JAZZPROFILES lives in the music 1,572 Jazz Artists fully Profiled! Rosario Bonaccorso
Last updated October 1, 2026
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Rosario Bonaccorso was born on December 8, 1957, in Riposto, a seaside town on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. In 1960 his family moved to Imperia, on the Ligurian coast, where he grew up. At seventeen he was already leading his own electric bass band, playing material by Genesis and Led Zeppelin alongside his own songs, and the group earned him the Diapason d'Oro award from Monzino. At twenty he switched to the double bass, drawn in by Eddie Gomez and Scott LaFaro, the two bassists of the Bill Evans Trio. He studied the instrument largely on his own, earned two scholarships along the way, and began working with bands across northern Italy.
His national debut came in 1982 at Milan's International Festival Ciak, where he played alongside trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti, drummer Daniel Humair, and pianist Dado Moroni. Hearing Ron Carter's bass work on Miles Davis's My Funny Valentine gave him a new reference point, and he went on to study the playing of Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and Charlie Haden. From 1997 he became a fixture of Stefano Di Battista's working band, playing more than 500 concerts with the quartet across Europe, North America, and Asia through 2007, and from 1998 to 2008 he held a ten-year chair in Enrico Rava's groups, recording for ECM along the way. Across a discography of more than 70 albums for labels including ECM, Blue Note, Verve, Warner, and Label Bleu, he has also worked with Elvin Jones, Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Benny Golson, and Billy Cobham internationally, and with Gino Paoli, Danilo Rea, Flavio Boltro, and Roberto Gatto on the Italian scene.
As a leader he has released six albums under his own name since 2008: Travel Notes (2008) and In Cammino (2011) with his Travel Notes Quartet, In Mezzo C'e Solo... Il Mare (2013), a trio session with Fabrizio Bosso and guitarist Roberto Taufic, Viaggiando (2015), A Beautiful Story (2017), and A New Home (2019), billed to the Rosario Bonaccorso Quartet featuring Stefano Di Battista. Since 1996 he has also been the founder, organizer, and artistic director of Percfest in Laigueglia, an annual festival that pairs an international jazz program with the Memorial Naco, a percussion event dedicated to his late brother Naco, a percussionist who died in 1996. His teaching work has included directing workshops and seminars at Percfest since 1997, jazz seminars under Giovanni Mazzarino in Piazza Armerina (2010-2011), and bass and ensemble instruction at Franco D'Andrea's international jazz seminars in Merano (2014-2016).
Bonaccorso's bass playing grew out of the Bill Evans Trio lineage of Scott LaFaro and Eddie Gomez before he absorbed the harder, more propulsive language of Ron Carter, Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and Charlie Haden. That combination, a lyrical, melodically active right hand over a firmly swinging foundation, has made him a first-call sideman for Italy's most prominent post-bop stylists, Enrico Rava and Stefano Di Battista foremost among them, as well as for visiting American hard-bop and mainstream players. As a leader, his own albums favor working quartets and trios built around a single horn (trumpet or saxophone) plus rhythm section, with original compositions, several of which he has also sung on, rather than standards.
- A New Home (2019, Studio Millesuoni / Jando Music) - his most recent leader date, billed to the Rosario Bonaccorso Quartet featuring Stefano Di Battista, with Fulvio Sigurta on trumpet and flugelhorn. Spotify - A New Home Listen
- In Cammino (2011, Parco Della Musica Records) - twelve original compositions for his Travel Notes Quartet, with Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet and Stefano Di Battista on soprano saxophone. Spotify - In Cammino Listen
- Viaggiando (2015, Via Veneto Jazz) - a 14-track set with Fabrizio Bosso, Javier Girotto, and Roberto Taufic. Spotify - Viaggiando Listen
- Stefano Di Battista (2000, Blue Note) - as a sideman on Di Battista's Blue Note leader date alongside Elvin Jones and Jacky Terrasson, not one of Bonaccorso's own albums but a landmark credit in his international career.
Rosario Bonaccorso: Full Discography (Discogs-Verified)
Identity confirmed via Discogs artist ID 901455 ("Rosario Bonaccorso"), credit-matched on multiple releases (role "Bass" / "Double Bass"). A separate artist entity, "Rosario Bonaccorso Quartet" (Discogs ID 8219897), covers his own quartet's two self-titled-era releases and is folded into the same table below since it is simply his own working group. No name collision: Discogs' only other close match, "Giuseppe Bonaccorso" (ID 1016207), is a distinct artist.
82 total Discogs credit rows on the main artist ID: 9 Main, 63 Appearance, 7 TrackAppearance, 2 UnofficialRelease, 1 Producer, plus 2 further Main-role releases on the Quartet sub-entity.
