JAZZ A MILANO racchiude, in 8 capitoli da collezione, la storia di mezzo secolo di jazz suonato e registrato nel capoluogo lombardo.Si tratta di una selezione che rilegge alcune pagine incancellabili della storia della musica;
un progetto prezioso scaturito dalla visione di Walter Gürtler, pioniere della discografia italiana e fondatore, nel 1948, della Celson, prima label italiana di jazz.

 

 

La Milano del dopoguerra ospita numerose tournée dei più famosi artisti del momento.

Le performance generano curiosità e seguito presso teatri e locali dove interminabili jam sessions si protraggono fino all’alba.

Il jazz tradizionale di stile New Orleans e Dixieland è rappresentato da varie “bande”, ma due di esse, in particolare, si contendono il primato: Original Lambro Jazz Band e Milan College Jazz Society.

Gli appassionati di Be-bop, Cool e Californiano fanno il tifo per il Quintetto Basso-Valdambrini: il complesso italiano più applaudito del momento.

I Club più frequentati sono l’Arethusa, il Santa Tecla e la Taverna Messicana. Angusti e fumosi, questi locali ricordano le caves esistenzialiste del quartiere latino di Parigi. Anch’essi hanno una clientela eterogenea fatta di jazzofili, musicisti, ballerini, aristocratici annoiati, industriali facoltosi, signore impellicciate, intellettuali, letterati, artisti famosi o in cerca di notorietà. 

In questa Milano operosa e vivace, Walter Gürtler costruisce la sua fortuna.

Imprenditore di spicco della musica leggera italiana, Walter scopre e rende celebri personaggi al tempo sconosciuti come Adriano Celentano, Tony Dallara, I Campioni, Enzo Jannacci, Luigi Tenco, Gabriella Ferri, Nicola di Bari, Peppino Gagliardi, Fausto Leali, Fabio Concato, tanto per citarne alcuni.

Dal niente, costruisce una solida azienda con più di cento dipendenti, uffici in centro, sala di registrazione, fabbrica di dischi e nastri (musicassette e stereotto), magazzini e organizzazione di vendita in proprio.

Primo e unico tra i discografici italiani, porta i suoi artisti alle più importanti manifestazioni musicali: Canzonissima, il Cantagiro, il Disco per l’estate, il Festival di Sanremo, la Gondola d’Oro di Venezia, ottenendo ovunque considerevoli riconoscimenti.

Non dimentica, però, la sua grande passione per il Jazz.

Nella primavera del 1951, la Gürtler & Co. Ltd commercializza il marchio Music, implementando il catalogo già abbozzato con Celson.

Dal 1952, a seguito di accordi con Vogue e Good Time Jazz, vende i dischi originali di Shorty Rogers, Milt Jackson, Modern Jazz Quartet, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Giuffre, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Chico Hamilton, Miles Davis e Sonny Rollins.           

Con la distribuzione di Atlantic, Gürtler fa conoscere il Rhythm & Blues di Joe Turner, Chuck Willis e Ray Charles e, verso la fine del 1953, con Mercury, offre le più belle registrazioni di Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Louis Jordan e dei Platters.                    

Gli accordi con Metronome, Prestige, Pacific Jazz e Warner Bros. danno luogo all’acquisizione di altri importanti cataloghi.

Nel 1958 fonda l’etichetta Jolly, importa l’americana Verve e stampa i prodotti distribuiti direttamente in Italia sotto il suo marchio con notevole vantaggio per le vendite, sfruttando un repertorio vastissimo: da quello jazzistico con Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Konitz, Charlie Parker, a quello d’intrattenimento con Sam Cooke, I Robins, Henry Salvador, Charles Aznavour, Jaques Brel, Francois Hardy, Petula Clark, Antoine e vari altri.

Nel dicembre 1960, Gürtler fa confluire tutti i suoi marchi in SAAR Srl.

Le cose vanno bene, il mercato discografico è in crescita e Walter, in qualità di produttore, gode di enorme prestigio a livello internazionale, soprattutto per la sua capacità di trattare con le più importanti multinazionali estere. Tutta la sua attività si svolge a Milano.

La città, sul finire degli anni 50, è il luogo dell’accoglienza, della solidarietà, del coeur in man.

Alla Stazione Centrale arrivano i treni della speranza che portano migranti da ogni parte della penisola in cerca di lavoro e dignità. Valigie di cartone e sogni. Anche grazie a loro, Milano si fa bella e grande.

Sulla guglia più alta del Duomo, la Madonina vigila sul suo popolo laborioso.

Milano è il centro del commercio, dell’industria, dell’arte e della conoscenza.

La Fiera Campionaria è meta di visitatori da ogni parte del mondo, la Borsa coltiva il boom economico.                        

