A native of New York City, Bertoncini grew up in a musical family.[1] His father, Mario Bertoncini (1901–1978), played guitar and harmonica. His brother Renny (1934–2023), played accordion and keyboards. Bertoncini began playing guitar at age seven and by age sixteen was appearing on television. He graduated from high school and attended the University of Notre Dame, where, in 1959, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering.[2][3] He also played clarinet for the Notre Dame marching band.[1] His first guitar teacher was Johnny Smith.[4]
Bertoncini was notable in the world of jazz guitar for using a nylon-string guitar in performances and recordings, as Charlie Byrd had done in the 1950s and 1960s. After hearing a Julian Bream album at the advice of his teacher Chuck Wayne,[4] Bertoncini began studying classical guitar and using the instrument for jazz and Latin music styles. Bertoncini discussed his use of the instrument in a 2008 interview:
I started practicing classical guitar just about the time when the bossa nova hit. Joao [Gilberto] was borrowing my guitar, I was playing the classical repertoire, and all these things kind of came together. I was doing studio work at the time, and I got a call to play on a big album by Ahmad Jamal; they wanted somebody to play a bossa nova kind of thing.[5]
From 1990 to 2008, Bertoncini played solo guitar on Sunday and Monday evenings at the Bistro La Madeleine on West 43rd Street in New York City.[6] He recorded two albums of solo guitar arrangements (Body and Soul and Quiet Now) and published ten of these arrangements in Gene Bertoncini Plays Jazz Standards.[7]
^Summerfield, Maurice. 1998. The Jazz Guitar: Its Evolution, Players and Personalities Since 1900. United Kingdom: Ashley Mark Publishing
^ abcKoenig, Kate (1 October 2021). "Guitar Talk: Gene Bertoncini and His Unique Nylon-String Approach to Jazz". Acoustic Guitar. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
^Schlesinger, Dr. Judith. "The Architect of the Guitar (interview)". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
^Ratliff, Ben (March 5, 2008). "More Than Just Background". The New York Times. New York, NY: New York Times. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
^Bertoncini, Gene (2012). Gene Bertoncini Plays Jazz Standards. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Hal Leonard. ISBN9781458418425.
^"Gene Bertoncini: Love Like Ours". Ambient Records. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
External linksedit
Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camps
Audio interview with Gene Bertoncini
New York Times review of Gene Bertoncini
November 17, 2023
gene, bertoncini, gene, bertoncini, born, april, 1937, american, jazz, guitarist, born, 1937, april, 1937, york, city, york, genresjazzoccupation, musicianinstrument, guitaryears, active1960s, presentlabelsmps, stash, chiaroscuro, concord, motéma, contents, bi. Gene J Bertoncini born 6 April 1937 is an American jazz guitarist Gene BertonciniBorn 1937 04 06 April 6 1937 age 86 New York City New York U S GenresJazzOccupation s MusicianInstrument s GuitarYears active1960s presentLabelsMPS Stash Chiaroscuro Concord Motema Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2 1 As leader 2 2 As sideman 3 References 4 External linksBiography editA native of New York City Bertoncini grew up in a musical family 1 His father Mario Bertoncini 1901 1978 played guitar and harmonica His brother Renny 1934 2023 played accordion and keyboards Bertoncini began playing guitar at age seven and by age sixteen was appearing on television He graduated from high school and attended the University of Notre Dame