LEADER: full detail
| Album | Year | Label | Personnel | Notes | Listen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Notes | 2008 | Parco Della Musica Records | Andrea Pozza (piano), Andy Gravish (trumpet, flugelhorn), Nicola Angelucci (drums), Rosario Bonaccorso (double bass) | Billed to the Rosario Bonaccorso Quartet. | not found | not found |
| In Cammino | 2011 | Parco Della Musica Records | Andrea Pozza (piano), Fabrizio Bosso (trumpet), Nicola Angelucci (drums), Stefano Di Battista (soprano saxophone), Rosario Bonaccorso (double bass, voice) | Billed to the Rosario Bonaccorso Travel Notes Quartet; all twelve compositions written by Bonaccorso. | Spotify | not found |
| In Mezzo C'e Solo... Il Mare | 2013 | Musica Jazz | Fabrizio Bosso (trumpet, flugelhorn), Roberto Taufic (guitar), Rosario Bonaccorso (contrabass, vocals) | Trio recording; Bonaccorso composed and arranged. | not found | not found |
| Viaggiando | 2015 | Via Veneto Jazz | Fabrizio Bosso (trumpet, flugelhorn), Javier Girotto (soprano saxophone, quena), Roberto Taufic (guitar, backing vocals), Rosario Bonaccorso (double bass, vocals) | 14 tracks; Bonaccorso wrote music and lyrics. | Spotify | not found |
| A Beautiful Story | 2017 | Via Veneto Jazz | Dino Rubino (trumpet), Enrico Zanisi (piano), Alessandro Paternesi (drums), Rosario Bonaccorso (double bass) | Quartet date, 12 compositions. | not found | not found |
| A New Home | 2019 | Studio Millesuoni / Jando Music | Fulvio Sigurta (trumpet, flugelhorn), Enrico Zanisi (piano), Alessandro Paternesi (drums), Stefano Di Battista (saxophone), Rosario Bonaccorso (double bass) | Billed to the Rosario Bonaccorso Quartet featuring Stefano Di Battista. | Spotify | not found |
CO-LEADER: equal billing
| Album | Year | Co-billed with | Label | Notes | Listen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visions | 2007 | Bebo Ferra, Fabrizio Sferra | Abeat Records | Equal three-way billing ("Ferra, Bonaccorso, Sferra" on the Discogs credit line); a trio recording, not a Bonaccorso-led session. | not found | not found |
GUEST / featured on another artist's own album
These appear under Discogs' "Main" role tag because Bonaccorso is a named, billed artist, but the release is properly someone else's project.
| Album | Year | Actual leader | Label | Notes | Listen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stefano Di Battista | 2000 | Stefano Di Battista | Blue Note | Co-billed on the Discogs credit line with Elvin Jones and Jacky Terrasson; Di Battista's own Blue Note leader date. | not found | not found |
| Milestones - Un Incontro In Jazz | 2007 (reissued 2011 as "Un Incontro In Jazz Con") | Gino Paoli | Blue Note / Parco Della Musica Records | Singer-songwriter Gino Paoli's own project, with Enrico Rava, Flavio Boltro, Danilo Rea, Roberto Gatto and Renato Sellani alongside Bonaccorso. | Spotify - "Vivere Ancora" (track link; no standalone Spotify album page found) | not found |
APPEARANCE / sideman, compilation and producer credits (chronological)
Not exhaustive at the individual-track level; drawn from Discogs' Appearance, TrackAppearance, Producer and UnofficialRelease roles on artist ID 901455.
- 1990 - La "Voce" E "Mr Gershwin" Live (Ca' Bianca Club) - Alessandra, Sante Palumbo
- 1991 - Viaggio Ignoto (Antonio Faraò Quartet) - Antonio Faraò
- 1992 - Manusardi In Trio (Edizioni Minstrel) - Guido Manusardi
- 1992 - What's New? (Splasc(h) Records) - Dado Moroni Trio, Dado Moroni
- 1994 - In Jazz (Caligola) - Giampaolo Casati Trio, Giampaolo Casati
- 1994 - Danilo Amerio - Danilo Amerio
- 1995 - En Este Mundo (Edizione Straordinaria) - Claudio Cirimele
- 1996 - Expose (Dischi Della Quercia) - Antonio Faraò Quartet feat. Franco Ambrosetti, with Antonio Faraò
- 1996 - The Old Lion Roars (Giants Of Jazz) - Tony Scott, Mario Rusca Trio, with Mario Rusca
