Lito Vitale

Héctor Facundo Vitale (born December 1, 1961, Villa Adelina, Buenos Aires province), known as Lito Vitale, is an Argentine musician, composer and arranger.

Career A talented piano player, he was coached by his mother, renowned music teacher Esther Soto, since childhood. Together with fellow musicians from his neighbourhood he co-founded the MIA music cooperative (MIA is the Spanish acronym of Independent Associated Musicians) when he was 13 years old. MIA became popular with progressive rock audiences in the late 1970s. The family atmosphere they projected and their suburban roots kept them aloof of the political turmoil of those times.

Other than Vitale's, MIA launched many careers, including Lito's sister Liliana, singer Veronica Condomi (who would eventually marry Lito) and instrumentalists Juan del Barrio and Daniel Curto.

Starting in 1980, Vitale launched a series of collaborations with several Argentine musicians. He performed and recorded with Dino Saluzzi and then with Bernardo Baraj (sax) and Lucho González (guitar) in what became known as "the Trio". This formation adapted many classic tango and folklore numbers, and became popular with college students, jazz audiences, and radio DJs. It was often compared to ECM acts such as the Pat Metheny quartet and the Keith Jarrett European quartet.

In the 1990s, Vitale recorded several tango standards with Juan Carlos Baglietto, and was awarded a Latin Grammy for their collaboration in 2000. Also during those years, Vitale recorded a more jazz-like project with Lucho González and flute player Rubén Mono Izarrualde. This formation performed in the 1998 Montreux Jazz Festival.

Vitale has also composed soundtracks for several Argentine films. He was awarded the prestigious Argentine Konex Award twice: as arranger in 1995, and as instrumentalist in 2005.

Partial discography Sobre miedos, creencias y supersticiones, 1980 Quitapenas, 1983 A dos pianos, 1984 Cumbo-Vitale-González, 1985 Solo, 1985 Lito Vitale Cuarteto, 1987 El Grito Sagrado, 1988 En solitario, 1988 Ese amigo del alma, 1988 La senda infinita, 1989 Viento sur, 1990 La excusa, 1991 Un día antes de ayer, 1991 Postales de este lado del mundo, 1991 Sobre riesgos y memorias, 1992 Kuarahy, 1992 La cruz del sur, 1993 Mas allá del mar, 1994 Cuentos de la media luna, 1994 Juntando almas, 1995 Juntando almas II - La memoria del tiempo, 1995 Pantallas, 1995 Solo piano, 1996 Laberinto sin ley, 1997 Cuando el río suena, 1997 Tracción a cuerda, 1997 Desde casa, 1998 Día del Milenio, 2000 No Olvides..., 2000 Todos estos años (6 CDs), 2001 Música para soñar y reposar - Volumen I: Rock argentino, 2002 Música para soñar y reposar - Volumen II: Tango y Folklore argentino, 2002 Música para soñar y reposar - Volumen III: Originales, 2002 Un solo destino, 2002 Cuatro calmas, 2004 Vivo en Argentina (live), 2005