Pino Zortea (1995) is a Swiss bassist, composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

 

He is currently working on his brand new project “Bicycle Fantasies” where he combines a unique songwriting approach with the playing of a five string acoustic bass. The dreamy compositions, the witty lyrical perspectives and poetically moving songs invite the listener on a journey beyond the questions when, where and why.

 

With his quartet “Pino Zortea’s Jazzkarussell” he creates a space for his vision on electric bass in jazz. Jorge Rossy aptly describes his playing: “Every note he plays is full of beauty and meaning. The same can be said about the space in between his musical phrases. There are no wasted moments: his sonic imagination is highly sophisticated, clear and poetic. He has a very unique sound on electric bass. His sound is as nuanced, warm and human as an acoustic instrument in the hands of a virtuoso player.”  The project released its first album  “Child’s Play” in 2020 and is planning to record a second one in summer 2023.

 

Pino is also the author and composer of the illustrated music audiobook "Lukas & Wale", which introduces children and families to the diversity and playfulness of jazz in a suitable way. As a sideman, he plays electric bass in various formations such as the post-rock group Trois Imaginaires, the beat-maker Melodiesinfonie, the singer-songwriter Tim Hüllstrung, and many others, which regularly leads to live performances in Switzerland and Europe, as well as numerous album releases. As one of the hosts of the weekly Jazzbaragge Jam Session at Moods, Pino has been active and involved in the pulsating Zurich jazz scene for years.

 

Pino began playing the piano in his early childhood and acquired knowledge of the electric bass a few years later. At the age of 16, he was already studying parallel to high school at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he completed his bachelor degree in 2016. Several longer stays in New York followed, where he attended sessions and concerts.  In 2020 he graduated with honours from the Master of Arts at Jazzcampus Basel where studied with Larry Grenadier, Guillermo Klein and Aydin Esen. 

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