GEOFF WARREN & GIUSEPPE CONTINENZA

Musiciens

Geoff Warren

Flute and alto flute

Giuseppe Continenza

Guitar

Présentation

The Geoff Warren – Giuseppe Continenza duo presents a unique encounter in jazz between flute and guitar that combines elegance, virtuosity, and creativity.

The jazz repertoire is revisited with sensibility by two established jazz artists.

The masterclass will work on elements of jazz interpretation in standard repertoire as well as giving ideas for the development of personal creativity on the flute in jazz improvisation.

Programme

• I500 Miles High (Chick Corea)
• Gentle Rain (Luiz Bonfá)
• Black Nile (Wayne Shorter)
• Stella by Starlight (Victor Young)
• Round Midnight (Thelonius Monk)
• All the Things You Are (Jerome Kern)
• Beautiful Love /Victor Young)
• Days of Wine and Roses (Henry Mancini)

concert 40 minutes / masterclasse 2 heures

Originalité du projet

In jazz, the flute has mostly been relegated to the sidelines, although there have been, over the years, several outstanding protagonists. This duo presents the flute away from the jazz rhythm section (bass and drums) and offers a more intimate “chamber music” setting leaving space for dynamic sensibility and clarity in harmonic innovation.

Lien avec l’identité du Golden Flute Classic et/ou du label “Signature Genève 2027”

The duo presents the flute in an innovative context playing standard repertoire and personalised arrangements of more modern material from the jazz canon.

Pédagogie

The duo is comprised of two conservatoire professors in jazz, both experienced seminarists. A masterclass in jazz flute would be able to work not only on jazz articulation and phrasing, but also on improvisation and give the chance for participants to interact with a World class jazz accompanist.

biographies

Geoff Warren

English-born flautist and composer, has collaborated with internationally renowned musicians and has distinguished himself with a career spanning jazz, contemporary music, world music, and teaching.

He began his career with jazz composer Graham Collier,’s ensemble in which he performed at major music festivals in Europe and Asia, working alongside renowned musicians of the British jazz scene such as John Surman, Kenny Wheeler, John Marshall, and Roy Babbington. In 2012, Geoff conducted the BBC Big Band in their tribute to Graham Collier at the London Jazz Festival.

From 1985 to 1993, he taught jazz at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
In addition to fronting his own bands, he has been active in ethno-jazz crossover music, with jazz tabla player Badal Roy (a longtime sideman of Miles Davis) and Tartar guitarist virtuoso Enver Izmailov.. An Italian critic wrote: “Geoff is capable of throwing himself into the most disparate musical situations without ever losing his personal artistic integrity.”

Active throughout his career in promoting and teaching jazz flute, his work has been the subject of articles in Pan magazines in Britain and Falaut in Italy, which have described him as “one of the most iconic jazz flutists of the 21st century.”

Geoff has given masterclasses at conservatories and art institutions across Europe and holds an annual Summer School in Abruzzo, Italy, which attracts participants from across the continent.

Geoff Warren has been a Yamaha artist since 2011.

Since 2018, he has been Professor of Jazz Flute at the “Girolamo Frescobaldi” Conservatory in Ferrara.

Giuseppe Continenza

Giuseppe Continenza, born into a musical family, began on guitar at the age of seven. His early studies were classical, but in the 1980s, his passion for jazz blossomed, leading him to travel to California to train at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He graduated with honours and began his prestigious career with Joe Diorio, Gary Willis, Michael Baker, Vic Juris, Jimmy Bruno, Martin Taylor, Gene Bertoncini, Jack Wilkins, Dominique Di Piazza, and many others.

In 2000, he met Biréli Lagrène (guitarist of the legendary Jaco Pastorius), with whom he began a collaboration that would see the two artists perform together in numerous concerts and tours. “…he has incredible knowledge and control of the instrument; he is a master of the guitar and a great Maestro” (Birèli Lagrène). The duo has appeared on the covers of several international magazines, including Jazz Guitar Today and Just Jazz Guitar, both American. He has also performed at prestigious festivals and theaters, including the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, the Opera Theatre in Tallinn, the National Theatre in Oslo, the Eddie Lang Jazz Festival, the Pescara Jazz Festival, the Camerino Jazz Festival, and many others.

In July 2020, legendary guitarist Al Di Meola described him as “one of the most promising stars of modern jazz guitar.”
He teaches Jazz Guitar at the “L. D’Annunzio” Conservatory in Pescara and is listed in the American encyclopedia Jazz Guitarist.

Giuseppe Continenza is a Yamaha Artist.