GUITARIST - ROBERTO RESTUCCIA

 

 

 

 

Home Base:  London, England

Music Style:  Jazz, Blues 

Booking Contact:

Major Scale Management

Gina McCain / 703-930-4594

Email:  ginamccain@majorscalemanagement.com

 

UK jazz/blues guitarist and composer, Roberto Restuccia has long set his sights on success in the smooth jazz genre, which he says, “grabs him from every direction, mixing funk and jazz, with openings to blues it up”. 

Considering his dexterity, fluidity and intuitive sense of melody and harmony, one of the most remarkable aspects of Restuccia’s musical background is that he’s largely self-taught. A talented painter growing up, he was promised a place in a degree course for artists – and when that fell through, he enrolled at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford, where his teachers included Guthrie Govan (a shredder who toured with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai) and Pete Callard, whose touring credits include Lionel Richie. Restuccia’s time at the renowned school helped him develop his skills with harmony and theory, but he often likes to say that he went to the “University of Slash,” like any kid learning the guitar, he was drawn to flashier players, first learning to play from recordings of concerts by Guns N’ Roses and Pearl Jam. 

When Restuccia received a tuitional video of American blues, jazz and rock guitarist Robben Ford, it was then that he grew to understand and respect guitarists who played less, but whose tones spoke more personally to him, saying “there was a reason for every note Ford played and his attention to chord changes resonated with me”. Restuccia also credits the evolution of his jazz and blues sensibilities to influential figures like Ronnie Jordan, who mixed cool jazzy phrases with urban beats and the fact that his playing was raw and a little rough around the edges. According to Restuccia, no one laid the foundation for the blend of jazz and blues in the smooth jazz genre better than Jeff Golub. He came from a rock/blues background and added grit to the genre. Restuccia also credits other guitar greats such as; Chuck Loeb, George Benson and Larry Carlton as his influences. 

No contemporary urban jazz track captures the hopeful spirit of 2021 like “Arrival,” the soulfully melodic, seductively grooving and instantly infectious debut single by Restuccia that ever so subtly reflects the fast-emerging UK guitarist and composer’s lifelong passion for the blues. Landing a top 20 spot on Billboard’s National Smooth Jazz Chart, International and SirusXM airplay, “Arrival”, the perfectly titled song marks an auspicious launch for Trippin N’ Rhythm Records’ latest signee – who has also released his highly anticipated label debut “With Every Turn” featuring all original songs composed by Restuccia and produced by #1 Billboard keyboardist, composer and producer Oli Silk. Restuccia is a longtime fan of Silk, who happens to be a fellow Brit, and is also a Trippin N’ Rhythm artist. “With Every Turn” their creative relationship blossomed evolving rhythmically and harmonically and came together as an eclectic 10-track collection showcasing his dynamic collaboration with the veteran keyboardist and producer. 

Their incredible artist-producer chemistry drives every nuance of the project, from the bubbling, in the pocket funk and snazzy electric guitar fire of the opening track “Love Crazy” to the freewheeling old school blues-funk closer “Clickin’”. The set rolls through some powerful emotional dynamics, showcasing Restuccia’s higher weepy tones on the bluesy, slow simmering title track and the hypnotic, easy rolling chill flow of “1985” and “On Mulberry” then getting down to some wild incendiary business on “You Got-Ta” and the raw, intense rock-blues fusion of “Blues Funk.” Other potential future singles include the sensual and vibey, acid jazzy “Liquorice Pizza” and the brassy, playfully thumping romp “That’s It for Tonight.”  

Restuccia has an impressive worldwide following cultivated via hundreds of popular YouTube videos showcasing his love of, among other genres, rock, jazz, country and 80’s pop. Restuccia also recorded and released two indie albums – "Exposure" in 2016 and "When the Smoke Clears" in 2017. 

Restuccia is truly enjoying all the creative aspects of taking his career further, and is excited that more people than ever are hearing his music and responding so positively to it. Restuccia notes “It’s an incredible process, where you start out with a little nugget of an idea and expand it into a song and production that’s so much bigger than you could ever have imagined. Exciting me just as much as that blank canvas is the opportunity to, post-pandemic, perform my own material live. I’ve gigged on and off as a sideman with local UK blues musicians, but there’s nothing like the opportunity to touch people with songs I wrote from the heart. I feel like this is my time, and I can honestly say I’ve arrived.” For more information visit robertorestuccia.com

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

  • Mallorca Smooth Jazz Festival - Mallorca, Spain
  • Catalina JazzTrax Jazz Festival - Avalon, CA
  • Middle C Jazz - Charlotte, NC
  • BMG Concert Series - Melbourne, FL
  • St James Live! - Atlanta, GA
  • Seabreeze Jazz Festival - Panama City Beach, FL
  • Dave Koz Cruise - Amsterdam, NL
  • Pizza Express Jazz Club - London, UK

PERFORMANCE VIDEOS

 

SINGLES

DISCOGRAPHY