In campo artistico, l’offerta è straordinaria: dopo la distruzione provocata dai disastri della guerra, La Scala recupera il suo prestigio con Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Giuseppe Di Stefano e i grandi direttori d’orchestra; il teatro narrativo di Dario Fo rallegra col giullaresco grammelot e quello dialettale di Mazzarella nobilita il dialetto; il Piccolo Teatro di Paolo Grassi e Giorgio Strehler - tempio della sperimentazione - diffonde l’alta cultura.

Valide alternative sono rappresentate dalle ricche stagioni musicali del Conservatorio e da quelle teatrali di prosa con i più importanti artisti del momento.

Il Gerolamo - minuscolo teatrino a due passi dal Duomo - ospita la compagnia di marionette Carlo Colla con spettacoli non solo per bambini; i palcoscenici del Lirico, del Nuovo, dell’Odeon e dell’Olimpia mettono in mostra il meglio della Rivista con Wanda Osiris; al Derby nasce il cabaret surreale di Jannacci e compagni.                             

È la città dell’aperitivo al Biffi, dei quater pas in Galleria, della trattoria di via Bagutta, del Bar Jamaica a Brera, della Galleria del Corso cardine dell’editoria e ritrovo di musicisti in cerca di scritture, della nebbia e delle osterie con artisti naif e contorno di fumanti risotti, buon vino e canzoni popolari. La Stramilano di Milly, la Milano di Giorgio Gaber.

Il 1957 è un anno particolarmente significativo: l’Hot Club organizza ovunque eventi speciali e sui palcoscenici dei teatri milanesi arrivano le tournée dello JATP con celebri solisti internazionali.

L’attività produttiva di Gürtler non può che essere strettamente legata alla presenza degli artisti americani di passaggio da Milano.

Bob Cooper, polistrumentista, virtuoso al sax tenore, all’oboe e al corno inglese, è uno dei primi a far parte del catalogo Music. Dopo una sua esibizione alla RAI di Torino, viene invitato a incidere con il suo quartetto.

A lui segue Bud Shank, in Italia per i concerti organizzati nel 1958 da Joe Napoli. Sempre per Music, registra alcuni brani con orchestra d’archi e complesso jazz arrangiati da Ezio Leoni e Giulio Libano, diretti da Ezio Leoni con la partecipazione di alcuni giovani musicisti emergenti italiani.

Le registrazioni di Nunzio Rotondo, organizzate a Milano, vengono realizzate fisicamente a Roma nel 1959. Dopo la prima pubblicazione su Music, i nastri originali rimangono inutilizzati nel nostro archivio fino a poco tempo fa, oggi ripresi e restaurati.

Le incisioni della Original Lambro Jazz Band risalgono anch’esse al 1959.

Durante una delle abituali frequentazioni alla Taverna Messicana, a Gürtler viene l’idea di formare un gruppo italiano in stile West Coast. Nasce così il quintetto Basso-Valdambrini - allargato anche all’ottetto - al quale collaborano, in qualità di solisti o arrangiatori, Dino Piana, Piero Umiliani, George Grunz e Lars Gullin.

Il 59 è proprio un anno speciale per Gürtler, da riassumere in un solo nome: quello di Chet Baker. Con Chet, in Italia per una serie di concerti, è subito feeling.

Gli LP Chet Baker Sing and Plays con orchestra e archi, arrangiati da Ezio Leoni e Giulio Libano e diretti da Ezio Leoni e Chet Baker Sextet and Quartet a cura di Giulio Libano, ottengono uno strepitoso successo.

Nel 1960 Gürtler non si lascia sfuggire il talento di Eraldo Volontè, saxofonista di Adriano Celentano e lo convince a registrare quattro facciate al fianco di eccezionali solisti quali Sergio Fanni, Giorgio Buratti e Gilberto Cuppini.

Nel 1961 è la volta di Buddy Collette: altro solista americano, clarinettista, saxofonista e flautista, in Italia per partecipare al Festival del Jazz di Sanremo e ad alcune esibizioni presso il Teatro Gerolamo e la Taverna Messicana, prontamente ingaggiato da Gürtler per registrare una serie di brani insieme a Dusko Goikovic, Jimmy Pratt, Gianni Basso, George Joyner, Dino Piana, Franco Cerri e Renato Sellani.

Nel 1973, Franco Cerri, indispensabile chitarra o contrabbasso degli artisti americani di passaggio in Italia in quasi tutte le sessioni di registrazione, convince Gürtler a produrre un LP (questa volta a suo nome) per chitarra solista e orchestra, con arrangiamenti e direzione di Nando De Luca. Le composizioni, tutte di Cerri o De Luca, hanno titoli singolari e spiritosi come Vado e tornio, Miss Iva, Bostrizione, ecc.

Al Capolinea, lo storico ritrovo jazzistico milanese fondato nel ‘69 da Giorgio Vanni, ex batterista toscano, Gürtler ha modo di conoscere Larry Nocella, musicista di straordinaria bravura che ha lasciato poche tracce del suo talento a causa della prematura scomparsa.

