Today's Find of the Week is a magnificent bass player from Vancouver, Fito Garcia. Fito sent me a friend request and when I visited his page, I found four compositions for multiple basses over Afro-Cuban styles! I was so struck by the musicianship, I just had to share it!

Fito was born in 1968 in Guatemala and started playing guitar at the age of 14. The next year, he joined a Guatamalan band and began his professional music career. The next year he spent 6 months on tour in Canada, then 6 more months of touring in Europe. During that time, the band recorded 2 albums. Fito picked up a bass on tour as well and started applying his guitar knowledge to the bass.

In 1985, Fito moved to Vancouver and revived his musical education. He attended a high school there and got deeply into music theory. Shortly after, he attended a music program at Vancouver Community College.

1987 marked a major shift as Fito traveled to Cuba in order to study music. While there, he attended the Escuela de Superacion Profecional "Ignacio Cervantes" for a year. His bass instructor was the well known bassist for Conjunto Rumbavana Silvio Vergara (Also the author of the highly influential method book – The True Cuban Bass). In 1989, Fito joined a Niaraguan band, whose tour brought him back to Canada.

Since then, Fito has been an important part of the Vancouver music scene. He recorded the album Timba Con Sandunga with Shango Ashe, which was nominated for a West Coast Music Award. He recorded three albums with Ancient Cultures, one of which won a JUNO award in 1994. He recorded an album in Cuba with his wife Marlin Ramazzini called Quiero Ser Yo, which was also nominated for a West Coast Music Award. Currently, Fito is working on an all bass album titled "Mi Bajo Rumbero" with Cuban bassist Ignacio "Chispa" Cervantes.

Fito currently resides in the top spot of my friend list, so please be sure to check out his site. Don't forget to check out last week's Find of the Week as well, The Banda Brothers. And if you just can't get enough, stop by my Latin Jazz Blog - last week held some listening ideas, a review of Arturo Sandoval's Rumba Palace, a video of the Nosso Trio, and more!