Hector Costita
Encyclopedia
Hector Costita is a musician and composer. He was born in Buenos Aires
, Argentina. However, he is one of the most famous flutist and saxophonist in Brazilian music. Along his career, he performed and recorded with many artists such as Lalo Schifrin
, Manfredo Fest
, Sérgio Mendes
, Zimbo Trio
, Hermeto Pascoal
and Elis Regina
.
.
When he was 18, he started playing saxophone
, influenced by Lalo Schifrin. In 1954, Schifrin invited Bisignani to compose his band. This is considered the beginning of Costita's career.
In the second half of 1950's, Bisignani went to Brazil where he joined Simonetti's orchestra. He never came back to his country. In fact, Costita continued his career in Brazil and contributed to the development and divulgation of the Brazilian music.
The 1960s probably was the best decade to Hector Costita. Along those years, he played with many famous musicians and recorded his main albums. In the beginning of the decade, he formed a samba trio with João Donato
and Xu Vianna. In 1962, he recorded his first album: O fabuloso Hector. In that decade, he used to presents himself as Don Junior. Despite of his solo career, Bisignani played in Sexteto Bossa Rio, with Sérgio Mendes
, from 1962 to 1964. He also played with Dick Farney
(1962), Manfredo Fest
(1963) and Luiz Chaves (1963). In 1964, he recorded the album which is considered the main of his career: Impacto.
In 1964, Bisignani moved to France to study in Music Conservatory of Paris. Back to Brazil, he joined Carlos Piper's orchestra, but he also played as sideman for many artist such as Elis Regina
and Wilson Simonal
.
From 1973 to 1981, Costita joined the Nelson Aires big band. After the end of that group, he started his career as teacher of music. He started teaching in CLAM, a Brazilian popular music school, created by Zimbo Trio
.
Actually, he still teaches in CLAM. He also give some workshops around South America and frequently plays in the show houses in São Paulo.
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...
, Argentina. However, he is one of the most famous flutist and saxophonist in Brazilian music. Along his career, he performed and recorded with many artists such as Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
, Manfredo Fest
Manfredo Fest
Manfredo Irmin Fest was a legally blind bossa nova and jazz pianist and keyboardist from Brazil. He was also a famous bandleader. He was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and he died at 63 years old in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA...
, Sérgio Mendes
Sergio Mendes
Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....
, Zimbo Trio
Zimbo Trio
The Zimbo Trio is a Brazilian instrumental ensemble, established in 1964 in São Paulo, and originally comprising Amilton Godoy , Luís Chaves and Rubinho Barsotti...
, Hermeto Pascoal
Hermeto Pascoal
Hermeto Pascoal is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is a greatly beloved musical figure in the history of Brazilian music, known for his abilities at orchestration and improvisation, as well as being a record producer and...
and Elis Regina
Elis Regina
Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was an important singer of Brazilian popular music. She became nationally renowned in 1965, after singing Arrastão in the first edition of TV Excelsior festival song contest, and soon joined O Fino da Bossa, a television program on TV Record...
.
Biography
Hector "Costita" Bisignani was born in 1934, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is an Italian descendent and started studying music when he was 13 years old. The first instrument he learnt to play was clarinetClarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
.
When he was 18, he started playing saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, influenced by Lalo Schifrin. In 1954, Schifrin invited Bisignani to compose his band. This is considered the beginning of Costita's career.
In the second half of 1950's, Bisignani went to Brazil where he joined Simonetti's orchestra. He never came back to his country. In fact, Costita continued his career in Brazil and contributed to the development and divulgation of the Brazilian music.
The 1960s probably was the best decade to Hector Costita. Along those years, he played with many famous musicians and recorded his main albums. In the beginning of the decade, he formed a samba trio with João Donato
João Donato
João Donato de Oliveira Neto is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist from Brazil, probably best known for his numerous albums as bandleader in the idiom...
and Xu Vianna. In 1962, he recorded his first album: O fabuloso Hector. In that decade, he used to presents himself as Don Junior. Despite of his solo career, Bisignani played in Sexteto Bossa Rio, with Sérgio Mendes
Sergio Mendes
Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....
, from 1962 to 1964. He also played with Dick Farney
Dick Farney
Dick Farney was a Brazilian pianist, pop-composer, and "crooner" popular in the 1950s.- Discography :...
(1962), Manfredo Fest
Manfredo Fest
Manfredo Irmin Fest was a legally blind bossa nova and jazz pianist and keyboardist from Brazil. He was also a famous bandleader. He was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and he died at 63 years old in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA...
(1963) and Luiz Chaves (1963). In 1964, he recorded the album which is considered the main of his career: Impacto.
In 1964, Bisignani moved to France to study in Music Conservatory of Paris. Back to Brazil, he joined Carlos Piper's orchestra, but he also played as sideman for many artist such as Elis Regina
Elis Regina
Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was an important singer of Brazilian popular music. She became nationally renowned in 1965, after singing Arrastão in the first edition of TV Excelsior festival song contest, and soon joined O Fino da Bossa, a television program on TV Record...
and Wilson Simonal
Wilson Simonal
Wilson Simonal de Castro, was a Brazilian singer, born in Rio de Janeiro on February 26, 1939. He also died in Rio de Janeiro on June 25, 2000. He was a singer of a great success in the 1960s and in the first two years of 1970 decade. He was married and had two sons: Wilson Simoninha and Max de...
.
From 1973 to 1981, Costita joined the Nelson Aires big band. After the end of that group, he started his career as teacher of music. He started teaching in CLAM, a Brazilian popular music school, created by Zimbo Trio
Zimbo Trio
The Zimbo Trio is a Brazilian instrumental ensemble, established in 1964 in São Paulo, and originally comprising Amilton Godoy , Luís Chaves and Rubinho Barsotti...
.
Actually, he still teaches in CLAM. He also give some workshops around South America and frequently plays in the show houses in São Paulo.
As leader
- 1962: O fabuloso Hector
- 1962: Sambas, as Don Junior
- 1964: Impacto
- 1981: Hector Costita
- 1985: Paracachúm
- 2004: A noite è minha
As sideman
- 1963: Bossa nova, nova bossaBossa nova, nova bossaBossa nova, nova bossa is the first album recorded by the Brazilian pianist and composer Manfredo Fest. Released on LP in 1963, this work counts on the musicians Humberto Clayber, Antonio Pinheiro and Hector Costita. It also counts on the participation of the vocal group Titulares do Ritmo on the...
, by Manfredo Fest - 1976: Zimbo, by Zimbo Trio
External links
- [ Allmusic]