Pietro Tonolo (born May 30, 1959) is an Italian jazz saxophone player and composer.
Classical music’s loss was jazz’s gain in 1979, when Pietro Tonolo gave up a career as a classical violinist to become a jazz sax player. Around that time, he moved to Milan, where he played with some of Italy’s best jazz musicians, including Franco D’Andrea, Luigi Bonafede, Larry Nocella, Massimo Urbani, Rita Marcotulli and Enrico Rava .
In 1982, Tonolo joined the Gil Evans Orchestra, playing with notable musicians as Steve Lacy, Lew Soloff and Ray Anderson . He later went on to perform in jazz clubs and on radio and television around Europe and the USA, both as a sideman and as a leader with his own band. He was a steady member of the Paul Motian ’s Electric Bebop Band from 1999 to 2004. Other notable collaborators have included the likes of Kenny Clarke , Roswell Rudd , Sal Nistico , Chet Baker , Lee Konitz , John Surman , Steve Swallow , Gil Goldstein, Barry Altschul , Joe Chambers , Henri Texier , Aldo Romano , Kenny Wheeler , Eliot Zigmund and Tony Oxley .
Besides Jazz, Tonolo has been collaborating with contemporary musicians and ensemble (‘Ex Novo Ensemble’, ‘Laboratorio Novamusica’, ‘Nex Time Ensemble’, ‘Sentieri Selvaggi’, ‘Orchestra d’archi Italiana’, sax quartet ‘Arundo Donax’). Is currently teaching at the Conservatory of Vicenza and Siena Jazz international masterclasses.
He lives in Venice .
Quartet, Quintet, Sextet – Splasc(h), 1985Un'Altra Galassia – Fonit Cetra, 1987 with Rita Marcotulli Flight Charts & Plants – Le Folies Art, 1988Slowly – Splasc(h), 1991Alliance – Pentaflowers, 1993 with Joe ChambersTresse – Splasc(h), 1993 with Henri Texier and Aldo RomanoSimbiosi – Splasc(h), 1995Tribute to Nino Rota – Nel Jazz, 1995Notte di Luna Calante – Jazz Today, 1998C'era una Volta - Splasc(h), 1996 with Arundo DonaxAmigdala – Velut Luna, 1997Un Veliero all'Orizzonte – Egea, 1997Disguise – Splasc(h), 1997Ricercar Scintille – Splasc(h), 1998 with Steve SwallowMonologues – Splasc(h), 1998 (solo sax)Arundo Donax – BMG, 1999Sotto la Luna – Egea, 1999 with Danilo ReaLeoni e Altri Gatti – Velut Luna, 2000Luna Park – Egea, 2000Portrait of Duke – Label Bleu, 2000 with Gil Goldstein, Steve Swallow, Paul Motian Glasswater – Splasc(h), 2001Retrò – Egea, 2001Autunno – Egea, 2001 with Paolo BirroDancers in Love – Splasc(h), 2002 with Arundo DonaxFarfalle – Egea, 2002 with Gil GoldsteinOltremare – Egea, 2004 with Paul MotianItalian Songs – Egea, 2006 with Gil Goldstein, Essiet Essiet, Joe ChambersLennie's Pennies – Blue Serge, 2006Your Songs – ObliqSound , 2007 with Gil Goldstein, Steve Swallow, Paul MotianMirando – Egea, 2009 with Gil GoldsteinThe Translators – Parco Della Musica, 2009 with Joe ChambersPietro Tonolo – Gruppo Editoriale Repubblica-l'Espresso, 2010 with Rita MarcotulliCorner Brilliance – Alma, 2012 with Eliot Zigmund Passport – Parco Della Musica, 2012 with Joe Chambers, Jordi RossyDajaloo – Parco Della Musica, 2012Guido Manusardi A Bridge into the New Generation – Splasc(h), 1981 Enrico Rava : Andanada – Soul Note, 1983Luigi Bonafede Live in Sanremo & in Pesaro – Splasc(h), 1985 with Massimo Urbani Luca Flores Where Extremes Meet – Splasc(h), 1987 Big Band Keptorchestra Keptorchestra – Nord Sound, 1992 Giovanni Tommaso Over the Ocean – (Red, 1993 Mario Raja Ellington – Splasc(h), 1994 Big Band Keptorchestra Sweet Sixteen – Caligola, 1994 with Steve Lacy Marcello Tonolo DAYS – Caligola, 1995 Big Band Keptorchestra Miss Etna – Caligola, 1996 with Joe Lovano Giovanni Tommaso Strane Stelle Strane – BMG, 1996 Marcello Tonolo Seed Journey – Caligola, 1998 Mario Raja Dodici Storie – Splasc(h),1998 Giovanni Tommaso Third Step – BMG, 1998 Francesco Maccianti Oasi – Splasc(h), 1998 Ex novo Ensemble Ouverture – Velut Luna, 1999 Francesco Maccianti Mosaico – Philology, 2000 Paul Motian Electric Bebop Band Europe – Winter & Winter, 2001 Paul Motian Electric Bebop Band Holiday for Strings – Winter & Winter, 2002 