A testimonianza della sua geniale improvvisazione, rimane il disco Larry Nocella and his Intimate Sound, registrato con orchestra e archi diretta da Vince Tempera e Angelo Arienti, pubblicato da SAAR nel 1977.

Mario Battaini, tastierista e arrangiatore, virtuoso della fisarmonica, ingaggiato da SAAR allo scopo di realizzare una serie di ballabili popolari, ha una passione sfrenata per il jazz e la predilezione per Art Van Damme, famoso solista americano di fisarmonica.

Nel 1980 registra alcuni brani in puro stile swing, tra cui September in the Rain, Con Swing e Honeysuckle Rose.

Dalla metà degli anni ’90, il marchio GIANTS OF JAZZ ospita le produzioni jazzistiche di Walter Gürtler.

Nel 1996 e nel 1999 escono due CD con la Big Band dell’amico Paolo Tomelleri, virtuoso del clarinetto e noto bandleader.

I brani registrati fanno apprezzare una nuova generazione di jazzisti, giovani e preparatissimi, trascinati dalla tromba di Emilio Soana.

Nel 1996 e 1997, Bruno De Filippi realizza due CD con il trio di Don Friedman, entrambi registrati a New York e mixati a Milano; un terzo, dedicato a celebri canzoni francesi rivisitate in chiave jazzistica, lo registra nel 2000 a Parigi (mixato a Milano) con il trio di Georges Arvanitas.

La collaborazione con Mario Rusca e il suo trio porta a considerevoli risultati: nel 1996 escono due CD: uno con Tony Scott, l’altro con Enrico Rava; nel 1997 un terzo CD con Lee Konitz.

Nel 1998 Gianni Basso si ripropone, dopo tanti anni, con un nuovo sestetto G.B. and his Sax and Rhythm Sextet.

Nel 2001, con il marchio GMG (altra etichetta di Walter Gürtler) viene pubblicato un CD di Enrico Rava accompagnato da Mario Rusca Trio & Strings. L’esito è stupefacente per qualità d’esecuzione e numero di copie vendute.

Nel 2003, Franco Cerri registra per GMG una serie di brani, alcuni dei quali eseguiti con The Guitar Ensemble: un gruppo guidato dallo stesso Cerri.

Nel marzo 2004, un mese prima della sua scomparsa avvenuta nella notte dal 10 all’11 aprile, Gürtler commissiona all’amico Tony Scott il brano Lady Day in memoria di Billie Holiday: un’interpretazione intensa e commovente del solo Tony in veste di pianista e voce recitante.

È l’ultima registrazione per Walter Gürtler e l’ultima anche per Tony Scott.

 

ENGLISH VERSION

  

JAZZ A MILANO contains, in 8 collectible chapters, the history of half a century of jazz played and recorded in the Lombard capital.

It is a selection that reinterprets some indelible pages of the history of music; a precious project resulting from the vision of Walter Gürtler, pioneer of Italian discography and founder, in 1948, of Celson, the first Italian jazz label.

The unmissable duets and the surprising interpretations contained in the collection are taken from the repertoire kept by the heirs of the entrepreneur (Swiss by birth and Milanese by adoption), who was able to bring the masterpieces of Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Sidney Bechet, Lester Young and many other protagonists of the world scene.

Post-war Milan hosts numerous tours of the most famous artists of the moment.

The performances generate curiosity and a following in theaters and clubs where endless jam sessions last until dawn.

Traditional New Orleans and Dixieland-style jazz is represented by various "bands", but two of them, in particular, vie for supremacy: Original Lambro Jazz Band and Milan College Jazz Society.

Fans of Be-bop, Cool and Californian are rooting for the Quintetto Basso-Valdambrini: the most acclaimed Italian ensemble of the moment.

The most popular clubs are the Arethusa, the Santa Tecla and the Mexican Tavern. Cramped and smoky, these places are reminiscent of the existentialist caves of the Latin quarter of Paris. They too have a heterogeneous clientele made up of jazzophiles, musicians, dancers, bored aristocrats, wealthy industrialists, ladies in fur coats, intellectuals, men of letters, famous artists or artists in search of notoriety.

In this industrious and lively Milan, Walter Gürtler builds his fortune.

Prominent entrepreneur of Italian light music, Walter discovers and makes famous characters unknown at the time such as Adriano Celentano, Tony Dallara, I Campioni, Enzo Jannacci, Luigi Tenco, Gabriella Ferri, Nicola di Bari, Peppino Gagliardi, Fausto Leali, Fabio Concato, so much to name a few.

From scratch, he builds a solid company with more than one hundred employees, downtown offices, recording studio, record and tape factory (cassettes and stereo), warehouses and his own sales organization.

