Brubeck Reloaded Duccio Bertini & Pietro Tonolo

• 1 Maori Blues 07:23
• 2 Take Five 07:46
• 3 Bluette 07:08
• 4 Lonely Mr. Broadway 06:53
• 5 Upstage Rumba 05:25
• 6 Autumn In Washington Square 04:31
• 7 Blue Rondò À La Turk 08:06
• 8 Ending 04:03
• Total Runtime 51:15

Info for Brubeck Reloaded

"Brubeck Reloaded" is the new recording project by Duccio Bertini. The Florentine arranger, composer, and conductor presents a suite of pieces based on themes by the legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, centering on his composition "Ending." The project is produced by the Encore Music label, which will distribute the album online starting Friday, October 9.

Darius Brubeck, the musician’s son, commented on the work, describing it as more than just a simple arrangement. He likened the listening experience to a cinematic journey, highlighting how Bertini created expansive spaces and dramatic moments for the soloists, seamlessly integrating improvisation with orchestration. Brubeck also noted that Maestro Bertini has continued the legacy of the collaborations between his father and Leonard Bernstein from the 1950s, expressing his certainty that Dave would have been pleased with this modern reinterpretation.

The album features saxophonist Pietro Tonolo on tenor and soprano sax. Recordings took place at the Sonoria Recording Plant in Prato, with mixing handled by Andrea Benassai. The ensemble includes Marco Bini (tenor and soprano sax), Dario Cecchini (baritone sax, bass clarinet, alto flute), Mirco Rabitti (trumpet, flugelhorn), Mario Bruno (French horn), Roberto Rossi (trombone), Francesco Zampini (guitar), Guido Zorn (double bass), Alessandro Fabbri (drums), and Fabio Morgera (trumpet).

Duccio Bertini handled the conducting and arrangements, while production was a joint effort with Vittorio Bartoli. Bertini explained his decision to dedicate an album to Dave Brubeck without using the piano—a choice that might seem unusual given the musician's renown as a pianist. The aim was to focus on Brubeck as a composer, paying particular attention to his connection with contemporary art music.

For this reason, he selected an ensemble with a sound bridging the gap between jazz and classical music, allowing him to present a personal interpretation of the works through the nuances of a versatile group. The choice of repertoire—comprising both famous pieces and lesser-known works—shaped the arranging process, which in some instances incorporated re-composition techniques. The suite concludes with an original composition by Bertini.

Duccio Bertini currently divides his artistic career between Italy and Spain. He studied jazz composition and arranging with Giancarlo Gazzani, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Bruno Tommaso, Mario Raja, Roberto Spadoni, and Klauss Lessmann. He trained in orchestral conducting under Fabrizio Dorsi, Carlomoreno Volpini, and Alan Freiles Magnatta, and studied jazz orchestra conducting with Bruno Tommaso.

Pietro Tonolo, tenor and soprano saxophone
Marco Bini, tenor and soprano saxophone
Dario Cecchini, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, alto flute
Mirco Rabitti, trumpet, flugelhorn
Fabio Morgera, trumpet
Mario Bruno, French horn
Roberto Rossi, trombone
Francesco Zampini, guitar
Guido Zorn, double bass
Alessandro Fabbri, drums

Duccio Beverini
is a pianist specializing in chamber music repertoire and contemporary music. He developed a deep interest in these two fields during his studies with Angela Aloi and Rolando Russo at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica in Florence, subsequently honing his expertise under the guidance of pianists Giancarlo Cardini and Pier Paolo Vincenzi.

He is one of the few performers worldwide to have performed Stockhausen’s complete cycle *Natürliche Dauern* (Natural Durations) Nos. 1–24 live. The preparation of this piano cycle—which lasts over two hours—was undertaken with the work's dedicatee, Benjamin Kobler; the project was supervised by the Stockhausen Foundation for Music and ultimately awarded a grant.

Since 2020, he has been working closely with Milan-based composer Dario Buccino on the development of his major piano work, *Finalmente il tempo è intero. Per Duccio Beverini e pianoforte*.

His work has been recognized through scholarships and grants from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, and the Thuringian Summer Academy.

He has received decisive artistic inspiration from musicians such as Francesco Libetta, Sylvano Bussotti, Eduard Brunner, and Bruno Canino.

His performance credits include appearances at the *ZeitRäume Basel* Biennale for Music and Architecture, the Museo del Novecento in Milan, the Museo Novecento in Florence, the Palazzo Pitti, and the 77th *Maggio Musicale Fiorentino*.

Pietro Tonolo
was born in Mirano (Venice) in 1959, and began to play jazz professionally in 1979, leaving behind an already blossoming career as a classical violinist. Moving to Milan in 1979, he there worked with some of the leading Italian jazz musicians including Franco D'Andrea, Luigi Bonafede, Gianni Cazzola, Larry Nocella, Massimo Urbani. From 1981 to 1986 he was often a member of Enrico Rava's group. In the summer of 1982 he played in the “Gil Evans Orchestra” with musicians such as Steve Lacy, Lew Soloff and Raay Anderson; he also played with this ensamble at the “Sweet Basil” in New York in 1984/85 and at the “Umbria Jazz Festival” in 1987.

Nel 1983 ha iniziato a esiirsi, sia come leader di gruppi propri, sia come sideman, nei jazz club, nei teatri, in televisione e programmi radio, nazionali, europei e americani.

He worked with Kenny Clarke, Roswell Rudd, Sal Nistico, Chet Baker (in New York, 1985), Lee Konitz, John Surman, George Lewis, Barry Altschul, Joe Chambers, Aldo Romano, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland and Tony Oxley.

Due cd con una line-up stellare, formata da Gil Goldstein al piano, Steve Swallow al basso e Paul Motian alla batteria, also garner attention by their sheer vibrancy.

In 1986 he began a intense working relationship with the Roman pianist Rita Marcotulli, playing both in a duet with her and a quartet with Enzo Pietropaoli and Roberto Gatto, wich has received acclaim from critics and the public alike. Since 1988, he has collaborated with Henri Texier's group (with which he performed in France, Italy, Mexico, Cuba and Egypt) with Enrico Pieranunzi and Giovanni Tommaso, as well as leading his own groups (with Piero Leveratto, Sandro Gibellini, Alfred Kramer and Roberto Rossi), and playing and writing for the big band “Keptorchestra” and the sax quartet “Arundo Donax”.

From 1994 he’s a member of Lydian Sound Orchestra with which he recorded “Duke Ellington’s Timon of Athens Suite”, “Monk at Town Hall & More”, “Back to Da Capo” and “The Lydian Trip”.

Tonolo was a steady member of the Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band from 1999 to 2004.

He has performed at all the most important Italian jazz festivals and at the “Jazz Festival” in Berlin, the “Jazz Jamboree” in Warsaw, the “Grand Parade du Jazz” in Nice and at festivals in Paris, Montreal, Vienna, Amiens, The Hague, North Caroline, Ankara, Izmir and Tel Aviv.

This album contains no booklet.