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Federico Britos - A Violin Virtuoso

by Manny Meland on May 24, 2010

Last Friday, May 14^th, virtuoso Federico Britos played his violin for radio station WLRN’s South Florida Arts Beat program. I enjoyed his music so much, the following Saturday night I followed him to a new jazz club on Calle Ocho called the “High Note.” Violinist Federico Britos, a highly accomplished musician, has excelled in the classics and jazz with decades of experience.

When was the last time you heard a jazz group that featured a violin and guitar, backed up with the bass and percussion? Britos takes jazz standards, plays them with soft sophistication, and gradually builds up the tempo by adding his own Latin accents.

Britos’ violin melds with that of guitarist Jorge Garcia in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of the style of the late violinist Stephane Grappelli and guitarist Django Reinhardt. Grappelli and Reinhardt, called their violin/guitar act “Hot Club France.” Several years ago, Britos and guitarist Frank Vignola toured Europe. In the spirit of “Hot Club France,” they called their act “Hot Club USA.” In December 1998, Federico paid homage to these venerable musicians when he played in the Grapelli Legacy in Carnegie Hall. This was followed by playing at the Dejango Reinhardt Festival at Birdland Jazz Club in New York.

Britos was practically born to his music having taken up the violin at the age of five in his native Montevideo, Uruguay. When he was eleven, he composed a piece called “Capricho Uraguayo” which Romanian violinist George Boulanger premiered on his tour of the Southern Hemisphere. Although his early training was classical, Federico never felt any constraint to cross over to jazz and back. Through the years, Britos continued to write and record many pieces for orchestra, chamber ensembles, ballet, and for popular dance, films, television and theatre.

In the classics, Britos has served as principal chair, soloist and concertmaster with symphony orchestras in Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru, and Cuba as well as with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra in Miami. He toured extensively throughout the Americas and Europe appearing with Latin America's greatest musicians such as Astor Piazzolla, Horacio Salgan, Bola de Nieve, Cachao, Joao Gilberto, Dorival Caimi, Vincio de Moraes, Armando Manzanero and Tania Libertad. On the jazz side, he shared the stage or recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Bucky Pizzarelli, Charlie Haden , Ken Poplowski, Eddie Higgins, and Charlie Byrd.

Britos has played in most major jazz festivals in America and Europe. James Olmas invited him to participate in a program called “Americanos” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This showcase of the crème de la crème of South Florida’s Latin music elite included Cachao, Nestor Torres, Jose Feliciano, Juan Luis Guerra, Gloria Estefan and Paquito D’Rivera.

This old timer never seems to slow down. Lately, he has been touring with Charlie Haden and promoting his latest Grammy awarded CD “Nocturne.” (His last two recordings were made with Haden). He recently recorded his Grammy nominated CD “Cuba Linda” with Grammy winner Cachao. His CD “The First Danzon” has just been released and his “Jazz-Ta” will be released shortly.

Britos has been kicking up dust locally too. After the afternoon concert at WLRN, his group was off to do an evening show at Books & Books in Coral Gables followed by a weekend engagement at the new High Note jazz club.

If you see him, you will be enchanted by his exquisite sounds and arrangements.

The High-Note Jazz Club, located on the second level of La Floridana at 3850 S.W. 8th St. in Coral Gables, is a small intimate room with great acoustics. (No amplification is needed). Parking on site. Tapas and meals. Call 305.603.8659.

Check out this Federico Britos video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXgp5Xfi0Q0

Photos by Manny Meland.

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