Gianni
     Bardaro

Gianni Bardaro saxophonist, composer, arranger and sound therapist, received the prestigious Latin Grammy in 2019, as solo saxophonist on the 'Andres Cepeda Big Band' album released by Sony Music.
A musician with an international profile, he has lived between Italy, Denmark and Colombia. His versatility together with the unique timbre of his instrumental voice, described by specialist critics as poetic and captivating, have attracted the attention of the international press.

He has released 6 record works, the last 3 signed by the prestigious Universal Music Group (UMG) record label: Next Stop recorded in Italy and released by the prestigious US record label Verve Records; Unfolding Routes recorded in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Soul Blueprint recorded in New York (USA) with the participation of legendary trumpeter Randy Brecker. All three albums received the Jazzit Award-100 greatest albums, consecutively during 2012, 2013 and 2016.
Thanks to his father Benedetto, an amateur drummer, he came into contact with the local music scene at a very young age and was 'thunderstruck' by the sound of the alto saxophone. At the age of 8, he briefly studied music theory and piano. He then resumed studying music at the age of 11, inspired by the alto saxophone. Two years later, he is already very active playing professionally in the local scene. With Maestro Carmine Saveriano, he discovered the be-bop language by listening to some Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie records. At only 13 years of age, he became so deeply passionate about jazz that he called it 'an irreversible love'. An academically trained artist, he officially began his classical and jazz studies at the age of 15 with Maestro Mauro Zazzarini at the 'O. Respighi' Conservatory in Latina, where he graduated with top marks in Saxophone. He subsequently graduated with top marks in Jazz Music with Maestro Bruno Tommaso at the Conservatorio 'S. Pietro a Majella' in Naples. He also completed a year of specialisation in jazz improvisation, composition and arranging at the 'Rhythmic Music Conservatory' in Copenhagen (DK).

He has attended seminars and master classes held by: Bob Mover, Maurizio Gianmarco, Danilo Rea, Fabrizio Sferra, Giovanni Tommaso, Jesper Bodilsen, Lars Møller, Morten Lund, Agostino di Giorgio, Cesar López (Irakere) Alvaro Collado (Los Van Van). He has attended the following courses: International Advanced Course (Saxophone) at the Arts Academy Instituzione Sinfonica in Rome; Jazz Course at the Accademia Romana di Jazz; Cuban Music Week seminar at the RMC in Copenhagen.

In 1999 he took part in the national jazz music competition in Baronissi, receiving 1st place in the young talent category and in 2000 he received 2nd place in the professional category. In 2001, he participated in the GAI 'Associazione Giovani Artisti Italiani' competition, winning a scholarship to the 'Rhythmic Music Conservatory' in Copenhagen. In 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2013 he wins grants for the production of his albums from the DJBFA, Danish Composers Association. In Colombia, he won the Bibliored-Idartes district competition in 2014 with the Gianni Bardaro The Joint Project. In 2018 and 2019, he wins the national IDARTES competition, for the top position in the Big Band Bogotá, where he is then also invited as guest composer and arranger in 2019.

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Throughout his career, he has been invited to play at recognised jazz clubs and international festivals in the following countries: Bulgaria, Cuba, Colombia, Denmark, India, Italy, Latvia, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Santo Domingo, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Some festivals are mentioned: Aarhus International Jazz Festival, Ajazzgo Festival, Festival Internacional Barranquijazz, Balticness Jazz Festival, Beat Onto Jazz Festival, Boquete Jazz Festival, Cartagena Festival Internacional de Musica, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Copenhagen Winter Jazz Festival, En Clave De Jazz Festival, Festival de Jazz y Música del Mundo Manizales, Festival Estéreo Picnic, Festival Internacional de Jazz del Teatro Libre, Festival Internacional de Piano UIS, Festival Internacional de Jazz de Los Andes, Festival Internacional Suoni Intorno al Monte, Festival Vive Italia Parque de la 93, Goa Jazz Festival, III Encuentro Capital De Jazz Bogota, Jazz Al Parque, Jazz Capital Festival Universidad Javeriana, Jazz in Campo Festival, Jazzflirt Festival, Medejazz Festival, Napoli Jazz Festival, Orsara Jazz Festival, Pomigliano Jazz, Sinú Jazz Festival, Spoleto 53rd Festival dei 2 Mondi, Targu Mures Open Jazz Festival, XXI Festival De Cine Curtas Villa du Conde, Ærø Jazz Festival, Vinter Jazz Festival Hillerød.

His teaching activity is also intense, with more than 25 years of private teaching, in addition to 8 years of music teaching at the AOF Metropol in Copenhagen and numerous seminars/workshops at the following Colombian universities: Universidad De los Andes, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Universidad Sergio Arboleda, Universidad Industrial UIS, Universidad Javeriana, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Invited international juror in the Berklee Latino College of Music's Bass en Vivo Competition and the UIS University's International Piano Competition.

In 2012, he trained as a Sound Therapist in Spain, obtaining certification from the International Association of Sonotherapy. With his project Intentional Sounds, he has been invited to various countries to hold seminars, lectures and give meditative concerts, with the aim of sharing and spreading scientific and at the same time ancestral knowledge about the beneficial properties of therapeutic sound.

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Collaborazioni: Randy Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, Phil Woods, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Oscar Stagnaro, Edy Martinez, Samuel Torres, Adrián Herrera, Agostino di Giorgio, Aldo Bassi, Andrés Cepeda, Antonio Arnedo, Bernard Maseli, Bill Molenhof, Bob Mover, Bruno Tommaso, Cristiano Arcelli, David Goloshekin, Deniss Pashkevich, Deniss Pashkevich, Enzo Avitabile, Erling Wicklund, Flora Martinez, Francesco Villani, Gabriel Guerrero, Jan Freicher, Jason Lindner, Javier Girotto, Jesper Bodilsen, Jolanta Gulbe, Jukka Eskola, Karl-Martin Almqvist, Kike Purizaga , Lamy Istrefi, Lars Møller, Liudas Mockunas, Maria Pia De Vito, Mario Raia, Massimo Morganti, Neff Irizarry, Nanpa Basico, Niclas Campagnol, Oscar Acevedo, Pierluigi Villani, Pietro Condorelli, Pietro Iodice, Pino Iodice, Pippo Matino, Roberto de Simone, Salomon Beda, Salvatore Tranquini, Sebastian Studnitzky, Seth Sharp, Sofia Rubina, Tico Arnedo, Ulf Adåker, Villu Veski. Andres Cepeda Big Band, Big Band Bogotá, Big Band Colombia, Carrera Quinta Big Band, Los Petite Fellas Big Band, ONJ Orchestra Napoletana di Jazz, Orient West Choir, Plutarkamon Big Band, South People.