Primary Instrument: Guitar
Born in ’57, he is an eclectic and much talented guitarist graduated in Classical Guitar and with an academic degree in both Jazz and Biology. He has been nicknamed “A Six strings orchestra” for his unique ability in using harmonization. During his long career he developed a deep tone color method, exploring different musical languages between jazz, bossa-nova, contemporary, Mediterranean music and Bach's counterpoint technique.
ARTISTIC CURRICULUM He played in many Jazz festivals both national (Bordighera JAzz an Blues, Pino Jazz Fest, Ivrea Euro Jazz festival, Heineken Winter tour...) and international (Grenoble Jazz Festival, Annecy Jazz Festival, Praga Jazz Festival) including the latest Moncalieri Jazz Festival 2008 where he won the “Incroci Sonori” prize, and many editions of the Festival Antidogma (he also participated to the first worldwide performance of Steve Reich’s “Electric Counterpoint”).
He played as well in many national and international Classic and Contemporary Music Festivals such as Antique and Contemporary International Music Festival, Festival delle Rocche, Piemonte in Musica, Contrappunti/3, Spartito & Musica, Vox Organalis, Jazz Meditation and many others.
He played with important artists such as: Enrico Rava, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, Bill Cobham, Franco Cerri, Ornella Vanoni, Tullio De Piscopo, Gianni Basso, Flavio Boltro, Dino Contenti and many others.
He worked in major orchestras (Rai Orchestra -M° Pinuccio Pirazzoli, Canale 5 Orchestra -M°Augusto Martelli, Gipo Farassino's Orchestra,Turin’s Philharmonic Orchestra…).
He worked with the Teatro Regio of Turin playing mandolin in Prokofiev’s “Romeo e Juliet”, playing guitar in Donizzetti’s “Don Pasquale” and in Massenet ‘s “Don Chisciotte”.
On records he played as guitarist, composer, arranger and performer in many projects. (see discography).
TEACHING ACTIVITIES He is professor at the “Vivaldi” Conservatory (Alessandria ” Italy) where he teaches jazz guitar, jazz harmony, improvisation techniques, electric guitar (Popular music courses).
Since 1988 he teaches harmony and improvisation techniques, music theory, solfeggio, rhythm techniques, ensemble music and guitar and he is also course director at the Centro Jazz School Music (Turin ” Italy).
He teaches in many Workshops and Seminars: - Instrumental Ensemble music - Ensemble music for singers - Guitar and guitar solo
Pino Russo won the Barezzi Live Price 2009 for the best musical arrangement of “La Carmen” (opera)!
Pino Russo won the “Mimmo Mancinelli” award for the best guitarist at the International Massimo Urbani Award 2009
Awards:
Pino Russo won the Barezzi Live Price 2009 for the best musical arrangement of "La Carmen" (opera)! Pino Russo won the "Mimmo Mancinelli" award for the best guitarist at the International Massimo Urbani Award 2009“(…) a guitar solist of magical evocations, sweet in the melody, with a delicate phrasing, evoking Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery (…)”. G.Michelone ” Alias - Il Manifesto -
“(…) A great technique, (…) refined and elegant choices, a great jazz guitar awareness. No need to impress, but only the haste to communicate throughout music. (…) Russo can make it in an astonishing way, emphasizing a great skill to go inside every pieces getting the intimate essence of each”. G. Gatto ”www.online-news.it
“(…) He is really a very good professional guitarist, great technique, but also a fantastic fantasy and beautiful communicating skills while he plays”. B. Pollacci ” www.animajazz.it
“(…) He has a peculiar skill in the harmonic movements and an astonishing technique that allows him to play in solo, creating a very strong sound impact”. M. Finotti ” La Luna Nuova
“(…) You can get lost into the perfect independence between the bass movements, the accords progressions and the melodic themes. Everything played in the same moment so that you think the there are two or more musicians playing.” L. Blue
Darn That Dream
Record Label: Philology Jazz Records
2009
Tracks: Spain; Marea; Brasil; ‘Round Midnight; Last Train Home; Furore; Nuages; Mas Que Nada; Darn That Dream; Belem
Name: Pino Russo; Instrument: Guitar
Tres
Record Label: none
2004
Tracks: Sull’Isola di Ortigia; Di Sotto il Mare; Gabbiani a Ipanema; For You; Eolie; Mas Que Nada; Una Notte a Procida
Pino Russo Trio. Personnel:
Name: Pino Russo; instrument: Guitar
Name: Massimo Camarca; instrument: Bass
Name: Gigi Biolcati; instrument: Drums and Percussions
Marea
Record Label: none
2002
Tracks: Furore; Marea; Latin Lovers; Spiagge; Last Train Home; Gatteria; Brasil; Spain
Pino Russo Trio. Personnel:
Name: Pino Russo; instrument: Guitar
Name: Massimo Camarca; instrument: Bass
Name: Gigi Biolcati; instrument: Drums and Percussions
Pancia
Record Label: Musicando
1989
Pino Russo
Name: Pino Russo; Instrument: Guitar Many Other as a side musician...
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Primary Instrument:
Guitar
Location:
Turin, Italy, 10132
Willing to teach:
Intermediate to advanced students
Clinic/Workshop Information:
He teaches in many Workshops and Seminars:
- Instrumental Ensemble music
- Ensemble music for singers
- Guitar and guitar solo
And many other items.
