First I met Giuseppe Doronzo (IT) when he started to study at the Prins Claus Conservatorium (PCC), Jazz Department, Groningen/The Netherlands, in 2012. We met during a Couchsurfing potluck dinner evening, where I had the lovely chance to proof some very tasty italian food from his kitchen. During his study I often got the chance to enjoy his special sounds and compositions, but also his very friendly and charming personality.
Giuseppe Doronzo is from Puglia, the Adria east-coast of Italy and is an saxophone player, composer and educator. As a lover of unexplored space and border crossing sounds, he focus his research on the baritone saxophone most of the time, as well as the Mizmar and some other instruments. In 2015 he graduated Cum Laude at the PCC, his teachers were musicians such like Michael Moore, Miguel Martinez, Kurt Weiss, Steve Altenberg, David Berkman, Robin Eubanks, Alex Sipiagin and Freddie Bryant.
Also in 2015 he recorded a solo piece for the dutch dancer and choreographer Cora Bos-Kroese titled “Two ways towards”, played and performed at the New York university (NYU). Giuseppe can be seen among his current projects as a Solo artist, AVA (with: Esat Ekincioglu and Pino Basile), Falga (with: Lucio Tasca, Federico Pozzer, Andrea Caruso and Alexandar Skoric), the Michael Moore Bigtet (with Michael Moore, Eric Boeren, Wolter Wierbos, Kaja Draksler, Jorrit Westerhof, Arjen Gorter and Michael Vatcher), All Ellington, XPE and Hopscotch (with: Matt Wilson and Jorrit Westerhof). Since 2017 he became a guest artist of the NDR Big Band in Germany, where he collaborated with João Bosco last year and Niels Klein/Jim Black in 2018.
He has worked with creative artists covering various fields of the national and international art including: Michael Moore, Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Vince Mendoza, Han Bennink, Robin Eubanks, Paolo Fresu, Steve Potts, Ralph Alessi, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Wilbert de Joode, Don Braden and Matt Wilson, just to name a few.
The debut album from AVA Trio in 2017 got a big applause from All About Jazz.com and was selected as the best debut album of that year.
“AVA Trio is doing something musically, that no one else is up to. The Netherlands based group has done a masterful job of blending regional influences as well as balancing ethnic inspirations with free improvisation, thus genuinely creating Music From An Imaginary Land as both a concept and a musical experience.” 4.5/5 stars All About Jazz.com (selected as the “Best debut album of 2017” by Karl Ackerman, AllAboutJazz)
In 2018 he released on Tora Records, his own record label, an impressive baritone solo album with the title “GOYA”.
AllAboutJazz.com says: “Doronzo takes an eclectic approach here with fundamental and avant-garde elements all in play. Doronzo plays as if with a split personality—he is aware of one mindset even as he goes off on a tangent. His playing is powerful but not overwhelming and his toying with multi-phonics, layers and textures manages to hang together even in the most abstract passages. Doronzo brings out the distinctive qualities of the baritone from the moody, to the raspy to the visceral. It’s been said that the improvised solo is the highest form of personal expression and Doronzo does a first-rate job of articulating his vision.” (Karl Ackermann, September 2018)
Other critics describe his playing as:
“huge sonor sound; his performance is mystic, multilayered and full of secrecy” (Wilbert de Joode).
“… clear example of reincarneyation” (Duke’s day, Bimhuis Amsterdam).
“… the most extreme soloist of the bunch with the search along the borders of the baritone, slap tongue-harmonic effects to downpours” (draaiomjeoren.com).
“… such dynamics! Such power! Such swing!” (Eddy Determeyer).
Please enjoy the interview with Giuseppe Doronzo and Bernd Ihno Eilts, at ZomerJazzFietsTour 2018 here:
Cover picture and for more information: www.giuseppedoronzo.com