Guitarist and composer engaged on several fronts of the jazz music and contemporary music scene. He graduated with honors in Jazz Guitar and Jazz Music at the Conservatory N. Rota of Monopoli with a thesis on the compositional techniques of Henry Threadgill.
His style of playing and composing is rooted in the jazz tradition, going as far as radical improvisation, dodecaphony and serialism. Over the years he played with Gianni Lenoci (his master), Roberto Ottaviano, Louis Sclavis, Steve Potts, Fabrizio Bosso, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Silvia Bolognesi, Joaquim Florent, Giovanni Falzone, Anais Drago, Francesca Remigi, Vinny Golia and many others.
His release "Start from scratch" has been selected among the best jazz records by Musica Jazz magazine. He also has been nominated among the best musicians of the year.
He has 14 records published on his behalf.
"Livio Bartolo pensa la sua musica in modo atemporale e in divenire"
Davide Ielmini on Start From Scratch.
"Mi piace molto il suono di questo organico. La particolare unicità sonora di ogni singolo musicista si fonde nel suono di questo gruppo attraverso gli arrangiamenti. Trovo la scrittura di Livio in perfetto equilibrio fra composizione ed improvvisazione, spazio e densità. Il risultato è musica fresca, dinamica, moderna ma rispettosa della tradizione".
Silvia Bolognesi (Art Ensemble Of Chicago) about Variable Unit.
Discography
Livio Bartolo group - Dall'altra parte del muro, 2010 Livio Bartolo - Rewind, 2014, Angapp Music Livio Bartolo - Appunti di un viaggio, 2016, Angapp Music Livio Bartolo - Altre storie, 2017, Angapp Music Livio Bartolo Variable Unit - Meanwhile, 2017, Angapp Music Livio Bartolo Variable Unit - Ugliness is a Beautiful Thing, 2018, Angapp Music. Livio Bartolo, Andrea Esperti, Marco Calabretti - South Iceland, 2019, Angapp Music. Andrea Musci/ Livio Bartolo - 34:43 (For Two guitars, SaltElio and electronics) Livio Bartolo Variable Unit - Don't Beat a Dead Horse, 2020, Dodicilune. Livio Bartolo - Homesongs, 2021, Angapp Music Livio Bartolo Variable Unit - Start From Scratch , 2022, Dodicilune Livio Bartolo - Otium, 2023, Angapp Music Livio Bartolo - Dediche, 2024, Angapp Music
as sideman: Andrea Musci - Succede qualcosa, 2017, Angapp Music. Pietro Corbascio - Pytakor, Angapp 2022 Francesca Remigi - The Human Web , 2022, Habitable Records Agnese Contini - Dinamiche di volo, 2023, NOS Records Pietro Corbascio - Ciao, Grazie! E' stato un piacere, 2023, Angapp Music
PRIZES Winner of the MIDJ artist residency 2020 in "Una striscia di terra feconda Festival"