First and only among the Italian record companies, he brings his artists to the most important musical events: Canzonissima, Cantagiro, Disco per l'estate, the Sanremo Festival, the Golden Gondola of Venice, obtaining considerable recognition everywhere.

However, he does not forget his great passion for Jazz.

In the spring of 1951, Gürtler & Co. Ltd markets the Music brand, implementing the catalog already sketched out with Celson.

Since 1952, following agreements with Vogue and Good Time Jazz, it has sold original records by Shorty Rogers, Milt Jackson, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Giuffre, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Chico Hamilton, Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins.

With the distribution of Atlantic, Gürtler introduces the Rhythm & Blues of Joe Turner, Chuck Willis and Ray Charles and, towards the end of 1953, with Mercury, offers the most beautiful recordings of Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Louis Jordan and the Platters .

The agreements with Metronome, Prestige, Pacific Jazz and Warner Bros. give rise to the acquisition of other important catalogues.

In 1958 he founded the Jolly label, imported the American Verve and printed the products distributed directly in Italy under his brand with a considerable advantage for sales, exploiting a vast repertoire: from jazz with Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Konitz, Charlie Parker, to the entertainment one with Sam Cooke, The Robins, Henry Salvador, Charles Aznavour, Jaques Brel, Francois Hardy, Petula Clark, Antoine and various others.

In December 1960, Gürtler merges all of its brands into SAAR Srl.

Things are going well, the record market is growing and Walter, as a producer, enjoys enormous international prestige, above all for his ability to deal with the most important foreign multinationals. All his activity takes place in Milan.

The city, at the end of the 50s, is the place of hospitality, of solidarity, of the coeur in man.

The trains of hope arrive at the Central Station, bringing migrants from all over the peninsula in search of work and dignity. Cardboard suitcases and dreams. Also thanks to them, Milan becomes beautiful and big.

On the highest spire of the Cathedral, the Madonina watches over her industrious people.

Milan is the center of commerce, industry, art and knowledge.

The Trade Fair is a destination for visitors from all over the world, the Stock Exchange cultivates the economic boom.

In the artistic field, the offer is extraordinary: after the destruction caused by the disasters of war, La Scala recovers its prestige with Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Giuseppe Di Stefano and the great conductors; the narrative theater of Dario Fo rejoices with the jester grammelot and the dialectal one of Mazzarella ennobles the dialect; Paolo Grassi and Giorgio Strehler's Piccolo Teatro - temple of experimentation - spreads high culture.

Valid alternatives are represented by the Conservatory's rich musical seasons and by the prose theater seasons with the most important artists of the moment.

Il Gerolamo - a tiny theater a stone's throw from the Duomo - hosts the Carlo Colla puppet company with shows not only for children; the stages of the Lirico, the Nuovo, the Odeon and the Olimpia showcase the best of the Rivista with Wanda Osiris; the surreal cabaret of Jannacci and his companions was born at the Derby.

It is the city of the aperitif at the Biffi, of the quater pas in the Galleria, of the trattoria in via Bagutta, of the Bar Jamaica in Brera, of the Galleria del Corso, the cornerstone of publishing and a meeting place for musicians in search of scriptures, of the fog and of the taverns with naive artists and a side dish of steaming risotto, good wine and popular songs. Milly's Stramilano, Giorgio Gaber's Milan.

1957 was a particularly significant year: the Hot Club organized special events everywhere and the JATP tours with famous international soloists arrived on the stages of the Milanese theaters.

Gürtler's production activity can only be closely linked to the presence of American artists passing through Milan.

Bob Cooper, multi-instrumentalist, virtuoso on tenor sax, oboe and English horn, is one of the first to be part of the Music catalogue. After his performance at the RAI in Turin, he was invited to record with his quartet.

He is followed by Bud Shank, in Italy for the concerts organized in 1958 by Joe Napoli. Also for Music, he recorded some pieces with string orchestra and jazz ensemble arranged by Ezio Leoni and Giulio Libano, directed by Ezio Leoni with the participation of some young emerging Italian musicians.

Nunzio Rotondo's recordings, organized in Milan, were physically made in Rome in 1959. After the first publication on Music, the original tapes remain unused in our archive until recently, now taken up and restored.

The recordings of the Original Lambro Jazz Band also date back to 1959.

During one of the regular visits to the Mexican Tavern, Gürtler gets the idea of forming an Italian group in West Coast style. Thus was born the Basso-Valdambrini quintet - also extended to the octet - in which Dino Piana, Piero Umiliani, George Grunz and Lars Gullin collaborate as soloists or arrangers.

1959 is truly a special year for Gürtler, to be summed up in just one name: that of Chet Baker. With Chet, in Italy for a series of concerts, he is immediately feeling.