- 1997 - L'Age Mur (Philology) - Konitz / Rava Quartet: Lee Konitz, Enrico Rava, Massimo Manzi; Konitz is profiled on the main JazzProfiles vault
- 1997 - Anima Latina (MUSIDEA) - Armando Corsi
- 1997 - Volare (Label Bleu) - Stefano Di Battista Quintet, with Stefano Di Battista (vinyl reissued 2016)
- 1998 - Confluenze (Splasc(H) Records) - E.S.P. Trio & Modern Ensemble
- 1998 - Soulscape (Dischi Della Quercia) - Five For Jazz
- 1998 - The Great Naco Orchestra (Symphonia Sgr) - Various, dedicated to Bonaccorso's late brother and percussionist Naco
- 1998 - A Prima Vista - Stefano Di Battista Quintet, with Stefano Di Battista
- 1999 - Two Trios (W.E.R.F.) - Frank Vaganee Trio feat. John Ruocco
- 2001 - Planet Jazz (Splasc(h) Records) - Tullio De Piscopo Italian Jazz Machine
- 2001 - Jazz Im Gartnerplatz 2001 (Chaos) - Various
- 2002 - Encanto (Splasc(H) Records, producer credit) - Attilio Zanchi, Naco, Bebo Ferra; Attilio Zanchi and Bebo Ferra both profiled
- 2002 - Jazz For More... (Via Veneto Jazz) - High Five Quintet
- 2002 - Live (W.E.R.F.) - Bert Joris Quartet
- 2002 - Hello Satch! (Platinum) - Lino Patruno, Romano Mussolini With Carlo Loffredo & The Jazz Stars Of Italy; Lino Patruno and Romano Mussolini both profiled
- 2002 - 'Round About Roma - Stefano di Battista, with Stefano Di Battista
- 2002 - Renaissance - Enrico Rava
- 2003 - Deep (C.A.M. Jazz) - Roberto Gatto Quintet, with Roberto Gatto
- 2003 - Iseo Jazz Dieci Anni Di Jazz Italiano (CDpM LION) - Various
- 2004 - Tutto Passa (Virgin) - Nicky Nicolai
- 2004 - Label Bleu Story Una Maison Del Jazz (Musica Jazz / Label Bleu) - Various
- 2004 - Note Necessarie (Minimum Fax) and Easy Living - Enrico Rava
- 2004 - Parker's Mood - Stefano Di Battista, with Stefano Di Battista
- 2004 - La Note Bleue - Claude Nougaro
- 2005 - Che Mistero e L'Amore (EMI) - Nicky Nicolai
- 2005 - Percfest 2004 (VideoRadio) - Various, from Bonaccorso's own festival
- 2005 - Miss Soul and 2006 Big Boogaloo - Eric Legnini Trio (not profiled on any vault)
- 2005 - Sul Lungotevere (Musica Jazz, track appearance) - Roberto Gatto
- 2006 - Jazzitaliano Live 2006 (Casa Del Jazz) - Roberto Gatto and Stefano Di Battista (separate discs)
- 2006 - 12000 Lune Classica & Jazz (Pressing Line / Sony BMG) - Lucio Dalla
- 2006 - Le Miracle D'Une Voix - Natalie Dessay
- 2007 - The Words And The Days - Enrico Rava Quintet, with Enrico Rava
- 2008 - The Music Next Door (Emarcy) - Roberto Gatto
- 2009 - Jazzitaliano Live 2009 (Casa Del Jazz) - Stefano Di Battista
- 2009 - If - Mario Biondi (not primarily jazz; bio-only)
- 2011 - Homecoming (Albore Jazz) - Emanuele Cisi Quartet
- 2011 - In Sicilia Una Suite (Jazzy Records) and 2020 Love Vibrations - Giovanni Mazzarino Quartet (not profiled on any vault)
- 2013 - Quattro + Quattro (Musica Jazz) - Fabrizio Bosso
- 2013 - In Quella Notte Di Stelle (Sony Music / Okeh) - Lucio Dalla, Stefano Di Battista Jazz Quartet, with Stefano Di Battista
- 2013 - Launching (TCB Records) - Peter Eigenmann / Ken Cervenka Nonet
- 2014 - Sonata Di Mare (Musica Jazz) - Various
- 2014 - Gino Paoli Special (Parco Della Musica Records) - Gino Paoli
- 2015 - TDP50 (Musica Senza Padrone 1965/2015) (Warner Music Italy) - Tullio De Piscopo
- 2018 - No Eyes - Looking At Lester Young (Warner Music Italy) - Emanuele Cisi
- 2019 - Across The Sea (Via Veneto Jazz / Jando Music) - Kevin Hays, Chiara Izzi
- 2022 - For You - Olivia Trummer, Nicola Angelucci, Kurt Rosenwinkel
- Italian Clarinet Summit (Not On Label) - Bruno Longhi, Gianni Sanjust
- Compilation TrackAppearance credits 2008-2012: I Love Jazz (EMI), Jazz For A Summer's Day (Blue Note / EMI), Cool Tv Breaks (EMI Music Italy), Umbria Jazz 11 (EMI / Blue Note), Canzoni D'Autore (EMI), Estate Italiana (EMI) - all Various Artists
Full catalog at Discogs: Rosario Bonaccorso and Discogs: Rosario Bonaccorso Quartet.
