Francesco Bearzatti

A storyteller in love with words and capable of prodigious innovation, a foreigner always and everywhere and yet profoundly Italian, a musician in eternal search of the other, irresistibly drawn to revolutionary processes as long as they are free and changeable and not rigid, Francesco Bearzatti spent his childhood in the province of Friuli, moving from rock, to punk, to electronic music before graduating in clarinet at the Udine Conservatory and furthering his studies at the Jazz Mobile in New York with George Coleman.

He formed the Kaiser Lupowitz trio in 1994, with Enrico Terragnoli on guitar and Zeno De Rossi on drums. Clearly New York-inspired, the trio is distinguished by a deep folk drive, with various mixes with klezmer and Indian music. Together they record “Dommage” featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar and “you don’t!” recorded at systems two studio in Brooklyn, with Josh Roseman on trombone.

His first record as leader is entitled “Suspended Steps,” recorded for Caligula Records as a quartet with Paolo Birro on piano, Marc Abrams on double bass and Max Chiarella on drums. His years in Paris mark the peak of his artistic run.

He participated in the recordings of “Because of Bechet” with Aldo Romano and on that occasion met Emmanuel Bex, a virtuoso organ player. The three formed the Bizart Trio and recorded “Virus” for Marco Valente’s Auand Records (2002) and “Hope” in which Enrico Rava also appears. In 2003 he was voted best new talent at Top Jazz held by the trade magazine Musica jazz.

Notable among the many collaborations are those with Giovanni Mazzarino and Gianluca Petrella. He recorded with the Sax Pistols “Stolen Days,” with Stomu Takeishi on electric bass and Dan Weiss on drums. In 2008 he released the album “tinissima,” dedicated to the figure of Tina Modotti with the trumpet of Giovanni Falzone and the rhythm section formed by Danilo Gallo and Zeno De Rossi.

Wins in Top Jazz 2009 from Musica jazz magazine, the award for “instrumentalist of the year reed section.” Best European musician 2011 Academie jazz francaise. In 2010 “x (suite for malcolm)” was awarded “best album of the year” in Top Jazz 2010 and best album in Italy by Jazzitaward. Best reed 2011 Jazz music referendum and best tenor sax Jazz it awards.

In France he collaborated with Luis Sclavis, J.Pierre Como and joined Henri Texier’s 5tet with whom he recorded Canto Negro. Among his most appreciated works is the album “Zorro,” where on the centenary of Zorro’s creation, saxophonist Francesco Bearzatti and his Tinissima Quartet present a fabulous Suite in which great cinematic breath themes, romantic interludes, sweeping landscapes and eventful pursuits find their place.