Son of an accomplished violinist, Arturo Prestipino Giarritta,[3] Presti began studying piano and music theory at the age of six. When he was 17, he started his career performing as a vocalist and bass guitarist in clubs as well as working in recording studios as an instrumentalist.
Presti composed four songs for Mina: "Tentiamo ancora", for the album Frutta e verdura (1973), "L'amore è un'altra cosa", for Mina® (1974), "Amante amore", for Mina con bignè (1977), and "Bignè", for Ridi pagliaccio (1988).
On Mina's come-back at the Bussoladomani theatre in Viareggio on 24 June 1978, Nantas Salvataggio wrote an enthusiastic review of the event in the Il Giorno newspaper: « Mina was accompanied by an orchestra as that of a grand Las Vegas show.[4]
The Italian press, as well as others, described the concert as a "triumph" and underlined the contribution of the backing orchestra (14 members and the chorus), directed by Presti.[5][6][7]
During the flight to Italy Wilson Pickett's bassist had been blocked at London airport and during the troublesome search for a substitute once he arrived in Sanremo, Pickett listened to me while I was playing with Brenton Wood; he blocked everyone and decided that I would be the bass player for him during the performance of the song "Un' Avventura", in competition at the Sanremo Music Festival. After the Festival, Wilson Pickett and the whole band also wanted me for the following European tour. – Pino Presti, during the Rai Tv show "Auditorio A" [22]
He is listed under his real name, Giuseppe Prestipino, on the record Libertango with Ástor Piazzolla and in Summit by Ástor Piazzolla and Gerry Mulligan. He is listed under the name Giuseppe "Pino" Prestipino Giarritta on the records La Onda Máxima and Onda Nueva Instrumental by the Venezuelan pianist, composer, arranger Aldemaro Romero.
In April 1975 during the European tour with Mulligan and Piazzolla,[23] he also played at the Olympia Theatre in Paris and at the World Music Festival in Palma, Majorca. The combo was composed by Gerry Mulligan (saxophone baritone), Ástor Piazzolla (bandoneón), Tom Fay (piano), Pino Presti (electric bass), Tullio De Piscopo (drums), Waldo de los Rios (organ), Sergio Farina (electric guitar). One set was for Gerry Mulligan, the second was dedicated to Ástor Piazzolla and the last one was the reunion of Astor and Gerry and the songs of this last set were those that had been issued on the LP Summit-Reunion Cumbre.
In 1977 he signed a contract with RAI2 as arranger, conductor and composer of original music for the noted TV show, Auditorio A, directed by Stefano De Stefani. On that occasion, he was the conductor of a big band composed of 56 musicians with star names like: Gino Paoli, Sergio Endrigo, Milva, Pino Daniele, Maynard Ferguson, Angelo Branduardi, Rino Gaetano, Fausto Leali, Giorgio Baiocco, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.[25]
Other top shows were: C'era due volte, directed by Enzo Trapani (1980) and Il cappello sulle ventitré, directed by Fernanda Turvani (1983).
[26][27]
Besides composing music for TV series since the 1980s,[3] Pino Presti has been creating and producing albums under various pseudonyms for renowned labels such as Polydor, Baby Records, Barclay, Edizioni Curci, Durium, Dischi Ricordi, Joker, as well as independent ones: Emergency Records, Soul Xpression, Level One, Self.
He has been living in France since 2004 and in 2009 created and produced the album, A La Costa Sud with 28 vocalists and/or instrumentalists who are from various continents and nations but who regularly perform in theatres and clubs in the French Riviera.[28]
Pino Presti, August 2021
In 2011, he composed a five-hour soundtrack comprising music of different genres for Grand Heritage Hotel Group (and for its related media). These genres range from classic jazz, to nu jazz, bossanova, world music, and ambient music.
In 2014 Presti composed, co-produced and released, under the pseudonym Mad of Jazz, the album Deep Colors, with the collaboration of keyboardists, synth programmers and composers Claudio and Andrea Calzolari.
In 2016 he composed the music for the 2016 advertising campaign of Scavolini, an Italian kitchen and bathroom products designer and manufacturer.[29]
In 2019 he composed the music for the book (+Audio cd) "Eco nel vento", by Italian poet Tania Cantone. ISBN978-88-94866-19-3[30]
In May 2023, the vinyl album Pino Presti & Garden Planet - Sharade was released, also digitally uploaded on the main Streaming platforms.[31][32]
In November 2024, a remastered version of the album 1st Round, was released and published on digital platforms by Planet Records. [2][3]
"Stefano Ritteri feat. Pino Presti: Come Back To Me" (EP) – Spaziale Recordings (2020)
As performer, arranger, conductor on other artists' albums
Bassist, arranger, bandleader on the occasion of Mina's last public performances during summer 1978. The album Mina Live '78 captured the last public appearance made by the singer.
The Jazz Discography, by Tom Lord, The Thomas Lord pub., 2009 (Musician list)
The Gerry Mulligan Collection, by Craig Hanley, Barnes & Noble pub.
Knight Library's Jazz Collection, by Douglas Room, UO Libraries pub., 2009
1000 concerti che ci hanno cambiato la vita, by Ezio Guaitamacchi, Rizzoli pub., ISBN978-8817042222, 2010
Franco Califano. Non escludo il ritorno, by Salvatore Coccoluto, Imprimatur pub. - Interview with Pino PrestiISBN978-88-6830-181-1, 2014
Astor Piazzolla, by María Susana Azzi, Editorial El Ateneo pub., ISBN978-950-02-0953-3, 2018
La Storia dalla Disco Music, by Andrea Angeli Bufalini / Giovanni Savastano, Hoepli pub., ISBN978-8820382681, 2019
Mina, Una Voce Universale, by Luca Cerchiari, Mondadori, ISBN978-8804724599, 2020
Night fever: Les 100 hits qui ont fait le disco, by Belkacem Meziane, Le Mot et le reste pub., ISBN9782361392215, 2020
Astor Piazzolla - Una vita per la musica, by Maria Susana Azzi, Sillabe pub., ISBN9788833402260, 2021
Tecnica e linguaggio del bassista - Il basso elettrico e i bassisti, by Paolo Costa, Lorenzo Poli, Attilio Zanchi; Dantone Music pub., ISBN978-8863888331, 2021
External links
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