- Stefano Di Battista (saxophones) - Bonaccorso's longest-running Italian partnership: a member of his touring quartet from 1997 to 2007 (500-plus concerts), and Discogs-confirmed together on Stefano Di Battista (2000, Blue Note), Volare (1997) and A Prima Vista (1998) with the Stefano Di Battista Quintet, 'Round About Roma and Jazzitaliano Live 2006/2009, Parker's Mood (2004), In Quella Notte Di Stelle (2013, with Lucio Dalla), and, in the other direction, as a featured guest on Bonaccorso's own In Cammino (2011) and A New Home (2019).
- Enrico Rava (trumpet) - a ten-year chair in Rava's bands, 1998-2008, Discogs-confirmed on Renaissance (2002), Note Necessarie and Easy Living (2004), and The Words And The Days with the Enrico Rava Quintet (2007), plus the Konitz/Rava Quartet's L'Age Mur (1997) and the Gino Paoli-led Milestones - Un Incontro In Jazz (2007).
- Fabrizio Bosso (trumpet) - a recurring frontline partner on three of Bonaccorso's own leader albums, In Cammino (2011), In Mezzo C'e Solo... Il Mare (2013), and Viaggiando (2015), and Discogs-confirmed as a guest on Bosso's own Quattro + Quattro (2013).
- Roberto Gatto (drums) - fellow sideman across the Gino Paoli project Milestones - Un Incontro In Jazz (2007) and Discogs-confirmed on Gatto's own Deep (2003), Sul Lungotevere (2005), Jazzitaliano Live 2006, and The Music Next Door (2008).
- Danilo Rea (piano) and Flavio Boltro (trumpet) - fellow members of the Gino Paoli-led Milestones - Un Incontro In Jazz (2007) and its 2011 reissue Un Incontro In Jazz Con, alongside Roberto Gatto and Renato Sellani; both already profiled on jazzprofiles.com.
- Dado Moroni (piano) - shared Bonaccorso's 1982 Milan debut at the International Festival Ciak, and Discogs-confirmed together on the Dado Moroni Trio's What's New? (1992).
- Antonio Faraò (piano) - Discogs-confirmed on the Antonio Faraò Quartet's Viaggio Ignoto (1991) and Expose (1996, featuring Franco Ambrosetti).
- Andrea Pozza (piano) and Nicola Angelucci (drums) - the rhythm section of Bonaccorso's own Travel Notes Quartet on both Travel Notes (2008) and In Cammino (2011); Angelucci also appears with Bonaccorso on Olivia Trummer's For You (2022).
- Enrico Zanisi (piano) and Alessandro Paternesi (drums) - Discogs-confirmed rhythm-section partners on both A Beautiful Story (2017) and A New Home (2019).
- Fulvio Sigurta (trumpet, flugelhorn) - Discogs-confirmed on A New Home (2019).
- Dino Rubino (trumpet) - Discogs-confirmed on A Beautiful Story (2017).
- Bebo Ferra (guitar) and Fabrizio Sferra (drums) - equal billing partners on the trio album Visions (2007, Abeat Records); Bonaccorso also produced Ferra's Encanto (2002), on which Attilio Zanchi plays.
- Mario Rusca (piano) - Discogs-confirmed on the Mario Rusca Trio's The Old Lion Roars (1996, with Tony Scott).
- Guido Manusardi (piano) - Discogs-confirmed on Manusardi In Trio (1992).
- Giampaolo Casati (trumpet) - Discogs-confirmed on the Giampaolo Casati Trio's In Jazz (1994).
- Emanuele Cisi (saxophone) - Discogs-confirmed on Homecoming (2011) and No Eyes - Looking At Lester Young (2018).
- Lino Patruno (banjo, guitar) and Romano Mussolini (piano) - Discogs-confirmed together on Hello Satch! (2002).
- Chiara Izzi (vocals) - Discogs-confirmed on Across The Sea (2019, with Kevin Hays).
- Gianni Sanjust (clarinet) - Discogs-confirmed on the Italian Clarinet Summit compilation.
- Massimo Manzi (drums) - fellow sideman on the Konitz/Rava Quartet's L'Age Mur (1997); profiled on the main JazzProfiles vault.
- Lee Konitz (alto saxophone) - Discogs-confirmed together on L'Age Mur (1997, Konitz/Rava Quartet); profiled on the main JazzProfiles vault.
His official biography also names collaborations with Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Elvin Jones, Joe Lovano, James Moody, Benny Golson, Billy Cobham, Clark Terry, Cedar Walton, Dianne Reeves, Jimmy Cobb, Jon Faddis, Gato Barbieri, Steve Grossman, Stefano Bollani, and Francesco Cafiso; these are reported here as bio-only claims, without a confirmed recording credit, so they are not linked as collaborations above.
