, he is involved in a new project with Jorge Garcia, cuban guitar player, duo, with whom he has recorded two CDs. His last project VOYAGE has special guests such as Tomatito, Kenny Baron, Michel Camilo, Bucky Pizzarelli, Giovanni Hidalgo, Cachao and Antonio Adolfo. He has won four Grammy Awards for his performance in two CDs with Cachao; Bebo Valdes and El Cigala LAGRIMAS NEGRAS; and NOCTURNE with Charlie Haden.