Biography

Roberto "Fats" Fernández's biography

His original way of interpreting ballads and his ability for improvisation have earned him accolades not only from the audience but also from his admired fellow musicians like Randy Brecker and Jimmy Owens, to name a few.
He began playing at age 17 with The Georgian’s Jazz Band. Later on he joined Gato Barbieri’s quintet and Jorge Anders’s and Buby Lavecchia’s orchestras. Throughout his career he has performed alongside Roy Eldridge, Lionel Hampton, Paquito D’Rivera, Ray Charles, Michal Urbaniak, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barreto, Larry Harlow, Leandro “Gato” Barbieri and many others. In 1992 he received an ACE award for Best Jazz Album for Cuore (Melopea, 1991), featuring the participation of Dizzy Gillespie. Other greats like Wynton Marsalis and Paquito D’Rivera have collaborated in his many other albums.
He received two Estrella de Mar awards, one for Best Music Show for Canción con todos and another for Best Popular Music Band, as well as one Konex Award for his outstanding ten-year career. In May 1996, Fats Fernández participated in the 24th Annual 1996 Brass Conference, sharing the stage with big names like David Taylor, Phil Smith, Joe Alessi, Conrad Herwig, Paquito D’Rivera and Don Butterfield.