The LP Chet Baker Sing and Plays with orchestra and strings, arranged by Ezio Leoni and Giulio Libano and conducted by Ezio Leoni and Chet Baker Sextet and Quartet edited by Giulio Libano, achieved a resounding success.

In 1960 Gürtler did not miss the talent of Eraldo Volontè, Adriano Celentano's saxophonist and convinced him to record four facades alongside exceptional soloists such as Sergio Fanni, Giorgio Buratti and Gilberto Cuppini.

In 1961 it was the turn of Buddy Collette: another American soloist, clarinetist, saxophonist and flutist, in Italy to participate in the Sanremo Jazz Festival and in some performances at the Gerolamo Theater and the Mexican Tavern, promptly engaged by Gürtler to record a series of songs together with Dusko Goikovic, Jimmy Pratt, Gianni Basso, George Joyner, Dino Piana, Franco Cerri and Renato Sellani.

In 1973, Franco Cerri, indispensable guitar or double bass for the American artists passing through Italy in almost all the recording sessions, convinced Gürtler to produce an LP (this time in his name) for solo guitar and orchestra, with arrangements and direction by Nando DeLuca. The compositions, all by Cerri or De Luca, have singular and witty titles such as Vado e Tornio, Miss Iva, Bostrizione, etc.

At the Capolinea, the historic Milanese jazz hangout founded in 1969 by Giorgio Vanni, a former Tuscan drummer, Gürtler has the opportunity to meet Larry Nocella, a musician of extraordinary skill who has left few traces of his talent due to his untimely death.

As evidence of his brilliant improvisation, the album Larry Nocella and his Intimate Sound remains, recorded with orchestra and strings conducted by Vince Tempera and Angelo Arienti, published by SAAR in 1977.

Mario Battaini, keyboardist and arranger, accordion virtuoso, hired by SAAR in order to create a series of popular danceables, has an unbridled passion for jazz and a predilection for Art Van Damme, famous American accordion soloist.

In 1980 he recorded some songs in pure swing style, including September in the Rain, Con Swing and Honeysuckle Rose.

Since the mid-1990s, the GIANTS OF JAZZ brand has hosted the jazz productions of Walter Gürtler.

In 1996 and 1999 two CDs were released with the Big Band of his friend Paolo Tomelleri, clarinet virtuoso and well-known bandleader.

The recorded songs make appreciate a new generation of jazz musicians, young and highly trained, carried away by the trumpet of Emilio Soana.

In 1996 and 1997, Bruno De Filippi released two CDs with the Don Friedman trio, both recorded in New York and mixed in Milan; a third, dedicated to famous French songs revisited in a jazz key, was recorded in 2000 in Paris (mixed in Milan) with the Georges Arvanitas trio.

The collaboration with Mario Rusca and his trio leads to considerable results: in 1996 two CDs are released: one with Tony Scott, the other with Enrico Rava; in 1997 a third CD with Lee Konitz.

In 1998 Gianni Basso reappears, after so many years, with a new sextet G.B. and his Sax and Rhythm Sextet.

In 2001, a CD by Enrico Rava accompanied by Mario Rusca Trio & Strings was released under the GMG brand (another Walter Gürtler label). The result is astonishing in terms of execution quality and number of copies sold.

In 2003, Franco Cerri recorded a series of pieces for GMG, some of which were performed with The Guitar Ensemble: a group led by Cerri himself.

In March 2004, a month before his death on the night of 10 to 11 April, Gürtler commissioned his friend Tony Scott to write the song Lady Day in memory of Billie Holiday: an intense and moving interpretation by Tony alone as a pianist and narrator.

It is the last recording for Walter Gürtler and the last also for Tony Scott.

The JAZZ A MILANO collection is dedicated to Milan, to Walter Gürtler, to friends of today and forever, to that time that has never passed.

 

IL JAZZ A MILANO
Formazioni in ordine cronologico

Bob Cooper Quartet
At the Teatro Leonardo, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for MUSIC, GMG
Bob Cooper (ts/oboe) Hans Hammerschmid (p) Rudolf Hansen (b) Victor Plasil (d)
April 30, 1957
Milano Blues – Fiera di Milano – Cappuccino Time - I’m Throught with Love – Tickle Toe
People Will Say We’re in Love

Bud Shank with Len Mercer (Ezio Leoni) and his Strings
At Teatro Leonardo, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Bud Shank Appears by arrangement vith World Pacific Records
A Joe Napoli, Ezio Leoni production under the supervision of Richard Bock – Art Director Marco Del Conte
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for MUSIC, GMG
Bud Shank (fl/as) Giulio Libano (tp) Glauco Masetti (as) Appio Squajella fl/fhr)
Eraldo Volonté (ts) Fausto Papetti (bars) Bruno De Filippi (g) Don Prell (b)
Jimmy Pratt (d) Sergio Almangano (1° vl) + Milano Strings, Ebe Mautino (harp)
Len Mercer (Ezio Leoni) and Giulio Libano (arr)
April 4-5, 1958
But Not for Me - I’ll Take Romance – These Foolish Things – What a Difference a Day Made
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – How Deep Is the Ocean? – Deep Purple – Blue Room

