One of the most prominent and influential Italian jazz musicians, pianist/composer Giorgio Gaslini's music wed elements of 20th century classical music (serialism, aleatory) with avant-garde jazz and pop idioms; he termed his widely encompassing style "total music." Gaslini took piano lessons as a child and began performing at the age of 13. He formed and recorded with a jazz trio at the age of 16, and at 19 he performed at the International Jazz Festival in Florence. Gaslini attended the Conservatorio in his home town of Milan, studying composition, conducting, and piano. Gaslini's interests were varied; in the late '50s and early '60s he led a jazz quartet, composed for film, and led several Italian symphony orchestras. Gaslini also wrote for theater and ballet; his works have been performed at such prestigious venues as La Scala in Milan, the Rome Opera Theatre, and the Roman Theatre in Verona. Of his 40-plus film soundtracks, best known is his score for Michelangelo Antonioni's La Notte.
As a jazz musician, Gaslini performed and recorded with many leading American avant-gardists, including Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd, and Don Cherry. Gaslini was an active educator, teaching at Santa Cecilia Academy of Music in Rome (1972-1973) and at the Giuseppe Verdi Academy of Music in Milan (1979-1980). He was also the author of two textbooks on jazz. In 1991, he founded the jazz ensemble Grande Orchestra Nazionale. From 1991-1995, he composed a pair of suites for the Italian Instabile Orchestra: "Pierrot Solaire" and "Skies of Europe." Gaslini recorded for the Soul Note and Leo labels, among others. The Italian review Musica Jazz once dedicated an entire issue to his work -- a sign of the esteem in which he was held in his native land. Giorgio Gaslini died in July 2014 in Parma, Italy; he was 84 years old.
CD01 - Murales (00:43:41)
CD02 - New Orleans Suite (00:43:52)
CD03 - Free Actions (00:31:14)
CD04 - Graffiti (01:15:01)
CD05 - Sharing (00:44:15)
CD06 - Live At The Public Theater In New York (01:12:42)
CD07 - Ecstasy (00:37:59)
CD08 - Four Pieces (00:37:09)
CD09 - Indian Suite (00:30:11)
CD10 - Monodrama (00:39:24)
CD11 - Skies of China (00:50:48)
CD1:
Gianni Bedori - tenor & soprano sax
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Bruno Tommaso - bass
Andrea Centazzo - drums, percussionRecorded: June 5, 1976 Live at Teatro delle Arti Popolaire, Roma
CD2:
Gianni Bedori - tenor & soprano sax
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Julius Farmer - electric bass
John Vidacovich - drumsRecorded: April, 1976 Roma
CD3:
Gianni Bedori - tenor & soprano sax
Gianluigi Trovesi - alto & soprano sax, bass clarinet
Giorgio Gaslini - piano, electric piano
Paolo Damiani - bass
Gianni Cazzola - drumsRecorded: June 20, 1977 Milano
CD4:
Gianni Bedori - tenor & soprano sax
Gianluigi Trovesi - alto & soprano sax, bass clarinet
Giorgio Gaslini - piano, electric piano, spinnet
Paolo Damiani - bass
Gianni Cazzola - drumsRecorded: November 22, 1977 Milano
CD5:
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Roswell Rudd - tromboneRecorded: July 20 & 21, 1978 Milano
CD6:
Gianni Bedori - tenor & soprano sax
Gianluigi Trovesi - alto & soprano sax, bass clarinet, piccolo
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Marco Vaggi - bass
Gianni Cazzola - drumsRecorded: April 28, 1980 Live at The Public Theater In New York
CD7:
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Eddie Gomez - bassRecorded: July 2, 1981 Milano
CD8:
Anthony Braxton - alto & soprano sax
Giorgio Gaslini - pianoRecorded: November 2, 1981 Milano
CD9:
Maurizio Caldura - tenor & soprano sax
Claudio Allifranchini - alto sax, flute
Fabio Morgera - trumpet
Daniele di Gregona - vibes, percussion
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Giko Pavan - bass
Paolo Pellegatti - drums
Francesca Olivera - vocalsRecorded: February 9 & 10, 1983 Milano
CD10:
Maurizio Caldura - tenor & soprano sax
Claudio Allifranchini - alto sax, flute
Fabio Morgera - trumpet
Daniele di Gregona - vibes, percussion
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Piero Leveratto - bass
Paolo Pellegatti - drums
Francesca Olivera - vocalsRecorded: July 16 & 17, 1984 Milano
CD11:
Claudio Allifranchini - alto & soprano sax, flute
Giorgio Gaslini - piano
Piero Leveratto - bass
Paolo Pellegatti - drums, percussionRecorded: October 9 & 10, 1985 Milano
