Gian Tornatore Fall CD

“His tone is clear as a bell and his compositions display a quiet intelligence that’s refreshing to behold.” - Florence Wetzel, All About JazzGian Tornatore presents an exciting and sophisticated repertoire of jazz music that can be enjoyed by all audiences. He was raised in California and was exposed to the rhythmic R&B music of Tower Of Power at an early age. Upon moving to the East Coast to attend Berklee College of Music, his saxophone playing and compositions became heavily influenced by musicians such as George Garzone, Hall Crook, and Pat Metheny. When asked about Gian, George Garzone replied, “I have been privileged to be Gian’s teacher, and over this time I have seen him evolve into one of Berklee’s most innovative and original saxophone players as well as composers.”Gian’s first major performance occurred at the age of 16; he was invited to perform with the musical group Heart. Gian has also performed numerous times on the Main Stage of the Monterey Jazz Festival, and has been recognized by numerous organizations and publications, such as Downbeat Magazine, for his musical achievements as a band leader, composer, and performer. Grammy Award winning artist, Luciana Souza, has said that“Gian possesses a natural talent for music.”Gian is currently a recording artist for Fresh Sound New Talent. He released his debut album, Sink or Swim, on the Fresh Sound New Talent record label in 2003. The success of his first album landed him an opportunity to record his second album, Blackout, also on the Fresh Sound New Talent record label. Gian is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, New York University, and Teachers College of Columbia University and is teaching in the New York City Area. “…He’s swimming with Coltrane” - Tom Hull, Village Voice