Born in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo in 1943, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Hugo Fattoruso has had a profound influence on every aspect of Latin American musical culture. From his early days playing in his family’s band at street festivals across Uruguay to leading Los Shakers, South America’s answer the Beatles and one of the most popular rock and roll bands from the continent, Fattoruso has had a profound influence on every aspect of Latin American music culture. Fattoruso wanted to expand his musical horizons at the end of sixties. In 1969, he moved to New York to form Opa. He also met the likes Ron Carter and Creed Taylor. Opa fused Candombe, the traditional rhythm of Uruguay, with jazz, jazz and other Latin American rhythms to create a distinct Afro-Uruguayan voice in the global jazz vernacular that influenced a whole generation of musicians through the seventies and beyond. In the eighties, Fattoruso moved from Brazil to continue his work with Brazilian musicians, including Milton Nascimento. He also recorded the World Music Grammy-winning Nascimento album. Airto Moreia and Fattoruso collaborated on many hit records, including Fingers and How Are You? Madlib and Flying Lotus have sampled Fattoruso’s music in recent years. from www.faroutrecordings.com
