Gianfranco Continenza

GIANFRANCO CONTINENZA, guitarist and composer is born in Turin (Italy) on the 1st of february 1968, he started to play guitar when he was 8 years old thanks to his father Nino Continenza, jazz guitar player.
He studied classical music for 5 years, then developping the study of the modern guitar (jazz, fusion, blues, rock...) and playing with local bands.
He is graduated with 100% score at G.I.T. (Guitar Institute of Technology) in Hollywood, California in september 1992 specialized in many music styles (jazz, fusion, blues, R&B, latin, funky, rock…) studing with Joe Diorio, Don Mock, Scott Henderson, Ron Eschéte, Howard Roberts, Peter Sprague, Gary Willis, Jennifer Batten, Steve Trovato, Jeff Berlin, Jamie Findlay, Jeff Richman, Tommy Tedesco, Mike Miller, ecc.
On 1994 he founded the P.M.I. (Professional Musicians Institute) and later on 1998 the C.M.A. (Contemporary Music Academy) in Pescara, with students coming from all the parts of Italy where he's teaching jazz guitar.
He performed and recorded with many world famous artists like Bill Evans, Joe Diorio, Mark Egan, Don Mock, Bob Mintzer, John Beasley, Michael Manring, Tetsuo Sakurai, Jeff Richman, Scott Kinsey, Jamie Findlay, Barrett Tagliarino, Richard Smith, John Stowell, Cathy Segal-Garcia, ecc.
On march 2008 it was released his solo CD, that contains his compositions of jazz/fusion: "The past inside the present" feat. Bill Evans on sax and Scott Kinsey (Tribal Tech) on keyboards for ESC Records one of the label leader of jazz/fusion in the world.
"The past inside the present" was the 2nd bestseller Album of ESC Records of the 2008 and it was at the 1st position on the list of the top 100 Cd of jazz guitar album on Tower Records USA.
Also for ESC Records he recorded a track for the double Cd "MAHAVISHNU RE-DEFINED" (tribute to Mahavishnu Orchestra) with Mark Egan on bass, Alessandro Centofanti on keyboards and Walter Martino on drums and an original track for the double Cd "MAHAVISHNU RE-DEFINED II" with Michael Manring on bass, Alessandro Centofanti on keyboards and Walter Martino on drums.
He played to many International Jazz festivals like the Bratislava Jazz Days 2008.
Gianfranco is endorser Jacoland with the guitar Heaven Jazz "Gianfranco Continenza Signature", Dean Marlkey Strings and Wegen Picks.
He has a column of jazz guitar on the italian national site: jazzitalia.net and he is writing a column on the famous american magazine Just Jazz Guitar.
In september it will be released his second solo Album for ESC Records: "Face The Truth" with many international musicians.