Robert Conti

Robert Conti (born November 21, 1945) is an American hard bop jazz guitarist.

Conti was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was an autodidact, first performing locally at age fourteen. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 1966 after touring North America, and in 1970 he left music to pursue a career in marketing and finance. In 1976 he began playing jazz again, and released his debut effort as a leader in 1981. In 1982 he left music again for business, but in 1985 he released another album, and in 1986 he headlined the Florida National Jazz Festival, with Jimmy McGriff backing him up. In 1988 he was offered a position under filmmaker Dino De Laurentiis in Irvine, California, and was offered a nightly residence at the Irvine Marriott, which he held well into the 1990s. Conti has gained notoriety entirely as a commercial jazz-guitar educator. However, as a guitarist in his own right, his notability may seem largely disputable, as he had never relased any recording to profound critical or commercial acclaim. His improvising style (as well as teaching method) is based on extensive utilisation of pre-learned melodic patterns (so called "licks"). His playing is also characterised by frequent fast runs and rhythmic unlocking with the rhythm section, as well as less emphasis on the swing feel.

Discography

Robert Conti Jazz Quintet (Discovery Records, 1981)
The Living Legends (contains tracks recorded by Robert Conti and tracks recorded by Joe Pass) (1982)
Laura (Trend Records, 1984)
You Are the Sunshine of My Life (1985)
Comin' on Strong (Time Is, 1990)
To the Brink! Featuring Rocco Barbato (Pinnacle Records, 2007)

References

[1] Robert Conti's website
Robert Conti at Allmusic