Miroslav Vitous began playing the violin at age of six, the piano at ten, and finally the bass at fourteen years old. He attended the Prague Conservatory studying under F.Posta. At this time he played in the Junior Trio with his brother Alan on drums and Jan Hammer on keyboard. He also played with a dixieland band with trumpeter/singer Jírí Jerinek, while still in Czechoslovakia.
At an International music contest in Vienna, he won the first prize - a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. At this time Miroslav was confronted with a decision to follow one of the careers in life, one being music, and one being the fact that Miroslav was ranked as a top Olympic contender in free style swimming.
He chose music.
He came to the U.S.A. in 1966 but only remained at Berklee for short time. In 1967 he came to New York where he quickly involved himself in the music scene playing with many different artists: Charlie Mariano, Bob Broolmeyer, Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, Miles Davis, Chick Corea and many others. In 1970 along with Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul formed a group Weather Report. After three years left the group due to musical differences. After brief break he formed Miroslav Vitous Group with John Surman, Kenny Kirkland and Jon Christensen, and recorded 3 albums for ECM. After 3 years desolves the group.
Vitous has become a director of Jazz Department in New England Conservatory in Boston, and leads the department for 3 years. He reunited with Chick Corea and Roy Haynes (Trio Music): it was a very successful period for the trio for the following 2 and half years. Tours all over the world and 2 albums recorded for ECM is the outcome of this reunion.
After this time he made a very successfull duet world wide tour with Stanley Clark.
Makes several performances as a soloist with Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra and Music of Viva of Boston.
He recorded also a solo album for ECM: Emergence.
In 1988 he moved back to Europe. Stopped teaching completely and became full time composer/performer, once more.
He made a lot of different projects with his band or solo, appeared at many festivals and concerts and took part in other projects with different top European musicians. After 22 years he returned to Prague and recorded an album with his brother Alan Vitous.
Many offers followed the musical film "Lanterna Magica". He also received an offer for his first classical album as a composer in winter 1989/90. In March 1989 he started playing solo concerts. He wrote and performed concerts for Orchestra and solo bass in Frieburg (Germany) and Italy.

DISCOGRAPHY

ATLANTIC

Infinite Search

CBS/SONY

Purple

WARNERS

Magical Shepperd

ARISTA

Majesty Music

Miroslav

ECM

M. Vitous, J. Dejohnette, Terje Rypdal

First Meeting

Miroslav Vitous Group

To Be Continued

Journeys Ending

Emergence

with CHICK COREA

Now he sings now he sobs

Trio Music

Trio Music Live in Europe

with WEATHER REPORT

Weather Report

I sing the Body Electric

Sweet Nighter

Mysterious Traveler

 

... and about 50 other records with many different musicians all top product.

AWARDS

• awards from Down Beat (U.S.A.), Swing Journal (Japan), and Jazz Forum (Europe).
• #1 bass player in the world at different times.
• Musician of the Year Jazz Forum for Infinite Search album.
• nominated for grammy awards twice (with Chick Corea).
• every year since 1968 he's in the top 3 best bassplayers in the world.