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
1 comment :
Sorry to hear he has passed..I recall a great sesion on the QE2 when Bud Shank and Conte Candoli sat in. We chatted later and he told me how much he liked Julian Lage who was in the Gary Burton band. Mike Farmer
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