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Pietro Tonolo

Pietro Tonolo was born in Mirano (Venice) in 1959, and began to play jazz professionally in 1979, leaving behind an alredy blossoming career as a classical violinist. Moving to Milan in 1979, he there worked with some of the leading Italian jazz musicians including Franco D'Andrea, Luigi Bonafede, Gianni Cazzola, Larry Nocella, Massimo Urbani. From 1981 to 1986 he was often a member of Enrico Rava's group. In the summer of 1982 he played in the "Gil Evans Orchestra" with musicians such as Steve Lacy, Lew Soloff and Ray Anderson; he also played with this ensamble at the "Sweet Basil" in New York in 1984/85 and at the "Umbria Jazz Festival" in 1987.

In 1983 he began performing, both as the leader of his own groups and as a sideman, in jazz clubs, at concerts, and on television and radio broadcast throughout Europe and in the United States. He has worked with Kenny Clarke, Roswell Rudd, Sal Nistico, Chet Baker (who he played with in New York in 1985), Lee Konitz, John Surman, George Lewis, Barry Altschul, Joe Chambers, Aldo Romano, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland and Tony Oxley, to name just some. Two albums with a stellar line-up consisting of Gil Goldstein on piano, Steve Swallow on bass and Paul Motian on drums also garner attention by their sheer vibrancy.

In 1986 he began a intense working relationship with the Roman pianist Rita Marcotulli, playing both in a duet with her and a quartet with Enzo Pietropaoli and Roberto Gatto, wich has received acclaim from critics and the public alike. Since 1988, he has collaborated with Henri Texier's group (with which he performed in France, Italy, Mexico, Cuba and Egypt) with Enrico Pieranunzi and Giovanni Tommaso, as well as leading his own groups (with Piero Leveratto, Sandro Gibellini, Alfred Kramer and Roberto Rossi), and playing and writing for the big band "Keptorchestra" and the sax quartet "Arundo Donax".

He has performed at all the most important Italian jazz festivals and at the "Jazz Festival" in Berlin , the "Jazz Jamboree" in Warsaw, the "Grand Parade du Jazz" in Nice and at festivals in Paris, Montreal, Vienna, Amiens, The Hague, North Caroline, Ankara, Izmir and Tel Aviv.

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Album Review

Deep Art Men: Deep Art Men

Read "Deep Art Men" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Non è solo l'appartenenza professionale dei musicisti (tutti insegnanti al Conservatorio Pedrollo di Vicenza) il motivo di questa formazione. I cinque protagonisti del jazz italiano si frequentano da tempo e condividono simili coordinate espressive: un fresco e ispirato modern mainstream, di chiara impronta melodica. Dopo varie esibizioni live, nell'aprile 2107 è venuto il momento di documentare il progetto che è stato pubblicato poche settimane fa. L'album consta di dieci composizioni originali, scritte dai componenti il quintetto più una ...

163
Album Review

Pietro Tonolo: Your Songs - The Music Of Elton John

Read "Your Songs - The Music Of Elton John" reviewed by Martin Gladu


Who would have thought Elton John's music could resonate into jazzmen's hearts deep enough to dare record a whole album of his songs? Well, whoever or wherever it comes from, a nice melody is a nice melody, one could rightfully retort to the skeptical, frowning few. Saxophonist Pietro Tonolo, a mainstay on the Italian jazz scene, convincingly rises to producer Michele Locatelli's somewhat challenging idea. Supporting him in the venture are deconstructivist drummer Paul Motian, bassist Steve Swallow and Grammy ...

215
Album Review

Pietro Tonolo: Italian Songs

Read "Italian Songs" reviewed by John Kelman


In order to thrive as an independent jazz label, you've got to have a philosophy. It may be as broad as an overall aesthetic or as refined as a specific genre. Certain artists will draw fans to whatever label they're on--Keith Jarrett, for example, brings a lot of listeners to ECM. But to transcend individual musicians on a roster and engender a true brand loyalty that entices people to check out releases through trust in what the label is about--that ...

192
Album Review

Pietro Tonolo: Oltremare

Read "Oltremare" reviewed by John Kelman


Italy-based EGEA Records states in its press release that it is “more than just a record label. It's a music concept whose very name suggests the desire to explore the features of a totally Mediterranean identity." And releases including Il Circo and Mari Pintau would definitely support that philosophy. But while three out of four of the musicians on Oltremare are Italian, the music moves, this time, farther north, away from the sea and deeper into continental Europe for a ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

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Caligola Records
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Parco Della Musica Records
2012

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Egea Records
2012

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