Alfredo Valdés-Brito Gamba

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Alfredo Brito is a Cuban musician and singer, member of a family of artists with recognized prestige in the musical field. Founder and director in 1967 of the vocal quartet "Los Brito".

He was born in La Habana, son of Antonia Gamba Cabrera and the well-known Cuban composer Julio Brito, (Julio Valdés-Brito Ibáñez) author of "El amor de mi bohío", "Mira que eres linda", "Cuando te acuerdes de mí", among many other well-known songs.

From a very early age, following in the footsteps of his father and his brother Julio, he became interested in learning musical techniques, learning music theory and solfège from the former and how to play the drums from the latter.

His first professional steps came at age 16 as a drummer for Eddy Gaitán's group at the La Rue 19 club/restaurant, a beautiful and elegant place located on 19th street in El Vedado.

From there he joins the orchestra that accompanied the musical show at the Hotel Sevilla directed by maestro Pomares.

Subsequently he joins his father's orchestra as a percussionist at the Club Parisién of the Hotel Nacional.

Later the Chilean accordionist Larry Godoy proposes that he join his group to perform in the Doble o Nada room at the Hotel Riviera, and hires him as a singer in addition to a drummer, which interests him greatly, so he decides to accept the offer and becomes part of the new group.

After the Riviera contract ends, he returns to the Club Parisién of the Hotel Nacional, this time with Yoyo Casteleiro's orchestra, replacing Walfredo de los Reyes on drums and singing alongside Kiko Rodríguez.

While performing at this venue, he studies harmony and counterpoint with professor Enrique Belver, piano with the renowned concert pianist Rosario Franco, and singing with soprano Margarita Horruitiner.

He begins to make his first orchestrations, which are performed by the same hotel orchestra, and also starts writing songs. It is then when singer Leonora Rego records his song Desde la eternidad de un beso on EGREM records.

At that same time, he conceives the idea of forming a vocal quartet, for which he first counts on his brother Julio who immediately joins and both set out to find the other two members. They begin to shape the repertoire and Alfredo creates the vocal and instrumental parts for when the two remaining voices appear. The first to become part of the future group is Pedro Sánchez, "El Nene" as his friends call him, and later Mercy Díaz Suárez joins—whom he would marry in 1968—thus forming the quartet.

In 1967 Los Brito make their debut, but suddenly and unexpectedly Pedro Sánchez passes away a year after the group's debut, being replaced by Abelardo Cordero.

The quartet's first performance was on August 8 of that same year on Música y Estrellas, the most popular musical program on Cuban television at that time, directed by Manolo Rifat and presented by Eva Rodríguez. That night they performed a song by Alfredo titled Matías Pérez which had immediate success.

From its inception and during its 15 years of existence, the Cuarteto Los Brito always enjoyed public favor and ranked in the top positions of the success lists, performing on the best radio and television programs. The Los Brito repertoire was composed almost entirely of songs by Alfredo and his brother Julio, and some were authored by both, such as for example, El Banquito, or El 4-5-6.

In 1970 the Cuban government conducted a survey in order to select the artists who would represent Cuba at the International Festival of Varadero, with Los Brito being chosen for it by popular vote.

When the quartet dissolved due to the absence of Julio and Abelardo, Alfredo and Mercy created a duo of the same name, making popular songs by Brito such as Mariela, Un hasta luego, Tiernamente, para siempre, and others.

In his capacity as musical director of both groups, all the vocal and orchestral arrangements are due to Alfredo Brito.

Well-known artists such as Celia Cruz, Garibaldi, Maggie Carlés, and Luis Nodal, Salsa Kids, Ojedita, Sylvia Pantoja, Voces Latinas, Azuquita or Los Tres Sudamericanos, among others, have recorded songs and orchestrations of his.

Discography
Si te nace una flor, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Que suenen las palmas, Celia Cruz, (Emi-Odeon)
Esta noche te voy a amar, Garibaldi (Emi-Odeon)
Si pudiera, Garibaldi, (Emi-Odeon)
Baila Apretao, Garibaldi, (Emi-Odeon)
Poco a poco mi compay, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Tiene peligro, Salsa Kids (PolyGram)
El tiempo feliz, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Dale Miguel, Azuquita (PolyGram)
Dime que sientes cuando hablas de mí, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Ni mucho ni poco, Los 3 Sudamericanos (Divucsa)
Tema para una noche de bodas, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Pa'lante, Sylvia Pantoja (Bat Discos)
Cuando llego a mi casa, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Volaré la oficina, Caña, (Emi-Odeon)
Quiéreme un poquito, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Fuimos, Maggie Carlés (Rodven Records)
Un viaje sin retorno ni partida, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Yo quiero volver, Maggie Carlés (Forever Music Inc.)
Ellos, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Echa pa'lante, Caña (Emi-Odeon)
Vas a acordarte de mi, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Desde la eternidad de un beso, Leonora Rega (Discos EGREM)
Canción para la que tanto amé, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Amalia Valiente, Caña, (Emi-Odeon)
El 4 5 6, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Cintas de colores, Café Moreno, (Rodven Discos)
El tiempo feliz, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Con un sueño entre las manos, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)
Así quiéreme, Cuarteto Los Brito (Discos EGREM)

Music for Film and Television
Como un relámpago (Fondos-Film. Goya for Best Actor for Santiago Ramos)
David el Gnomo (Lisa)
La llamada de los Gnomos (Friend Klaus)
Inquilinos (All music for the Canal Nou, Canal 9 series)