Giuseppe Continenza

Guitarist - Composer - Arranger - Educator

Born into a musical family , Giuseppe has been playing guitar for a large part of his life. It was at the age of seven, that his musical interests began. He studied classical guitar at the Classical Music Academy in Pescara (Italy) and later he moved to California in order to study at Musicians Institute in Hollywood where he graduated with vocational honor. He also did private study in Los Angeles with some of the finest jazz musicians in the world: Joe Diorio, Ted Greene, Howard Roberts, Ron Escheté, Scott Henderson, Don Mock, Pat Martino, Robben Ford, Jeff Berlin, Gary Willis and many others.

In 1994 he founded the European Musicians Institute in Pescara (Italy) that’s one of most advanced european music school .

Giuseppe has involved in the Institute teachers like Tuck Andress, Joe Diorio, Bireli Lagrene, Jimmy Bruno, John Stowell, Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Jeff Richman, Paul Bollenback, Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, Jack Wilkins, George Lynch, Jennifer Batten, Dominique Di Piazza, Dave Friesen and many others.

Giuseppe Continenza has performed and recorded with world famous musicians like Joe Diorio (S.Getz, P.Metheny, J.Hall), Bireli Lagrene (J.Pastorius, M.Petrucciani, J.Zawinul), Bobby Watson, Gary Willis (Tribal Tech, Wayne Shorter), Dominique Di Piazza (John Mc Laughlin), Paul Bollenback (J.DeFrancesco, S.Turrentine, C.Byrd), Jimmy Bruno, Howard Alden, Jack Wilkins, John Stowell (L.Hampton, L.Coryell, R.Towner), Royce Campbell (H.Mancini), Jeff Richman (M.Stern, F.Gambale, D.Grusin), Gene Bertoncini (W.Shorter, B.Goodman, P.Desmond), Vic Juris (D.Liebman), Dave Friesen and others.

Giuseppe Continenza has toured in May 2000 in duo with jazz guitar genius Bireli Lagrene. He is , for almost ten years, a contributor in Guitar Club & Tuttochitarra some of the finest european magazines. He writes three columns: “Contemporary Jazz Guitar”, “Lesson With The Greats” and "Chord Melody". He write also columns on Just Jazz Guitar Magazine (U.S.A.), Jazzit and Jazzitalia.net. Check out the interviews on Guitar Club December 1999 with Joe Diorio and Tuttochitarra, July 2001 with Bireli Lagrene. His latest interview was on the American magazine Just Jazz Guitar, August 2001.

In August 2003 Giuseppe Continenza became a Benedetto/ Fender Guitars, U.S.A. endorders with Robert Benedetto (The greatest living liuther )making a great guitar for him. Other endorsers are Jimmy Bruno, Andy Summers (Police), Jack Wilkins, Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Kenny Burrell and others.

He also endorses Benedetto Pickups/Seymour Duncan, La Bella Strings, Buscarini Classical Guitars and Sibelius Software.

The new cd “Journey”, produced by Heiner Franz from Jardis Records , is a duo project with the great jazz guitar master Vic Juris (Dave Liebman’s guitarist for over 10 years) and a famous jazz sidemen.

In August 2003 Giuseppe Continenza & Vic Juris recorded a new album “Seven Steps To Heaven” with Dominique Di Piazza – Bass (John McLaughlin’s Bassist) and Pietro Iodice – Drums.

Upcoming project include a second tour and recording with Bireli Lagrene & Vic Juris. Plus concerts, tour and recordings with the Quartet (Giuseppe Continenza, Vic Juris, Dominique Di Piazza, Pietro Iodice), Paul Bollenback, Joe Diorio, Jimmy Bruno, Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, Jack Wilkins, Gary Willis and others.

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