Nunzio Rotondo Quintet
Rec. Roma, March 26, 1959 – Remix. At Studio Saar, Milano, 2000
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. for MUSIC
Nunzio Rotondo (tp/arr) Enzo Scoppa (ts) Raymond Fol (p/arr*) Bibbi Rovere (b*) Gilberto Cuppini (d*)
De Concilio – Garineipaulus - Thrilling – Circeo (*) – Noi e loro

Original Lambro Jazz Band
At Milano
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. for MUSIC
Herman Mayer, Peppino Ferrario (tp) Francesco Cavallari (tb) Renato Gerbella (cl)
Carlo Manto (p) Mario Pratella (bjo) Raffaele “Barone” Linares (b/tu) Claudio Clerici (d)
May 27, 1959
Petite Fleur – Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me
Peppino Ferrario (out) Enrico Ambrogi (tp/vo) added
June 1, 1959
Old Man from Kalena

Gianni Basso – Oscar Valdambrini
Basso-Valdambrini Quintet
Poss. At the Gürtler Studio, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for JOLLY, VERVE, MUSIC, GMG
Gianni Basso (ts) Oscar Valdambrini (tp) Renato Sellani (p) Gianni Azzolini (b) Gianni Cazzola (d)
June 9-10, 1959, Milano
C’est si bon - Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are – Lover Man - Parlami d’amore Mariù
Lo struzzo Oscar – Lotar
Basso-Valdambrini Octet
Poss. at the Gürtler Bros. Studio, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for JOLLY, VERVE, MUSIC, GMG
Gianni Basso (ts) Oscar Valdambrini (tp) Attilio Donadio (as) Lars Gullin (bars) Mario Pezzotta (tb)
Renato Sellani (p) Franco Cerri (b) Jimmy Pratt (d) Lars Gullin (arr*) Piero Umiliani (arr**)
George Gruntz (arr.***)
November, December, 1959, Milano
Fascinating Rhythm (*) – Indiana (***) - How About You? (*) – Fata Morgana (*)
Blues for Gassman (**)
Basso-Valdambrini present Dino Piana
Poss. at the Gürtler Bros. Studio, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for JOLLY, VERVE, MUSIC, GMG
Gianni Basso (ts) Oscar Valdambrini (tp) Dino Piana (v-tb) Renato Sellani (p) Gianni Azzolini (b)
Gianni Cazzola (d)
April 29 (or May 2 & 10), 1960, Milano
Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Lucy ed io – Il Grimmo

Chet Baker
Chet Baker Sextet
At the Gürtler Bros. Studio, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for MUSIC, GMG
Chet Baker (tp) Glauco Masetti (as) Gianni Basso (ts) Renato Sellani (p) Franco Cerri (b)
Gene Victory (d) Giulio Libano (arr)
September 25, 1959
Lady Bird
September 26, 1959
Line for Lyons – Tune Up - Cheryl Blues
Chet Baker with Len Mercer (Ezio Leoni) and his Strings
At the Gürtler Bros. Studio, Milano – Recording Engineers: Alberto Angelini and Plinio Chiesa
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for CELSON, GMG
Chet Baker (tp/vo) Glauco Masetti (as) Gianni Basso (ts) Fausto Papetti (bars) Mario Pezzotta (tb)
Appio Squajella (fl) poss Rinaldo Ferri (b.cl) unknown (oboe and fhr) Giulio Libano (celeste)
Franco Cerri (b) Gene Victory (d) Ebe Mautino (harp) Sergio Almangano (1° vl) + Milano strings
Ezio Leoni (arr*) Giulio Libano (arr**)
September 28-29, 1959
My Funny Valentine (*) - The Song Is You (*) – When I Fall in Love (**) - Autumn in New York (**) Angel Eyes (*) - Deep in a Dream (**)
October 5, 1959
Forgetful (**) – Street of Dream (**)
Chet Baker Quartet
At the Gürtler Bros. Studio, Milano – Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for MUSIC, GMG
Chet Baker (tp) Renato Sellani (p) Franco Cerri (b) Gene Victory (d)
October 6, 1959
My Old Flame – Indian Summer

Eraldo Volonté Quintet
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) - for MUSIC, GMG
Sergio Fanni (tp) Eraldo Volonté (ts) Ettore Righello (p) Giorgio Buratti (b) Gilberto Cuppin (d)
February 10, 1960
Bag’s Groove – Moose the Mooche – Room 206 - Pennies from Heaven

