Dario Deidda (biography)

Dario Deidda was born in Italy, in Salerno, in 1968. He comes from a family which has always considered music to be an important part of life; firstly, his paternal grandparents, then his parents who were both pianists and finally Dario and his brothers, Alfonso and Sandro.

Dario began to play the drums at the age of 6 but soon fell in love with the double-bass and began to take his music studies seriously. He graduated from the Conservatory having studied the double-bass but broadened his musical knowledge by studying the electric bass and the piano. He describes himself as being an “all-round” musician but jazz is at the heart of his musical world. Dario is a connoisseur of traditional jazz and American songbooks, extending his expertise to embrace more contemporary jazz trends.

Despite his great love of the double-bass, it is when he plays the electric bass that Dario’s unique style becomes evident, leading to widespread acknowledgment of this instrument which is rarely appreciated in jazz. In recent years, Dario has mainly used acoustic and semi-acoustic instruments in his search for a truly unique sound.

He currently works as a free-lance musician and teacher both in Italy and around the world, combining his teaching role and that of playing the bass in the prestigious Kurt Rosenwinkel Standards Trio and Quintet.

Main Italian collaborations: M. Giammarco, U. Fiorentino, R. Gatto, D. Rea, P. Fresu, E. Rava, M. DeVito, P. Condorelli, A. Onorato, A. Salis, S. Bonafede, F. Zeppetella, J. Girotto, M. Urbani, S. Di Battista, E. Pieranunzi, G.Telesforo, R. Giuliani, F. Boltro, F. D’Andrea, A.Golino, T. De Piscopo and others are equally important!

With U.S. and European artists: M.Miller, G.Garzone. J.Bergonzi, G.Coleman, B.Golson, K.Lightsey, T.Harrell, M.Petrucciani, J.Moody, K. Rosenwinkel, D.Liebman, S.Grossman, J.Como, P.Sery, P .Erskine, F. Ambrosetti, Gil Evans Orchestra, L.Soloff, A.Sipiagin, J.Tain Watts, C.Stubblfield, L.Donaldson, B.Sidran, M.Garrison, C.Anderson, B.Lagrene, R. Brecker, B. Hart, D. Stryker, P.Bernstein, G. Hutchinson, A. Goldberg, L. Leathers, and others.!

Dario Deidda has featured as a sideman and recorded over 60 CDs with the above-mentioned musicians. In 2003, he recorded the CD “3 From the Ghetto”, the first released under his name, with Julian O. Mazzariello and Stephane Huchard, produced by GeGè Telesforo for Go Jazz. Guests included S. Di Battista. Dario played in first solo album for Go Jazz by Clyde Stubbfield, James Brown’s original funky drummer (U.S.A.).

He has collaborated with top Italian pop artists of international fame. From 1998 to 2003 Dario played on tour with Carl Anderson (he was Judas in the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”).

In 1999, he went on tour and played with Pino Daniele. From 2003 to 2007 he was Fiorella Mannoia’s bass player, featuring in 4 CDs and 2 live video concerts.

Dario has held numerous music clinics throughout Italy and around the world on bass techniques and jazz improvisation in music schools, conservatories and universities.

Since 2004 he has taught jazz electric bass at the Conservatory of Salerno. His clinic at the Berkley School in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2006 was a remarkable success.

Dario’s videos on You Tube and My Space are viewed and much appreciated by thousands of people around the world. He has won the “Jazz It Awards” (assigned by the well-known magazine “Jazz It”) as best jazz electric bass player for eight consecutive years (2010 – 2017).

In 2017, Dario Deidda records “My Favourite Strings vol.1”, produced by GeGè Telesforo for GrooveMasterEdition

Note di GeGè Telesforo.

Dario Deidda, nato il 1/3/1968, proviene da Salerno, quella che io considero  la “New Orleans Italiana”.

Conosco Dario da più di quindici anni, e non è un caso se negli ultimi dieci ha suonato con James Moody, George Coleman, Kirk Lightsey, Mulgrew Miller, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Benny Golson, Jhonny Griffin, Vinnie Colaiuta, Carl Anderson, Pino Daniele (per citarne alcuni). Diplomato in contrabbasso al Conservatorio Musicale di Salerno, Dario è considerato uno dei migliori contrabbassisti del mondo, un virtuoso del basso elettrico, ma é anche un maturo pianista,  un romantico suonatore di ballad quando usa la tromba, e un eccellente cuoco di linguine con le cozze! La naturalezza con la quale affronta generi diversi, dal Jazz al Funk più duro, dai ritmi latini all’hip hop, la dice lunga sulla sua preparazione e sulla sua curiosità musicale, mai appagata e sempre alla ricerca di nuovi stimoli.