Nito Mestre - Biography - Solo Career

Solo Career

Nito Mestre and Los DESCONOCIDOS de SIEMPRE was formed in early 1976, after SUI GENERIS had finally separated. During its early stage, the band was formed by Maria Rosa Yorio, Alfredo Toth, Rodolfo Gorosito, Francisco Pratti, Osvaldo Calo and Nito Mestre.

Their first album was recorded at ION Studios in Buenos Aires in 1976 and was released on September 6 in a show at the Estrellas Theatre with a series of performances that lasted for two months. The band was one of the few rock groups to play such a significant number of live gigs during those days. It was awarded the prize for the best folk group of the year and Nito won the Best Rock Singer title for his third consecutive year. The departure of Osvaldo Calo from the band – he was invited to play with Astor Piazzola in France - marked the arrival of a series of pianists like Alejandro Lerner, Eduardo Zvetelman and finally Ciro Fogliata, ex keyboard player for the renowned Los Gatos.

The band's second album was recorded between Argentina and Brazil in 1978 and was followed by a two-month tour of Brazil together with Leon Gieco and Crucis. On their return to Buenos Aires, the band performed at the Luna Park and in 1979, Nito Mestre and Los Desconocidos de Siempre recorded SALTABA SOBRE LAS NUBES (Jumping Over the Clouds), an LP that made record sales that year. Ciro Fogliata later emigrated to Spain and was replaced by Mono Fontana who played first the drums and then piano, leaving the drum work to Claudio Martinez, former member of Espiritu. In 1980, alter having made a great many live presentations both in Argentina and abroad, Los DESCONOCIDOS DE SIEMPRE dismembered in August.

Mestre embarked on a solo career that same year with the hit album 20/10. In 1981, Mestre reappeared on the music scene with both a new band and a new album: 20/10, another gold record that was first performed on stage at the Ferro Carril Oeste Football Stadium in a sold-out concert. The concert marked a turning point in his career and he embarked on a 52-show tour up and down the country (Argentina) as well as an important appearance in Montevideo, Uruguay alongside Seru Giran. In 1982 he records Nito Mestre en Vivo (Live), in Montevideo Uruguay, and receives yet another gold record for the album. Between 1983 and 1985, he traveled outside his native Argentina to Peru and other neighbouring countries, playing as a solo artist for the first time.

After Nito finished recording his third solo album Escondo Mis Ojos Al Sol (Hiding My Eyes from the Sun) and concluded a series of national and international tours, in 1984 he joined Juan Carlos Baglietto, Oveja Negra and Celeste Carballo on a tour designed to explain: “Por Que Cantamos” (Why We Sing), inspired in the words of the Uruguayan Poet Mario Benedetti. This performance made a significant contribution to the meaning of Rock ‘n Roll in Argentina: “We sing in the name of love, freedom and life.” The spirit behind the tour took them all around the country and abroad. In November of that same year, the tour was consolidated in a doble album of the same name, “Por Que Cantamos” recorded live at the Coliseum Theatre in Buenos Aires.

In October 1986, the fourth solo album, NITO, was released. This work reunited such artists as Mercedes Sosa, the renowned folklore singer, Charly Garcia, Andres Calamaro, Fito Paez and Celeste Carballo. Nito, the album, was also released In Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Bolivia. It was until 1988, that Nito traveled all over the region presenting his work with enormous repercussion. In 1989, he set himself up in Chile to tour the country with important local artists such as Los Jaivas, Congreso and his friend Eduardo Gatti with whom he later recorded Entrada de Locos (Locos For Starters).

In 1990, he returned to Argentina where he began work on his album Tocando El Cielo (Reaching for the Sky), which he himself produced. During that time, Mestre experimented in the making of his own videos alongside the celebrated Alfredo Lois. In 1993, he recorded the techno and dance versions of Rasguña Las Piedras with David Lebon, something that to this days still surprises Nito’s listeners.

Later that year, he would start working on Nito Canta Sui in Miami and Los Angeles together with a cast of musicians of extraordinary talent and international repute. These included Julian Navarro, also the producer, John Robinson (drums), Larry Coryel (guitar), Abraham Laboriel (base), Alex Acuna (percussion) Tom Scott (Saxophone), the Los Angeles String Ensemble amongst other virtuosos in the world of music. This album gave Mestre the opportunity of a lifetime to record the old Sui Generis classic songs to the sounds of the modern age. Nito has also performed these songs to the most enthusiastic of audiences all over Latin America and even to this day, he continues to perform the symphonic version of the songs with classical orchestras around Argentina.

During the last decade, Nito has also had the honor and pleasure of being invited to open acts for the great international stars and his very own favourite musicians of all times. Amongst them, Paul Simon (1991), Elton John (1992) and the larger than life Paul McCartney (1994) with whom he remains friends to this day.

In 1997, he plays in a series of international festivals in Chile and Peru and in 1999, under his own record label Discos Tekla, he releases Colores Puros (Pure Colors). This gem of an album is a compilation of beautiful songs, some written by the likes of Fito Paez, Miguel Zavaleta, Silvio Rodriguez and one in duo with his inseparable friend Leon Gieco. The record stands out for its profound message, its high production quality and the emphasis in Nito’ s characteristic tone of voice.

In the year 2000 and after 25 years of music, came the very long awaited reunion and album with Charly Garcia. Nito and Charly decided to get together for a series of concerts to please not only their followers of the seventies but their children and their children’s children, three generations gathered on a memorable occasion at the Boca Juniors Football Stadium. The result an album entitled “Sinfonias para Adolescentes” (Symphonies for Teenagers). A great record followed by “Si” which is yet another living proof of the chemistry between the two artists.

Recently, Sony Argentina released a doble album commemorating Nito’s 30th Anniversary with music, a doble album called ‘Anos” (Years). The record was performed at the Billboard on Miami’s Ocean Drive in 2002.

Nito Mestre has just concluded work on his album number 22, in Miami, USA. Only recently, Nito Mestre finished recording his most recent album which has still to be given a name. The songs were carefully chosen : Ven Al Jardin (Come to the Garden) was written and recorded with the lead singer of La Ley, Beto Cuevas; as in previous works, Leon Gieco is also present in the album in Veo Tus Ojos (I See Your Eyes) with his characteristic voice and the magical notes that spring from his harmonicas. Alejandro Lerner also did his part in the song "Me Dijeron" (They Told Me So) as did Eduardo Cautinio from Puerto Rico and Cris Zalles from Chile who wrote the music and lyrics of "Recordando lo que Tengo que Olvidar" (Remembering That Which I Have To Forget) song in which Ale Lerner also contributed with the piano and harmonies, and the lyrics of "Hay formas de llegar" and "El fin del mundo". Nito Mestre wrote the music of 5 songs in this album, and a couple of lyrics, too.

Ernesto Salgueiro was present throughout the recording sessions in Argentina on guitar, Andres Dulcet on base and Diego Ferrar played drums on two of the tracks. The album – produced by Pablo Manavello – was recorded in two separate phases: the first in the Miami Studios of Iker Gastaminza and the second at El Pie in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Mestre currently finds himself tweezing and tweaking the very last details of the project before releasing this new material to the public. “I want the album to be treated with the love and affection we all poured into it when we were putting it together...” says Mestre. And everything seems to indicate that he is right for the unreleased 10 track album, has aroused very good reviews and the acceptance of the general public both in the United States and Latin America where Nito, on occasions has played some of the new songs to his diverse audience.