Hugo Fattoruso

Multi-instrumentalist Hugo Fattoruso (born 1943) was a South American pop star before becoming a key figure in the development of jazz in South America. Born in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, he played double bass with the traditional jazz group The Hot Blowers from 1959.
He was still 21 in 1964, when he and brother Osvaldo Fattoruso (1948-2012) formed Los Shakers inspired by, and very much modelled on, The Beatles. Hugo was lead singer, guitarist, and also played keyboards, while the two brothers shared writing duties. The band were very successful in Argentina and Uruguay, releasing three albums in South America. After the band folded in 1968, Fattoruso was keen to explore his interests in jazz and Latin American music, both of which had already begun to seep into Los Shakers’ music.

He and Osvaldo moved to New York, and together with bassist Hugo Thielmann, they started the jazz fusion group, Opa, which drew on traditional Uruguayan ‘candombe’ rhythms. The band made their first appearance on record on an Airto Moreira album, Fingers in 1973, which also features Flora Purim. Their ‘true’ debut album was Goldenwings in 1976, with Moreira producing and adding percussion, plus guest spots from Purim and Hermeto Pascoal. Fattoruso was back in Brazil in the 1980s, continuing to work with Brazilian artists. In the 1990s, he began a successful collaboration with Milton Nascimento, which included the Grammy-winning 1997 album, Nascimento.

From 2000, Hugo and Osvaldo formed the Trio Fattoruso with the former’s son, Francisco, this band again fusing Latin and jazz-rock elements, and showcasing the musicians’ virtuosity and compositional skills.

Key Recordings:
With Airto Moreira
Los Shakers – La Conferencia Secreta del Toto´s Bar (Odeon Pops 1968)
Opa – Goldenwings (Milestone 1976)