where in 1959 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering 2 3 He also played clarinet for the Notre Dame marching band 1 His first guitar teacher was Johnny Smith 4 After college he entered the Marines then moved to Chicago where he became immersed in the jazz scene working with Carmen McRae 1 He returned to New York City and played with vibraphonist Mike Mainieri and then in one of Buddy Rich s ensembles 1 He was a member the Tonight Show band 1 He has also worked with Burt Bacharach Tony Bennett Paul Desmond Benny Goodman Lena Horne Hubert Laws Michel Legrand Charles McPherson Wayne Shorter Clark Terry and Nancy Wilson 1 He has performed often with bassist Michael Moore 1 Bertoncini was notable in the world of jazz guitar for using a nylon string guitar in performances and recordings as Charlie Byrd had done in the 1950s and 1960s After hearing a Julian Bream album at the advice of his teacher Chuck Wayne 4 Bertoncini began studying classical guitar and using the instrument for jazz and Latin music styles Bertoncini discussed his use of the instrument in a 2008 interview I started practicing classical guitar just about the time when the bossa nova hit Joao Gilberto was borrowing my guitar I was playing the classical repertoire and all these things kind of came together I was doing studio work at the time and I got a call to play on a big album by Ahmad Jamal they wanted somebody to play a bossa nova kind of thing 5 From 1990 to 2008 Bertoncini played solo guitar on Sunday and Monday evenings at the Bistro La Madeleine on West 43rd Street in New York City 6 He recorded two albums of solo guitar arrangements Body and Soul and Quiet Now and published ten of these arrangements in Gene Bertoncini Plays Jazz Standards 7 Bertoncini has been on the faculties of William Paterson University New York University Eastman School of Music 4 New England Conservatory and the Banff School of Fine Arts in Alberta Canada He has been on the staff of the Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camps Discography editAs leader edit Evolution Evolution 1969 Bridges with Michael Moore GJB Music 1977 The Guitar Session with Jay Berliner Toots Thielemans Richard Resnicoff Philips 1977 Crystal amp Velvet with Bobbi Rogers Focus 1981 O Grande Amor with Michael Moore Stash 1986 Strollin with Michael Moore Stash 1987 Close Ties with Michael Moore Musical Heritage Society 1987 Two in Time with Michael Moore Chiaroscuro 1989 Jiggs amp Gene with Jiggs Whigham Azica 1996 Someone to Light Up My Life Chiaroscuro 1996 Interplay with Fred Haas JazzToons 1997 Gene Bertoncini with Bill Charlap and Sean Smith Chiaroscuro 1999 East Meets Midwest with Kenny Poole J Curve 1998 Body and Soul Ambient 1999 Just the Two of Us with Jack Wilkins Chiaroscuro 2000 Autumn Leaves at Astley s with Frank Vignola True Track 2001 Meeting of the Grooves with Frank Vignola Azica 2002 Acoustic Romance with Akira Tana and Rufus Reid Sons of Sound 2003 Quiet Now Ambient 2005 Just Above a Whisper Stellar Sound Productions 2005 Concerti Ambient 2008 Smile with Roni Ben Hur Motema 2008 2 2 1 Blueport Jazz 2009 Reunion Ambient 2012 Love Like Ours Ambient 2022 8 As sideman edit Monty Alexander Spunky Pacific Jazz 1965 Duke Pearson Prairie Dog Atlantic 1966 Meredith D Ambrosio Silent Passion Sunnyside 1997 David Amram On the Waterfront on Broadway Varese Sarabande Chet Baker The Best Thing for You A amp M 1989 Irwin Bazelon Music of Irwin Bazelon 1992 Tony Bennett A Place Over the Sun Columbia 1969 Tony Bennett I ve Gotta Be Me Columbia 1969 Peter Bernstein Mundell Lowe Jack Wilkins We Remember Tal J Curve 1999 Phil Bodner Clarinet Virtuosity Once More with