Guitarist Gianni Dino Gardner, Jazz musician, composer, producer, and session musician, is currently enrolled in the jazz studies program at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Connecticut. Gardner graduated from two renown high school "jazz meccas”, Hall High School in West Hartford and Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, where he studied Jazz music with legendary guitarist, Doug M
aher, vocalist Dianne Mower, and WestConn alumnus, Dan O'Brien. Gardner opted to attend Western Connecticut State University in order to begin studying with Christopher Morrison, Jimmy Greene, Jamie Begian, Andrew Beals, Dave Scott, Deborah Weisz, Jumaane Smith as well as many other incredible instructors. Currently, he can be seen performing throughout the tri-state area with his own group, the Gianni Gardner Trio, local percussion legend Ed Fast and his band Conga Bop, the Alex Butterworth Trio and Joe McCarthy’s Afro Bop Alliance. Music has always been a part of Gardner's life since he was a young child. "As long as I can remember, music has dramatically effected my senses. Each sound I heard would reverberate as tactile sensations that soothed and calmed me. I sought out “sounds”, music, rhythms to keep myself grounded and focused.”
Gardner continues, "When Jazz was introduced to me for the first time, I was confused and simultaneously in awe with the musician’s technical mastery of his or her instrument. I was intrigued when I heard the great guitarist and my personal hero, Pat Metheny, playing very fluid and mountainous lines with a precision like no other. My life long goal is to continue working toward a unique, recognizable, instrumental voice. I often think about something the great saxophonist Joe Lovano said about finding your place in the world of jazz, "John Coltrane... That man has a SOUND. Kenny Garrett, that man as well, has a SOUND... John Scofield, the great guitarist... Well... He has a SOUND...” Lovano's point was that these musicians have achieved a lot of the young and aspiring musicians' life long goals, to be able to sound like him or herself! I am beyond excited to see what the future will hold." "When the world tells you, 'You'll never be able to do this, give up now,' hope says, 'Try it one more time!"
-Anonymous