Buddy Collette
At the Gürtler Bros. Studio, Milano - Recording Engineer: Alberto Angelini
Produced and Edited by Gürtler Bros. Milano (Italy) for MUSIC, GMG
Dusko Gojkovic (tp) Buddy Collette (cl) Renato Sellani (p) Franco Cerri (b) Jimmy Pratt (d)
March 10, 1961
San Carlo
Franco Cerri (g) George Joyner (b) added. Rest same.
March 10, 1961
Everything Happens to Me
Gianni Basso (cl/ts) Buddy Collette (cl/as) Renato Sellani (p) poss Franco Cerri (g) George Joyner (b)
Jimmy Pratt (d)
March 14, 1961
I Wished on the Moon
Dino Piana (v-tb) Buddy Collette (fl) Renato Sellani (p) Franco Cerri (b) Norman Shobey (tumba)
Armshed Shobey (bongos) Jimmy Pratt (d)
March 15, 1961
Orfeo Negro – Mounya Labell Matatoo
Buddy Collette (fl) Franco Cerri (g) George Joyner (b) Jimmy Pratt (d) F.Fantini (1° vl) T.Bacchetta (2° vl)
M.Turio (viola) N.Ghetti (cello) Ezio Leoni (arr *) Giulio Libano (arr **)
March 24, 1961
Skylark (**) - Stella by Starlight (*)

Franco Cerri
At the Saar Recording Studio, Pero, Milano
Recording Engineer: Guido Lamorgese
Produced and Edited by Walter Gürtler, Milano (Italy) for MUSIC, GMG
Franco Cerri (g) Nando De Luca Orchestra and arr. (personnel unknown: 24 violins, 8 violas, 4 cellos, 2 flutes, oboe, flugelhorn, horn, harpsichord, sistrum, guitar, bass, el.bass, drums, organ, vocalists)
1973
Bostrizione – Penelope Jane – Miss Iva – Via Scolto n.13 - Ad istanza d’anni – Lady Stinta
S.Dolino S.Daletto - Toilette

Larry Nocella and his intimate sound
At the Cap Studio, Milano – Sound Engineer: Angelo Arienti
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Angelo Arienti for SAAR
Larry Nocella (ts) with Orchestra and Strings arr.by Vince Tempera and Angelo Arienti
1977
Moonglow – I Only Have Eyes for You

Mario Battaini and his Group
At the Saar Recording Studio, Pero, Milano
Recording Engineer: Guido Lamorgese
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for SAAR
1980
Mario Battaini (accordion Excelsior) formazione sconosciuta
September in the Rain – Con Swing - Honeysuckle Rose

Paolo Tomelleri
Paolo Tomelleri and his Big Band
At the Studio Sette, Milano
Sound Engineer: Ferdinando Arnò – Mixed by Ferdinando Arnò, Emilio Soana & Stefano Bagnoli
Producet and Edited by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
Paolo Tomelleri (cl/dir) Emilio Soana, Daniele Moretto, Stefano Bassalti, Nico Carleo (tp) Rudy Migliardi,
Gabriele Cappella, Claudio Barbieri (tb) Gan Paolo Casu, Paolo Kromberg (as) Alberto Buzzi,
Paolo Taccone (ts) Gilberto Tarocco (bars) Carlo Uboldi (p) Marco Ratti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
December 15-16, 1995
Sing, Sing, Sing – I Love You – King Porter Stomp
Paolo Tomelleri Quartet
Paolo Tomelleri (cl) Carlo Uboldi (p) Marco Ratti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
December 15-16, 1995
Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
Paolo Tomelleri Octet
Emilio Soana (tp) Rudy Migliardi (tb) Luigi Tognoli (ts) Alfredo Ferrario (cl) Paolo Tomelleri (cl/arr)
Carlo Uboldi (p) Marco Ratti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
December 15-16, 1995
Promenade aux Champs Elysées
Paolo Tomelleri Septet
Emilio Soana (tp) Rudy Migliardi (tb) Paolo Tomelleri (cl/arr) Carlo Bagnoli (bar) Carlo Uboldi (p)
Marco Ratti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
December 15-16, 1995
Jubilation
Paolo Tomelleri Duo
Paolo Tomelleri (cl) Ettore Righello (p)
December 15-16, 1995
God Bless the Child
Paolo Tomelleri Trio
Paolo Tomelleri (cl) Rossano Sportiello (p) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
January 11, 1996
After You’ve Gone
Paolo Tomelleri and his Big Band
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
Paolo Tomelleri (cl/dir) Emilio Soana, Daniele Moretto, Stefano Bassalti, Lelio Lorenzetti (tp)
Giovanni Di Stefano, Gabriele Cappella, Claudio Barbieri, Andrea Gnemmi (tb) Gian Paolo Casu,
Paolo Massimo Kromberg (as) Alberto Buzzi, Paolo Taccone (ts) Gilberto Tarocco (bars) Vittorio Tomelleri (p*) Rossano Sportiello (p**) Sergio Farina (g) Marco Ratti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
September, 1999
Lil’ Darlin’ (*) - All of Me (**) - Cute (*)
Paolo Tomelleri Quartet
Paolo Tomelleri (cl) Rossano Sportiello (p) Marco Ratti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
September, 1999
Just in Time