Feeling Arbors 2006 Canadian Brass Swingtime RCA Victor 1995 Earl Coleman Love Songs Atlantic 1968 Dolly Dawn Memories of You Dawn 1981 Paul Desmond Bridge Over Troubled Water A amp M 1970 Paul Desmond Skylark CTI 1974 Trudy Desmond Tailor Made Jazz Alliance 1992 Linda Eder It s Time Atlantic 1997 Ronnie Foster Two Headed Freap Blue Note 1972 Nnenna Freelon Nnenna Freelon Columbia 1992 Johnny Frigo Debut of a Legend Chesky 1994 Astrud Gilberto Gilberto with Turrentine CTI 1971 Astrud Gilberto That Girl from Ipanema Image 1977 Bob Hammer Beatlejazz ABC Paramount 1967 Jane Harvey Jane Harvey RCA 1974 Bobbi Humphrey Flute in Blue Note 1971 Bobby Hutcherson Natural Illusions Blue Note 1972 Rufus Jones Five On Eight Cameo 1964 Roger Kellaway Meets the Duo Gene Bertoncini and Michael Moore Chiaroscuro 1992 Rebecca Kilgore Rebecca Kilgore with the Keith Ingham Sextet Jump 2001 Morgana King Miss Morgana King Mainstream 1965 Morgana King A Taste of Honey Mainstream 1991 Peggy King Oh What a Memory We Made Tonight Stash 1984 Peggy King Peggy King Sings Jerome Kern Stash 1985 Michel Legrand After the Rain Pablo 1983 Michel Legrand Twenty Songs of the Century Bell 1974 Jay Leonhart Great Duets Chiaroscuro 1999 Herbie Mann The Roar of the Greasepaint the Smell of the Crowd Atlantic 1965 Susannah McCorkle How Do You Keep the Music Playing 1986 Susannah McCorkle Dream Pausa 1987 Charles McPherson Charles McPherson Mainstream 1971 Bette Midler Some People s Lives Atlantic 1990 Tony Mottola A Latin Love in Project 3 1967 Mark Murphy Satisfaction Guaranteed Muse 1980 Gerry Niewood Facets Native Language 2004 Duke Pearson Prairie Dog Atlantic 1966 Doc Severinsen The Great Arrival Command 1969 Marlena Shaw From the Depths of My Soul Blue Note 1973 Wayne Shorter Odyssey of Iska Blue Note 1971 Lonnie Liston Smith Renaissance RCA Victor 1976 Lonnie Liston Smith Watercolors BMG Novus RCA 1991 Sonny Stitt When Sonny Blows Blue Jamal 1970 Harvie Swartz In a Different Light Bluemoon 1990 Sylvia Syms She Loves to Hear the Music A amp M 1978 Clark Terry Clark Terry Sextet Cameo 1962 Clark Terry Tread Ye Lightly Cameo 1964 Toots Thielemans Toots Command ABC 1968 Toku Chemistry of Love Sony 2002 Michal Urbaniak Jam at Sandy s Jam 1981 Michal Urbaniak My One and Only Love SteepleChase 1982 Grover Washington Jr All the King s Horses Kudu 1972 Harold Wheeler Black Cream RCA Victor 1975 Nancy Wilson But Beautiful Capitol 1989 Paul Winter Consort The Winter Consort A amp M 1968 Paul Winter Something in the Wind A amp M 1969 References edit a b c d e f g Yanow Scott 2008 The Jazz Singers Milwaukee WI Backbeat p 23 ISBN 978 0 87930 825 4 Wynn Ron Gene Bertoncini Biography Songs amp Albums AllMusic Retrieved 5 October 2023 Summerfield Maurice 1998 The Jazz Guitar Its Evolution Players and Personalities Since 1900 United Kingdom Ashley Mark Publishing a b c Koenig Kate 1 October 2021 Guitar Talk Gene Bertoncini and His Unique Nylon String Approach to Jazz Acoustic Guitar Retrieved 5 October 2023 Schlesinger Dr Judith The Architect of the Guitar interview All About Jazz Retrieved 2011 09 28 Ratliff Ben March 5 2008 More Than Just Background The New York Times New York NY New York Times Retrieved 2023 05 30 Bertoncini Gene 2012 Gene Bertoncini Plays Jazz Standards Milwaukee Wisconsin Hal Leonard ISBN 9781458418425 Gene Bertoncini Love Like Ours Ambient Records Retrieved 5 October 2023 External links editTritone Jazz Fantasy Camps Audio interview with Gene Bertoncini New York Times review of Gene Bertoncini WPUNJ edu Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gene Bertoncini amp oldid 1179286065, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
