Fito Páez
Encyclopedia
Rodolfo "Fito" Páez Ávalos (born March 13, 1963 in Rosario
, Santa Fe Province
) is an Argentine
popular rock and roll
pianist
, lyricist
, Spanish language
singer and film director
.
came from.
He formed Staff, his first band when he was 13. In 1977, he played in El Banquete with Rubén Goldín and Jorge Llonch. He began to perform solo in pubs the following year.
Straight out of high school, he began touring with several bands and soon after that produced his first solo album, "Del '63", which was released in 1984. It was promoted first in his home town, but later earned attention in Buenos Aires
. The recording was put together with the help of some of Argentina's most prominent musicians, including Daniel Wirtz, Fabián Gallardo, Tweety González
and Paul Dourge.
The disc won him critical acclaim as a songwriter and helped lead to future projects, including a 1985 album, "Giros".
The demo of that album earned him the praise of Luis Alberto Spinetta
, as well as a partnership - Paez's next album, 1986's "La La La" was a duet with Spinetta. The duo supported that album with a tour that reached all the way to Santiago, Chile
. The same year, he participated in the Thousand Days of Democracy festival with Spinetta, Juan Carlos Baglietto
, Silvina Garré and Antonio Tarragó Ros.
His 1987 recording, "Ciudad de Pobres Corazones", marked a dark, political turn for his work. It was dedicated to the memory of his aunt and grandmother, who were assassinated in Rosario. The album seethed with anger, but it was also more rhythmic and showed greater songwriting depth than his previous recordings. Páez got his first taste of production work with "Ey!", which was released in 1988. Recorded in New York
and Havana
, it also showcased many of the musicians that he had worked with previously, including Guillermo Vadalá, Daniel Colombres and Osvaldo Fattoruso. It also featured the trumpeters and saxophonists of the group, Afrocuba. Less harsh than his previous recording, it was one of his most balanced records.
"Tercer Mundo", released in 1990, explores Latin American cultural influences and showed the harsh world of poverty and exploitation. It, too was critically acclaimed, but it was Paez' 1992 album, "El Amor Después del Amor" that marked the pinnacle of his commercial success. The album sold more than 750,000 copies and when Paez toured to support it, he found himself playing to sold-out shows for 40,000 people. Shortly after its release, he played a benefit concert for UNICEF which raised more than $420,000.
The follow-up, "Circo Beat", had impossibly high expectations and though it had several hit songs, including "Mariposa Tecknicolor" and "Tema de Piluso," as well as a companion album, Circo Beat Brazil, which featured Brazilian remixes of its hits, it only sold around 350,000 copies.
Several other projects were completed in the late '90s, including a live album, Euforia and 1998's Sabina & Paez: Enemigos Intimos, with Joaquín Sabina
. The year 1999 brought another balanced, superbly produced album, "Abre". He also took home two Grammys at the first annual Latin Grammy Award
in fall 2000. He lived with Argentine actress Cecilia Roth
for some years, with whom he adopted a child in 1999.
Paez' 2003 album "Naturaleza sangre" marks a return to his musical past, featuring appearances from Charly García
, Luis Alberto Spinetta
and Brazilian artist Rita Lee
on the previously unreleased version of "Ojos Rojos". At 40 years old, Paez finds himself at his musical peak.
In 2006, Páez was given an escopetarra
(a decommissioned AK-47
converted into a guitar) by Colombian musician and peace activist César López
in honor of his music.
The album El mundo cabe en una canción won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album
at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2007
.
In 2008 recorded, No se si es Baires o Madrid, in Madrid, Spain. He invited several important musicians, such as Pablo Milanés, Joaquín Sabina and Ariel Rot to participate. In 2010, presented the album Confiá.
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
, Santa Fe Province
Santa Fe Province
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
popular rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
singer and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Early career
His real name is Rodolfo Páez, like his father. When he was a child people called him "Rodolfito" (in Spanish, an affectionate form of "Rodolfo") to distinguish him from his father. With the passage of time, this nickname became just "Fito", and that is where his stage nameStage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
came from.
He formed Staff, his first band when he was 13. In 1977, he played in El Banquete with Rubén Goldín and Jorge Llonch. He began to perform solo in pubs the following year.
