Concert Review: Frederico Britos Quintet
April 20, 2010
By Mort Mazor, Board Member
Jazz violinists are hard to find. The finest is 71 year old Frederico Britos. He toured Europe with Charlie Hayden, famed bass player, recorded a CD that won a Grammy. Born in Uruguay, Britos lives in Miami and has played at jazz festivals throughout Europe and South America. In earlier years he appeared with Duke Ellington, Josephine Baker and Dizzy Gillespie and other greats. In addition to jazz he plays classical violin, serving as Concert Master with the Miami Symphony Orchestra.
For us he played jazz bringing with him four fine artists: Jorge Garcia, guitar; Rick Doll, bass; Felix Gomez, piano and Eric Bogart, drums and guitar.
Perdido opened the concert. Maestro Britos does not crack a smile. He’s all business as he plays his fiddle effortlessly going from high to low notes and every note in between. Each instrumentalist takes their solo turn without sheet music most of the evening.
Autumn Leaves follows. Britos produces the sweetest sounds you’ll ever hear come from a violin. Piano man Felix Gomez gives us a view of his talent on Honeysuckle Rose.
Britos produces joy with his violin. Jorge Garcia swings out with fine solo work accompanied by Rick Doll, the chunky bass player who always seems to be bobbing and weaving with the big stringed instrument. Next came Vivian, an original bossa nova composition written by Frederico to honor his wife Vivian. Jorge Garcia began with an intricate guitar solo.
“Raising our family has been our most important accomplishment,” the maestro said to me earlier in the evening when we were chatting backstage. They have two sons, a daughter and two grandsons. (All were present to enjoy the concert with us on this night.)
Drummer Eric Bogart stepped off his drummer perch and came front and center to entertain us on guitar, playing a duet with Britos of a Django Rhinehart medley: Nuages, Melody Au Crepescule and Dafne.
The first set ended with favorite After You’ve Gone. The maestro started with a slow-paced, mournful chorus, then jazzed it up delightfully leading each man to showcase his talents with their solo performance.
Highlights of the final act were Oriente an original tune from Cuba written and performed by guitarist Jorge Garcia, accompanied by Britos doing an exquisite solo where he picked at the violin strings to make delightful music; followed by well known Moonglow. Las Vegas Station, another original composed by Britos followed. The closing medley for the evening featured tunes by George Gershwin: Summertime spotlighting extraordinary work on the piano by Felix Gomez and more delightful music coming from the Britos violin. Love is Here to Stay and The Man I Love completed the medley with highlight solos from each sideman.
The concert came to a rousing finish with I Got Rhythm, sparked by the entertaining artistry of Britos and his violin. It was an evening of wonderful talent playing great music.
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