Francesco Bertone: contrabass, electric bass, design and writing
Born in 1964, he graduated in double bass in 1991 from the Conservatory of Music ‘G.Verdi’ in Torino (separate to the Conservatory of Cuneo). He simultaneously studied jazz and electric bass while perfecting his skills alongside Aldo Mella, Ares Tavolazzi, Mark Harris and Franco d’Andrea.
His concert and recording career began in the late 80s.
Until the end of 1995 he was the double bass player of the singer-songwriter Gian Maria Testa, participating in his first disk Montgolfieres with Cesar Stroscio and others.
Meanwhile he worked at the Lyric Choir in Savona, taking part in Operas and recitals. He also collaborated in the classical world with the Orchestras Bruni, Ghedini, Ensemble Antidogma, Camerata Casella and other groups.
He took on the repertoire of Piazzolla, Bolling and the Third Stream with soloists such as Rino Vernizzi, Gian Maria Bonino, Giuseppe Nova and others.
With regards to jazz, he has played with Riccardo Zegna, Gianni Negro, Bruno Astesana, Roberto Andreoli, Remo Ramondetti, Alfredo Ponissi, Franco Olivero, Andrea Allione, Roberto Taufic, Gilson Silveira, Diego Borotti, Leo Martina, Fabrizio Bosso, Emanuele Cisi, Claudio Chiara, Marco Parodi, Luigi Tessarollo, Luca Rigazio, Marco Puxeddu, Skip Hadden, John Ramsay, Garrison Fewell, Marco Roagna, Marco Sorìa, Paolo Franciscone, Luca Allievi, G.P.Petrini, Alessandro Lanzoni, Marc Masselin, Joseph Alessi, Sergio Bellotti, Matcho Winterstein, Luca Zanetti, Danila Satragno, Danilo Pala, Enzo Zirilli, Paolo Porta, Aldo Rindone, Renzo Coniglio, Luigi Bonafede, Gianni Virone, Fabio Gorlier, Felice Reggio, Giampaolo Casati, Luigi di Nunzio, Antonio Faraò, Flavio Boltro, Enrico Rava, Teo Ciavarella, Rosario Giuliani, Marco Pierobon, Andrea Tofanelli, Ruben Bellavia, Jizz Wigham e Charlie Vernon.
He participated with the Blue Dolls in one of Renzo Arbore’s shows.
He collaborated with Atelier de Swing, Taxi Dream, Nomade Swing Trio and influenced Giorgio Conte.
He contributed in the first edition of ’Il Giorno della Memoria’, producing numerous performances about the Holocaust alongside Maria Teresa Milano with the solo artist Avi Avital.
This activity lead him to participate in festivals and fairs such as Clusone Jazz, Festival Caffeina di Viterbo, Mediterraneo Jazz Festival, Alba Music Festival, Sanremo Jazz Festival, Vincoli Sonori, Festival Umberto Giordano, Pavese and Babel in places like Blue Note, le Scimmie di Milano, Cantina Bentivoglio in Bologna, Alexandre Platz in Roma, Le Scimmie e il Blue Note in Milano, Festival Caffeina in Viterbo, Mediterraneo Jazz Festival, Alba Music Festival, Sanremo Jazz Festival, Festival di Vitrè, La Gaude, Ospedaletti e Due Laghi Jazz Festival in Legnano, Basilica dei Fieschi, Vincoli Sonori, Festival Manouche, Giordano in Baveno, Pavese in S. Stefano Belbo, Babel Festival Aosta, Wigam, Manchester, Festival dei Saraceni, Jazz Visions, Open Sounds Dogliani, Suoni Delle Terre Del Monviso,Varese Gospel & Soul,Torino Jazz Festival, Moncalieri Jazz Festival, La Musica Degli Angeli in Comerio (Va), Alba Music Festival Italy & Usa 2023 e Tiferet Bologna 2023 and in many theaters.
He took part in World Music with Corou de Berra, Piero Ponzo, Filippo Gambetta, Trelilu in festivals such as Collisioni, Le Gru, Glomel, Santander; collaborating with Quintettango, Banda Osiris, Alessandro Perissinotto, Mago Alexander, Milo and Olivia, Matteo Brancaleoni, Gilson Silveira and Mishkalè per Suoni dal Monviso and others.
He has been an activist of musical education since 1992 by producing educational performances and instrument courses. In 2013 he co-authored the didactic manual Musica, Maestra!.
Moreover, he has a rich discography as a co-author or sideman and in 2006 he published his first solo CD Aritmiaritmetica and in 2016 his album Footprints was released.