Straight out of high school, he began touring with several bands and soon after that produced his first solo album, "Del '63", which was released in 1984. It was promoted first in his home town, but later earned attention in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. The recording was put together with the help of some of Argentina's most prominent musicians, including Daniel Wirtz, Fabián Gallardo, Tweety González
Tweety González
Fabián A. González Amado , know with his stage name Tweety González, is an Argentine musician and record producer. He is best known for his work as collaborator keyboardist for the Argentine rock band Soda Stereo....
and Paul Dourge.
The disc won him critical acclaim as a songwriter and helped lead to future projects, including a 1985 album, "Giros".
The demo of that album earned him the praise of Luis Alberto Spinetta
Luis Alberto Spinetta
Luis Alberto Spinetta , is an Argentine musician. He is one of the most influential rock musicians of South America, and together with Charly García is considered the father of Argentine rock. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the residential neighbourhood of Belgrano...
, as well as a partnership - Paez's next album, 1986's "La La La" was a duet with Spinetta. The duo supported that album with a tour that reached all the way to Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. The same year, he participated in the Thousand Days of Democracy festival with Spinetta, Juan Carlos Baglietto
Juan Carlos Baglietto
Juan Carlos Baglietto is an Argentine musician and composer. He is one of the iconic figures of the musical movement called Trova Rosarina....
, Silvina Garré and Antonio Tarragó Ros.
His 1987 recording, "Ciudad de Pobres Corazones", marked a dark, political turn for his work. It was dedicated to the memory of his aunt and grandmother, who were assassinated in Rosario. The album seethed with anger, but it was also more rhythmic and showed greater songwriting depth than his previous recordings. Páez got his first taste of production work with "Ey!", which was released in 1988. Recorded in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, it also showcased many of the musicians that he had worked with previously, including Guillermo Vadalá, Daniel Colombres and Osvaldo Fattoruso. It also featured the trumpeters and saxophonists of the group, Afrocuba. Less harsh than his previous recording, it was one of his most balanced records.
1990 - present
The follow-up, "Circo Beat", had impossibly high expectations and though it had several hit songs, including "Mariposa Tecknicolor" and "Tema de Piluso," as well as a companion album, Circo Beat Brazil, which featured Brazilian remixes of its hits, it only sold around 350,000 copies.
Several other projects were completed in the late '90s, including a live album, Euforia and 1998's Sabina & Paez: Enemigos Intimos, with Joaquín Sabina
Joaquín Sabina
Joaquín Ramón Martínez Sabina , known artistically as Joaquín Sabina, is a singer, songwriter, and poet. He has released fourteen studio albums, two live albums, and three compilation albums...
. The year 1999 brought another balanced, superbly produced album, "Abre". He also took home two Grammys at the first annual Latin Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in fall 2000. He lived with Argentine actress Cecilia Roth
Cecilia Roth
Cecilia Roth is an Argentine actress.Her father, Abrasha Rotenberg , a Jewish immigrant from the Soviet Ukraine, is an editor and a journalist. He met Cecilia's mother, an Argentinian singer of Sephardic descent Dina Rot, in Argentina. Cecilia Roth has made appearances in numerous television series...
for some years, with whom he adopted a child in 1999.
Paez' 2003 album "Naturaleza sangre" marks a return to his musical past, featuring appearances from Charly García
Charly García
Charly García is a singer-songwriter, pianist and keyboardist from Argentina with a long career in rock music, forming successful groups such as Sui Generis and Serú Girán, cult status groups like La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros, and as a solo musician.-Early years:Charly García was the eldest son in...
, Luis Alberto Spinetta
Luis Alberto Spinetta
Luis Alberto Spinetta , is an Argentine musician. He is one of the most influential rock musicians of South America, and together with Charly García is considered the father of Argentine rock. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the residential neighbourhood of Belgrano...
and Brazilian artist Rita Lee
Rita Lee
Rita Lee Jones Carvalho , simply known as Rita Lee, is a Brazilian rock singer and composer. Lee continues to be a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known for being an animal rights activist and a vegetarian...
on the previously unreleased version of "Ojos Rojos". At 40 years old, Paez finds himself at his musical peak.
In 2006, Páez was given an escopetarra
Escopetarra
An escopetarra is a guitar made from a modified gun, used as a peace symbol. The name is derived from the Spanish words escopeta and guitarra...
