Nito Mestre
Throughout its five years of existence, Sui Generis sold a record 600,000 albums, a statistic which in those early days of rock and roll in Argentina, clearly marked the importance and the impact which the duo would have on the local scene.
As a sextet, the band made its debut on the stage of the Santa Rosa School in Buenos Aires in 1969, but the group would undergo many changes until it finally became an acoustic duet.
For almost two months, they performed alongside the bigger tickets: Roque Narvaja and Pedro y Pablo with guest stars, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Héctor Starc and Emilio Del Guercio, among others.
With the performance of Canción Para Mi Muerte, eventually one of their most popular songs, they appeared in the movie "Hasta que se Ponga el Sol" (Until the Sun Sets) directed by Aníbal Uset, the first Argentine film to address rock n' roll, shot during that festival.
One month later, they returned to the studio to record Aprendizaje (Learning) and Bienvenidos al Tren (Welcome to the Train), the first two songs in the second album, called "Confesiones de Invierno" (Winter Confessions) which was completed in August.
On other songs, lyrics had to be rewritten: Instituciones (Institutions), Las Increíbles Aventuras del Sr. Tijeras (The Incredible Adventures of Mr. Scissors) and Para Quién Canto Yo Entonces (Whom Do I Sing For Then).
From this moment on, Charly Garcia begins to experiment with new instruments that had been brought from the United States: a moog, an ARP string synthesizer and a Fender Rhodes keyboard.
On the September 5th, 1975 at the Luna Park Stadium in two consecutive performances before a record audience of 30,000 people, Sui Generis bade farewell to its followers on a memorable night.
During its early stage, the band was formed by María Rosa Yorio, Alfredo Toth, Rodolfo Gorosito, Francisco Pratti, Osvaldo Calo and Mestre himself.
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.
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 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.
After Mestre 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 Qué Cantamos" (Why We Sing), inspired in the words of the Uruguayan Poet Mario Benedetti.
This work reunited such artists as Mercedes Sosa, the renowned folklore singer, Charly García, Andrés Calamaro, Fito Páez and Celeste Carballo.
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.
[citation needed] 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.
[citation needed] 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 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 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".
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.
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.