Bruno De Filippi with Don Friedman Trio
Produced and Edited by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
At the Steve Studio, N. Y. – Recording Engineer: Steve Davis
Mix Tendencias Studio, Milano – Mix Engineer: Massimo Javicoli
Bruno De Filippi (harmonica/g*) Don Friedman (p) Jeff Fuller (b*) Matt Wilson (d)
April 10, 1996
As Time Goes By - Embraceable You – Lilì Marlene (Lilì Marleen) – Bess, You Is My Woman Now (*)
Blue Moon - You Stepped Out of a Dream
At the Studio Acustic Recording, Brooklyn, N.Y. – Recording Engineer: Michael Brosby
Mix: Tendencias Studio, Milano – Mix Engineer: Stefano Colonnelli
Bruno De Filippi (harmonica/g*) Don Friedman (p) Jeff Fuller (b) Billy Hart (d)
December 9, 1997
La nebbia (*) – Coimbra – Blues for Walter
with Georges Arvanitas Trio
At the Studio Damiens, Paris – Recording Engineer: Xavier Escabasse4
Mixed at Tendencias Studio, Milano: Carlo Paternò
Bruno De Filippi (harmonica/g) George Arvanitas (p) Pierre Michelot (b) Philippe Combelle (d)
Paris / Milano, 2000
Que reste-t-il de nos amours? - Mam’selle

Tony Scott with Mario Rusca Trio
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Edited by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ, GMG
Tony Scott (cl) Mario Rusca (p) Rosario Bonaccorso (b) Tony Arco (d)
June 24-26’, 1996
Take Five and More – Feel – Mood Indigo – Solitude – Scott Scat

Mario Rusca Trio featuring Enrico Rava
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
Enrico Rava (tp) Mario Rusca (p) Lucio Terzano (b) Tony Arco (d)
December 21-24, 1996
My Foolish Heart - How High the Moon – Flawless - Out of Nowhere – D.N.A. – Bye Bye Black Bird

Mario Rusca Trio
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
Mario Rusca (p) Lucio Terzano (b) Tony Arco (d)
March 3, 1997
Summertime

Lee Konitz with Mario Rusca Trio
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
Lee Konitz (as) Mario Rusca (p) Lucio Terzano (b) Tony Arco (d)
March 3, 1997
On Green Dolphin Street – I Should Care – Where’s the Blues? – Thingin’

Gianni Basso and his Sax & Rhythm Sextet
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editging by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ
Claudio Chiara (as) Gianni Basso (ts) Fulvio Albano (bars) William Evans (p) Jean-Louis Rassinfosse (b)
Alvin Queen (d)
September 20-21, 1998
Crazy Rhythm – Warm Melody – Chet’s Chum – Bob’s Buddy – Winnie’s Component

Mario Rusca Trio & Strings, featuring Enrico Rava
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GIANTS OF JAZZ, GMG
Mario Rusca (p/arr/dir) Enrico Rava (tp) Riccardo Fioravanti (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
Marco Campioni, Luca Campioni, Emanuela Zani, Alessandra Sonia Romano, Elsa Barba,
Vitaliano De Rossi (vl) Paola Vanoni, Daniele Pagella, Luisa Caldera (violas)
Mariachiara Nino, Luca De Muro, Marco Paolini (cellos)
November 2001
Smile – Over the Rainbow - We Have All the Time in the World – From Symphony N.3 (Brahms)

Franco Cerri
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi - 2003
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GMG
Franco Cerri and his Trio + Guitar Ensemble
Franco Cerri (g) Marco Detto (p) Marco Ricci (b) Stefano Bagnoli (d)
plus Guitar Ensemble (Francesco Moglia, Marco Naderio, Mario Pelagatti, Alessandro Usai)
plus Mattia Magatelli (b) Paolo Orlandi (d)
Beautiful Love
Franco Cerri Trio
Franco Cerri (g) Marco Detto (p) Marco Ricci (b)
Domino – Just a gigolò
Franco Cerri Duo
Franco Cerri (1° & 2° g) Marco Ricci (b)
Merci beaucoup
The Guitar Ensemble
Francesco Moglia, Marco Naderio, Mario Pelagatti, Alessandro Usai (g)
Plus Mattia Magatelli (b) Paolo Orlandi (b)
When the Saints Go Marchin’ in - Yardbird Suite

Tony Scott, piano and recitation
At the Mondial Sound, Milano – Sound Engineer: Walter Biondi
Produced and Editing by Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto for GMG
March 11, 2004
Lady Day