Vytas Brenner

 

Here is the bio James (Gecko) wrote:

VYTAS BRENNER was a German born Venezuelan pianist, keyboardist and composer. His career started in the late 1960s and released his first album (of nine in total) in 1973. His music took Latin American rhythms, as well as from unique Venezuelan tradition and combined them with Progressive Rock, to create delightful Symphonic prog, with elements of fusion, space rock and acoustic folk.

VYTAS BRENNER was born in Tübingen, Germany on September 19, 1946, but moved with his family to Venezuela in 1949, at the age of 2. When he was 12, his family moved to Italy, then later Spain and finally ended in United States, where he studied Music at the University of Tennessee, graduating in 1972.

He returned to Venezuela the same year and became an important musician on the national music scene. Vocals on his albums are mostly in Spanish. His brother Haakon Brenner produced his first album and was an executive producer on “Hermanos” and “Jayeche”.

Vytas released an EP “Brenner's Folk” (recorded while he was resident in Spain and featuring his brother Haakon Brenner, as well as Jordi Soler and Jordi Barange) in the late 1960s and formed the VYTAS BRENNER QUARTET.

In 1973, VYTAS BRENNER recorded a 45 EP with Maria Fernanda Márquez, called “Con Vytas y Mafe”.

His debut album “La Ofrenda de Vytas” was released in 1973, which introduces to a mix of different styles, with a lot of folk music influence. He assembled a band for this album (and the following also) which was apparently known as OFRENDA (Offering). There was much less synthesizer work on this album, but this would fully develop on later albums, this release is still mostly symphonic in sound, with wonderful guitar playing by Pablo Manavello (as was the case on all his albums until 1978 release “Ofrenda”).

Vytas worked with Pablo Manavello who was an Italian born prolific guitarist, who was well known for his participation with many Venezuelan bands and musician’s , as well as going solo from 1979 and producing.

His next album was “Hermanos”, released in 1974 which continued on in a similar vein to the previous releases, again mixing Latin American themes with intelligently composed Symphonic Prog. There were even more musicians on this album, including Caracas born drummer, Iván Velásquez, who would remain with Brenner until his 1983 album “Vytas”. Rolando Briceño (born in Caracas) was brought in for saxophone for the Hermanos album.

Further lineup changes were made for his 1975 album “Jayeche” (as well as a change of record company to Discomoda), with dube percussion, being employed. Carlos Acosta remained on bass (he’d been there from the first album), as well as Manavello and Velásquez.

1977 Brought Brenner’s first live album, “En Vivo! Ofrenda” which was also his first double LP. His live output was even more exciting and the band often focused in long jams.

Percussion was a very strong aspect with Brenner’s sound (think of some of the rhythm section in Santana albums and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac live version of Green Manalishi.), which often made them an awe-inspiring band to appreciate live. The album was recorded at five different venues, all in Venezuela, Maracaibo, Maracay, Caracas (2 venues) and Barquisimeto. By this time Brenner was becoming more popular outside of Venezuela, as this album was mixed in Miami by Jack Adams. This LP also brought in the percussionist Felipe “Mandingo” Rengifo.

In 1978 the same band that recorded the double live LP “En Vivo! Ofrenda” (with the inclusion of Luis Oliver on Piano and Clavinet), recorded the album “Ofrenda”. This was the final release with the OFRENDA band, although it's classified as a solo album, as the band officially split after En Vivo!

At this point, his music changed style and moved away from the progressive style and moved into the realms of pop, funk and soul.

In 1981, Brenner released an album on Polydor, named “I Belong”, but this was still recorded in Caracas,. All track titles are in English (for the first and only time). Paulette Dozier assists on vocals.

After this album, the next 3 releases would feature more musicians than ever, as well as backing vocals (and a return to the label Discomodo). The song writing would be shared with Linda Lepage on “I Belong “ (1981) and “Estoy Como Quiero” .(1982).

In 1983, Brenner released his album “Vytas", again featuring a larger lineup. At this point, only Iván Velásquez and Carlos “Nené” Quintero remained from previous albums. His next album would be a complete about turn.

In 1986 he released a self-produced “El Vals Del Mar”, featuring new versions of his songs from previous albums, performed solely by himself on keyboards, acoustic guitar and vocals.

He returned to a band format, for his 1993 album “Amazonia” (first on CD). Brenner used only keyboards and sequencers on this entirely instrumental release, featuring flute and soprano sax without drums (although Carlos “Nene” Quintero” returned on percussion). This was a return to form and was much closer to be considered a World Music effort than his 1980s output.

In 1994, a VYTAS BRENNER compilation of past work, called “Lo Máximo de Vytas”, was released. This consisted of tracks from “Jayeche”, “En Vivo!” and “Ofrenda”.

VYTAS BRENNER sadly died of a heart attack on March 18, 2004 in Salzburg, Austria, leaving 9 albums of wonderful music as his legacy. He was preparing new material with Felipe Rengifo before his sudden death.

If you like intelligent and unpretentious symphonic progressive rock, with interesting synthesized sounds, some of which are quite avant-garde, then VYTAS BRENNER will appeal to you. If you also love Latin American music and a lot of percussion, again, VYTAS BRENNER will appeal to you. There is a lot of aspects to his music that should appeal to most music fans. His original LP’s are also quite collectable, so can fetch good prices. A much neglected musician that should be heard.

 

 

 

 

 

Go here for more info in Spanish - http://www.geocities.com/leon9702002/vytas.htm

 

Other links:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Vytas+Brenner+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was wondering about him, haveing seen him in a while

 

This is a great artist who has done wonderful music, La Ofrenda and Hermanos are the only ones i know, both recommendable!