(a decommissioned AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
converted into a guitar) by Colombian musician and peace activist César López
Cesar Lopez
César López is a Colombian musician. For the past several years, López has been part of a group, the Battalion of Immediate Artistic Reaction, which consists of various other musicians and activists seeking alternatives to the ever-present violence that plagues Colombia and its capital of Bogotá...
in honor of his music.
The album El mundo cabe en una canción won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album
Latin Grammy Award for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album
The Latin Grammy Award for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony conducted by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to "recognize excellence and create a wider awareness of the cultural diversity" and contributions of Latin...
at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2007
Latin Grammy Awards of 2007
The 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards took place on November 8, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.The show aired on Univision. Juan Luis Guerra was the nights big winner winning 5 awards including Album of the Year...
.
In 2008 recorded, No se si es Baires o Madrid, in Madrid, Spain. He invited several important musicians, such as Pablo Milanés, Joaquín Sabina and Ariel Rot to participate. In 2010, presented the album Confiá.
Discography
- Del 63 (1984) ("Of 63")
- Giros (1985) ("Turns")
- Corazón clandestino (1986) (Maxi-single) ("Clandestine heart")
- La La La (with Luis Alberto SpinettaLuis Alberto SpinettaLuis Alberto Spinetta , is an Argentine musician. He is one of the most influential rock musicians of South America, and together with Charly García is considered the father of Argentine rock. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the residential neighbourhood of Belgrano...
) (1986) - Ciudad de pobres corazones (1987) ("Poor heart's town")
- Ey! (1988)
- Tercer mundo (1990) ("Third World")
- El Amor Después del AmorEl amor después del amor (album)-Personnel:Performing* Fito Páez * Tweety Gonzalez * Ulises Butrón : * William Vadalá : * Daniel Colombes: Guest musicians...
(1992) ("Love after love") - Circo Beat (1994) ("Beat Circus")
- Euforia (live) (1996) ("Euphoria")
- Enemigos íntimos (with Joaquín SabinaJoaquín SabinaJoaquín Ramón Martínez Sabina , known artistically as Joaquín Sabina, is a singer, songwriter, and poet. He has released fourteen studio albums, two live albums, and three compilation albums...
) (1998) ("Intimate enemies") - Abre (1999) ("Open")
- Rey Sol (2000) ("King Sun")
- Naturaleza sangre (2003) ("Blood nature")
- Mi vida con ellas I (live) (2004) ("My life with them")
- Mi vida con ellas II (live) (2004)
- Moda y pueblo (2005) ("Fashion & people")
- El Mundo Cabe en Una CanciónEl Mundo Cabe en Una CanciónEl Mundo Cabe en Una Canción is a studio album released by Argentinian recording artist Fito Páez. Released by Sony BMG in September 21, 2006, it was recorded at the Circo Beat Studios in Argentina. The album tracklist was ordered by Páez on a specific secuence telling a "story". To promote the...
(2006) ("The world fits in a song") - RodolfoRodolfo (album)Rodolfo is a studio album released by Argentinian recording artist Fito Páez. Released by Sony BMG in September 12, 2007, it was recorded at the Circo Beat Studios in Argentina. The album includes two instrumental tracks, the remainder made only with piano and voice...
(2007) - No sé si es Baires o MadridNo sé si es Baires o MadridNo Sé Si es Baires o Madrid is the third live album by Argentinian recording artist Fito Páez. Released by RCA Records in June 23, 2009, it was recorded before a live audience at the Palacio de los Congresos in Madrid, Spain, on April 24, 2008...
(live) (2008) ("I don't know if it's Baires or Madrid") - Confiá (2010) ("Trust")
Compilations
- Grandes éxitos (1990) ("Greatest hits")
- Crónica (1991) ("Chronicle")
- Lo mejor de Fito Páez (1993) ("The best of Fito Páez")
- Lo mejor de los mejores – Volume 1 and 2 (1995/1996) ("The best of the bests")
- Lo duro/Lo suave de Fito Páez (1996) ("Hard/Soft of Fito Páez")
- Serie de oro: grandes éxitos (1999) ("Gold series: Greatest hits")
- Antología (2002) ("Anthology")
- Músicos, poetas y locos (2003) ("Musicians, poets and fools")
- Super 6 (2003)
- Gran reserva (2005) ("Great reserve")
- Grandes Canciones (2008) (live) ("Great songs")
Filmography
- Vidas privadas ("Private lives") (2001)
- ¿De quién es el portaligas? (2007) ("Whose is the garter belt?")