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Gianni Bardaro

Gianni Bardaro, Italian saxophonist, composer and sound therapist, has been shaping for many years, the infinite possibilities of sounds. With a special focus on jazz, his saxophone performances have touched international audience as well as many projects and albums. The major “Universal Music” published in 2012 his latest album “Soul Blueprint” recorded in New York, featuring Multi-Grammy Award Randy Brecker and Colombian percussionist Samuel Torres. Gianni's history is as varied as it is distinguished. Born in Italy to a drummer-playing father, Gianni's musical skills were nurtured and naturally encouraged from an early age. Already at the age of 11, he began playing in local bar bands and in a traditional Italian "banda". By then, Gianni discovered the Be-Bop language listening to a vinyl of Charlie Parker and Dizzie Gillespie and Jazz became an irreversible love accompanying his journey in music. Those are also the years approaching music composition, where Gianni creates and shapes the first melodies and experiments with chord progressions and simple polyphonic lines.

At 15, he began studies of classical saxophone at the Conservatory of Music in Latina where he played with the Jazz Big Band, in various jazz, R&B and soul bands. At the same time he deepened the study of jazz with his teacher Mauro Zazzarini. The Conservatorium would grant him two scholarships for artistic merits and five years later he graduates with best honors. He also studied jazz composition and improvisation with Americans Bob Mover and Agostino Di Giorgio. While attending numerous seminars and workshops by the likes of “Accademia Romana di Jazz” with Fabrizio Sferra, Danilo Rea, Giovanni Tommaso and Maurizio Gianmarco, he participates at the International Seminars Arts Academy Istituzione Sinfonica di Roma. There, at the age of 18, he plays with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert for and with one of the most influential Italian composers of the twentieth century, Goffredo Petrassi.

In 1992, he started his first jazz quartet as a leader, the Railway Station Jazz followed by the Afro Jazz Quartet. With Afro Jazz Quartet, Gianni won the International Competition Baronissi Jazz, participating in the New Talent Category. A few years later he earned a 2nd place award for his performance with the Orchestra Jazz a Majella (JAM) in the Professional Category. In 1999 he enrolled at the Conservatorium of Music in Naples, to perfect the studies of Jazz Composition, Big Band Arrangement and Jazz Improvisation. Gianni graduates in Jazz Music 3 years later with top honors.

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Album Review

Big Band Italia: Blue Sun

Read "Blue Sun" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Big Band Italia's “Blue Sun" is intriguing listening. Saxophonist/co-leader Gianni Bardaro's tune could best be described as a modernised Oliver Nelson track exploding on steroids. Bruno Luise's arrangement is complex and challenging in terms of time signature and textures and it is performed superbly by this cadre of Italy's foremost jazz musicians--with guest artists trumpeter Randy Brecker and guitarist Ciro Manna lending fine solos. The tune's melody moves in sophisticated, angular intervals and dominating triplet figures. The ...

Album Review

Gianni Bardaro, Pierluigi Villani: Next Stop

Read "Next Stop" reviewed by Neri Pollastri


Progetto a nome del batterista napoletano Pierluigi Villani e del sassofonista di Formia (ma residente a Bogotà dopo anni di vita a Copenaghen) Gianni Bardaro, Next Stop è in un certo senso la prosecuzione su altre strade del precedente lavoro dei due, Unfolding Routes, uscito nel 2013 con partner diversi. Qui troviamo un disco di jazz moderno dalle atmosfere cangianti ma sempre dinamicamente intense, nel quale la spinta dei due leader è supportata e enfatizzata dal come sempre ...

4
Album Review

Gianni Bardaro / Pierluigi Villani: Unfolding Routes

Read "Unfolding Routes" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


The monochromatic cover of Unfolding Routes depicts an iconic--and stark--image of a deserted highway leading to an infinite horizon. It's perspective: an integral component of art. This collaboration of two outstanding Italian musicians is no dimensional illusion but, rather, an intelligent and involving artistic journey.Bardaro, Italian-born but now residing in Copenhagen, is a highly gifted alto saxophonist. He possesses both a beautifully haunting, poetic voice ("Unfolding Hearts") as well as fine technical chops, leveraging both heavily throughout. Choosing ...

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”Gianni Bardaro is an excellent musician, soloist, composer and arranger. His music is fresh, exciting and yet mellow and groovy. His group is tight and cohesive, complimenting each other throughout the CD. All the compositions will take you on a trip and adventure of musical delight. Any avid fan of jazz will be greatly entertain with this CD”

—CARLOS GARNETT (M.Davis, C.Mingus, F.Hubbard, A.Blakey)

“Bardaro’s music, even while rooted in the tight, collaborative combo approach, is still fresh and new; this is no nostalgia trip or return to some “golden jazz age”. When put into the context of Euro nu-jazz,something like Scandinavian tango (as in “Scandango”) is almost revolutionary. This “sinestetic jazz” should appeal to a wide jazz audience...” or, as tenor saxophonist Carlos Garnett, a veteran of bands led by the likes of Miles Davis, Pharaoh Sanders, Art Blakey, Andrew Hill, and Charles Mingus, says, “I recommend this CD to all fanatics of jazz worldwide.” So be it.

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

Bogota

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Blue Sun

Self Produced
2023

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Next Stop

Verve Music Group
2016

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Videos

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