I first heard Gene when he played with a pick on a regular steel-string archtop guitar but for many years it has been the nylon-strung classical guitar that has been his first choice of instrument. I was taken aback by his early duo recordings with bassist Michael Moore. For me they achieved everything I was trying to achieve at that time in my own jazz duo, playing on a classical guitar with a string bass player.
Gene’s consummate taste,
swing and elegant improvisations were and are in a world of their own. Over the
years, his choice of material and the artists he has chosen to play with,
continue to reflect his special musical genius.
I have often referred to
Gene as the Bill Evans of the guitar – but he has become much more than
that. If you listen to his marvellous solo
CD recording ‘Quiet Now’ you will know what I mean. Maurice J. Summerfield.
Gene Bertoncini was 89 when he left us leaving behind a sense of loss in - and beyond - the guitar world. Lance
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