Robert Bonisolo 4tet

ROBERT BONISOLO 4tet  “Standard night”

Robert Bonisolo sax
Daniele Gorgone piano
Lorenzo Conte contrabbasso
Gaetano Fasano batteria

Robert Bonisolo: Sassofonista canadese, inizia a studiare sassofono alle scuole superiori, e grazie alle grandi doti musicali che ne fanno quasi un enfant prodige viene accolto nel 1984 alla “Berklee College of Music” di Boston, studiando con Joe Viola, John La Porta, Herb Pomeroy, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Jimmy Mosher e moltri altri.
Dal 1986 frequenta la “Banff School of Fine Arts” studiando con Dave Holland, Steve Coleman, John Abercrombie, David Liebman, Richie Bierach, Kenny Wheeler e Don tdompson. Sarà proprio la conoscenza con Liebman, che lo porterà a distanza di alcuni anni a trasferirsi a New York.
Nel 1986 torna alla Berklee per ottenere il “Performance Diploma” e subito dopo si trasferisce a New York City per studiare privatamente con Dave Liebman, Richie Bierach e Joe Lovano grazie alle sovvenzioni del Canadian Arts Grand Council.

Dal 1982 al 1988 è selezionato per il “Canadian All Star Band”, e l'”American All Star Band”, e vince il “Canadian Rising Star Award” e “American Rising Star Award”. Dopo aver suonato con l’orchestra di Tommy Dorsey a New York conosce alcuni musicisti, tra cui Jores Doodly, batterista di Woody Shaw che lo porterà a suonare in Austria. Poco dopo Robert Bonisolo si trasferirà in Italia, inizialmente come coordinatore didattico della scuola di musica di Lilion Terry, a Bassano del Grappa.

Proprio in Italia inizia la conoscenza e la collaborazione con musicisti quali Paolo Birro, Michele Calgaro, Gianni Cazzola, Mauro Beggio, Giulio Capiozzo, Antonio Faraò, Renato Chicco Dado Moroni, Sandro Gibellini, Luigi Bonafede, Pietro Condorelli, Andrea Pozza. Suona inoltre con Lee Konitz, Kenny Wheeler, Eliot Zigmund; in ambito pop con Rossana Casale. Ha partecipato a numerosi jazz festival, tra cui Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz, Orvieto Jazz, La Spezia Jazz, Bergamo Jazz, Festival di Fano, Vicenza Jazz, Festival di Verona, Lignano Jazz Festival e Calvì Jazz Festival. Tuttora vive e lavora in Italia.

Quartetto dinamico e frizzante, guidato dalla star internazionale Robert Bonisolo, dove interplay, grandi melodie, fraseggi graffianti e richiamo alla tradizione jazz sono gli ingredienti principali. Alla ritmica il pianista livornese Daniele Gorgone, che vanta incisioni e collaborazioni con stelle del jazz internazionale come Jesse Davis, Perico Sambeat, Peter King e Dave Schnitter (è appena uscito il suo album in 5tet “the predator”), il contrabbassista Veneto Lorenzo Conte (un veterano del jazz dagli anni 90) e il batterista salernitano Gaetano Fasano (ha collaborato con grandi nomi del jazz come Dee Dee Bridgewater). Il concerto sarà basato sulla reinterpretazione di standards presi dal jazz songbook, per un concerto pieno di grande groove, raffinate melodie e straordinaria energia.

ROBERT BONISOLO 4tet  “Standard night”

Robert Bonisolo – saxophone
Daniele Gorgone – piano
Lorenzo Conte – double bass
Gaetano Fasano – drums

Robert Bonisolo: A Canadian saxophonist, he began studying the saxophone in high school. Thanks to his remarkable musical talent, which made him something of a child prodigy, he was admitted to the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1984, where he studied with Joe Viola, John La Porta, Herb Pomeroy, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Jimmy Mosher and many others.

From 1986, he attended the Banff School of Fine Arts, studying with Dave Holland, Steve Coleman, John Abercrombie, David Liebman, Richie Beirach, Kenny Wheeler and Don Thompson. It was his encounter with Liebman that led him, several years later, to move to New York.

In 1986, he returned to Berklee to obtain his Performance Diploma and, immediately afterwards, moved to New York City to study privately with Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach and Joe Lovano, supported by grants from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Between 1982 and 1988, he was selected for both the Canadian All Star Band and the American All Star Band, and won the Canadian Rising Star Award and the American Rising Star Award. After performing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in New York, he met several musicians, including Joris Dudli, Woody Shaw’s drummer, who invited him to perform in Austria. Shortly afterwards, Robert Bonisolo moved to Italy, initially working as educational coordinator at Lilian Terry’s music school in Bassano del Grappa.

In Italy, he began collaborating with musicians including Paolo Birro, Michele Calgaro, Gianni Cazzola, Mauro Beggio, Giulio Capiozzo, Antonio Faraò, Renato Chicco, Dado Moroni, Sandro Gibellini, Luigi Bonafede, Pietro Condorelli and Andrea Pozza. He has also performed with Lee Konitz, Kenny Wheeler and Eliot Zigmund, as well as with Rossana Casale in the pop music scene.

He has appeared at numerous jazz festivals, including the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz, Orvieto Jazz, La Spezia Jazz, Bergamo Jazz, Fano Jazz Festival, Vicenza Jazz, Verona Jazz Festival, Lignano Jazz Festival and Calvi Jazz Festival. He continues to live and work in Italy.

Led by internationally renowned saxophonist Robert Bonisolo, this dynamic and vibrant quartet combines musical interplay, memorable melodies, incisive phrasing and a strong connection to the jazz tradition.

The rhythm section features Livorno-born pianist Daniele Gorgone, who has recorded and collaborated with international jazz stars including Jesse Davis, Perico Sambeat, Peter King and Dave Schnitter, and has recently released his quintet album The Predator; Veneto double bassist Lorenzo Conte, a veteran of the jazz scene since the 1990s; and Salerno-born drummer Gaetano Fasano, who has worked with major jazz artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater.

The concert will feature reinterpretations of standards from the jazz songbook, offering an evening filled with infectious grooves, sophisticated melodies and extraordinary energy.

Tuesday, 8 September 2026 – 9:30 PM
Cloister of the Collegiate Church – Piazzetta della Propositura – Empoli (Florence)

Tickets: €10 + booking fee
(Complimentary admission for holders of other FJF tickets and/or festival passes)
Presented by Empoli Jazz