Gene Bertoncini

Born: April 6, 1937

Over decades, Gene Bertoncini has firmly established himself as one of the most eloquent and versatile masters of the guitar. With elegance and ease, he bridges jazz, classical, pop, and bossa nova styles, integrating his own spontaneous and tasteful improvisations along the way. He has earned highest critical acclaim for his artistry on both the classical and electric guitar.

Bertoncini’s musical roots go back to his early years in the Bronx where he grew up in a house filled with music. His love affair with the guitar began when he was seven, and by the time he was sixteen, he was appearing on New York television. His career took an unusual turn when he decided to fulfill another long-standing interest, and took a degree in architecture at Notre Dame.

Luiz Bonfa

Born: October 17, 1922

Luiz Bonfa was a Brazilian guitarist and composer who became famous for the soundtracks he wrote to such movies as "Black Orpheus" and "The Gentle Rain." Bonfa was born on October 17, 1922 in Rio de Janeiro. He studied in Rio with Uruguayan classical guitarist Isaias Savio from the age of twelve. Bonfa first gained widespread exposure in Brazil in 1947 when he was featured on Rio's Radio Nacional, then an important showcase for up-and-coming talent. He was a member of the vocal group Quitandinha Serenaders in the late 1940s. Some of his compositions were recorded by Dick Farney in the 1950s

Michel Legrand: Hollywood Hitmaker And Jazz Genius

by Chris May
February 13, 2023

For many jazz fans, Michel Legrand is celebrated, if he is celebrated at all, for one album only: the masterpiece Legrand Jazz (Columbia, 1958). But Legrand's jazz legacy is more extensive than that, including other historic recordings, with large and small ensembles, under his own name and by Stan Getz and Phil Woods, whose Images (RCA, ...

New York��s Longest Running?Jazz?Concert Series 'Highlights In Jazz' Celebrates 50 Years With Gala Concert On February 23, 2023

December 29, 2022

Producer Jack Kleinsinger Presents All-Star Lineup at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, guitarists Gene Bertoncini and Russell Malone, bassist Jay Leonhart and many more jazz greats to be on hand for historic concert. Highlights in Jazz returns to BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center for a festive 5 th anniversary concert on ...

New Releases Plus Women Driven Jazz From Terri Lyne Carrington's Book New Standards Vol. 1

by Mary Foster Conklin
October 10, 2022

This broadcast presents new vocal releases from Samara Joy, Melissa Stylianou, Sonica (Nicole Zuraitis, Thana Alexa, Julia Adamy), and Kate Baker & Vic Juris, with birthday shoutouts to blues legend Koko Taylor, pianists Emily Takahashi, Hyuna Park, Carolina Calvache and vocalists Melissa Stylianou, Laila Biali, among others. Also Part I of music selections from Terri Lyne ...

Take Five with Dennis Winge

by AAJ Staff
March 10, 2021

Meet Dennis WingeDennis is a professional guitarist living in Ithaca, NY and performs in a variety of musical settings throughout the Finger Lakes including his jazz ensemble, The Way (rock cover band), Matrix flute & guitar duo, Dupree (Steely Dan cover band), solo work and more. Having started to learn guitar at age seven, ...

I'll Remember April - Happy Jazz Appreciation Month!

by Mary Foster Conklin
May 4, 2019

A smooth segue from Women's History into Jazz Appreciation Month, commencing with a celebration of Gene Bertoncini, Freddie Hubbard and John Pizzarelli's birthdays in the first hour and concluding with a celebration of Billie Holiday in the final hour, plus new releases from Ashley Pezzotti, Ulysses Owens, Jr., Alicia Olatuja and Claire Martin & Jim Mullen ...

Calabria Foti: In the Still of the Night

by Nicholas F. Mondello
May 22, 2017

With In the Still of the Night, vocalist Calabria Foti joins the ranks of Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Oscar Peterson, and many others -vocalists and instrumentalists -who have dived deeply into the Cole Porter canon. It takes a very special talent to deftly probe the poetic and pithy romantic lingo that the Classic material offers. So, ...

Jack Wilkins: Playing What He's Preaching

by Rob Rosenblum
December 29, 2016

Some time in 1975 a box of records from the Mainstream label was dropped by my front door. I picked it up and began to open it with a mix of excitement and dread of having to face writing more record reviews. I saw an LP titled Windows with an unfamiliar cast of characters and put ...

Chuck Redd: Happy All the Time

by Jack Bowers
November 12, 2016

The complete title of this carefree and charming studio date is Chuck Redd Remembers Barney Kessel. The reasons why are many. Here are two: first, Redd worked with Kessel from 1980-91 as a drummer in the Great Guitars group and in Kessel's trio, during which time the two became close friends; even more than that, says ...