Gene Bertoncini obit

Fingerstyle Jazz Guitarist Gene Bertoncini Dies At Age 89

 

He was not on the list.

Jazz Guitar Today pays tribute to a truly great guitarist, Gene Bertoncini. RIP

Guitar great Gene Bertoncini died in New York City on August 29, 2026.  He was born in New York City in 1937.  Gene started on the guitar at age seven and, by age sixteen, was occasionally appearing on television.  His first guitar teacher was the great Johnny Smith.  He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Architectural Engineering.  Later, while studying with another guitar great, Chuck Wayne, Chuck had Gene listen to classical guitarist Julian Bream; Gene fell in love with the sound of fingerstyle nylon-string guitar and devoted his life and musical approach to performing jazz on the nylon string.

Gene was an early member of the Tonight Show Band when it was broadcast from New York, and he has performed with literally a Who’s Who of great jazz artists. When one hears Gene perform, the logic of his “Architectural Mind” is tastefully reflected in his playing.

Jazz Guitar Today pays tribute to a truly great guitarist, Gene Bertoncini. RIP

Guitar great Gene Bertoncini died in New York City on August 29, 2026.  He was born in New York City in 1937.  Gene started on the guitar at age seven and, by age sixteen, was occasionally appearing on television.  His first guitar teacher was the great Johnny Smith.  He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Architectural Engineering.  Later, while studying with another guitar great, Chuck Wayne, Chuck had Gene listen to classical guitarist Julian Bream; Gene fell in love with the sound of fingerstyle nylon-string guitar and devoted his life and musical approach to performing jazz on the nylon string.

Gene was an early member of the Tonight Show Band when it was broadcast from New York, and he has performed with literally a Who’s Who of great jazz artists. When one hears Gene perform, the logic of his “Architectural Mind” is tastefully reflected in his playing.

I have interviewed Gene a couple of times in his Upper East Side apartment. One memorable time we also included a call to Johnny Smith on speakerphone.  What a treat it was to be part of a conversation with these guitar giants and long-time friends.  Over the years, Gene’s name has come up in several of my guitar interviews.  Here is what some of those guitar players told me about Gene’s playing:

Steve Abshire  (They recorded together)

Gene’s harmonic concepts are nothing short of awesome.  Of all the nylon string guitar players, no one gets the colors out of their guitar as Gene does.  I have recorded with Gene twice, and he is a great guy.  He is the nicest New Yorker I have met.  One was a tribute to Charlie Byrd and the second was with a vocalist in the area.  The second recording was especially fun.

I once was listening to Gene at the Smithsonian Jazz Café, and Gene was so good.  I was sitting there relaxed and mellow and just enjoying the moment, and Gene rudely awakened me by saying in the microphone, “My guitar is so lonely. Steve, would you come up on stage and play with me?” (laughter)

Jazz Guitar Today pays tribute to a truly great guitarist, Gene Bertoncini. RIP

Guitar great Gene Bertoncini died in New York City on August 29, 2026.  He was born in New York City in 1937.  Gene started on the guitar at age seven and, by age sixteen, was occasionally appearing on television.  His first guitar teacher was the great Johnny Smith.  He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Architectural Engineering.  Later, while studying with another guitar great, Chuck Wayne, Chuck had Gene listen to classical guitarist Julian Bream; Gene fell in love with the sound of fingerstyle nylon-string guitar and devoted his life and musical approach to performing jazz on the nylon string.

Gene was an early member of the Tonight Show Band when it was broadcast from New York, and he has performed with literally a Who’s Who of great jazz artists. When one hears Gene perform, the logic of his “Architectural Mind” is tastefully reflected in his playing.

I have interviewed Gene a couple of times in his Upper East Side apartment. One memorable time we also included a call to Johnny Smith on speakerphone.  What a treat it was to be part of a conversation with these guitar giants and long-time friends.  Over the years, Gene’s name has come up in several of my guitar interviews.  Here is what some of those guitar players told me about Gene’s playing:

Steve Abshire  (They recorded together)

Gene’s harmonic concepts are nothing short of awesome.  Of all the nylon string guitar players, no one gets the colors out of their guitar as Gene does.  I have recorded with Gene twice, and he is a great guy.  He is the nicest New Yorker I have met.  One was a tribute to Charlie Byrd and the second was with a vocalist in the area.  The second recording was especially fun.

I once was listening to Gene at the Smithsonian Jazz Café, and Gene was so good.  I was sitting there relaxed and mellow and just enjoying the moment, and Gene rudely awakened me by saying in the microphone, “My guitar is so lonely. Steve, would you come up on stage and play with me?” (laughter)

Roni Ben-Hur (They recorded together in 2008)

We work together quite a bit.  He mastered pick playing then switched to fingerstyle.  In Brazil, he is referred to as the Segovia of jazz guitar.  You watch him play and wonder, “What is he doing?”  He is such a master.  When we did the album Smile, it was such a wonderful process. He is such a master at how he puts his music together. He capitalizes on how classical composers wrote for the guitar.  He writes music and figures out how to play that music on the guitar.

Peter Bernstein They recorded together in 1999)

Gene was my first teacher.  Gene was teaching at Eastman.  He was so encouraging and helpful.  I am so amazed at his playing, his chords, his sound.  He is a huge influence on me.  His chord voicings are really unique.  He sort of takes what Jim Hall does and adds this classical guitar thing to it. When he plays, he sounds like he is caressing the guitar, not pounding it out.

John Pisano

Gene has been to the Guitar Night quite a few times and always stays at my house.  He studied with Chuck Wayne as well.  He is unique in how he creates space in his music.  He uses such inimitable voicings.  He has the most creative rendition of “Body and Soul.”

Kenny Poole (They recorded together in 1998)

You know that Gene has a degree in architecture. It comes out in his playing.  His chord structure is almost architectural.  I sometimes wonder what kind of buildings he would design?  Out of his mind come chord voicings that are so fresh and original.  This guy is really deep.

He appreciates my playing for different reasons.  He was in town, and that night I got off my gig early, so I stopped in to hear him.  He invited me up, and we did two sets together that night. Afterward, he came to me and said that we need to record an album together, which we did a few years later.  Listen to what he is doing there.  (pause) He is so good at playing the melody on the bottom and putting these great chord voicings above it.  

Rick Stone

It has a nice vibe to it.  Gene’s solo guitar albums have some of the most wonderful arrangements.  I love how he does things differently.  Like he would sometimes put the melody on the bottom and the chords on top. I am very conservative in my solo guitar playing.  But Gene’s arrangements are very well thought through.  When you hear him play a tune another time his solo arrangement sounds similar like he works out specific arrangements. They are always great arrangements