Tino Tracanna was born in Livorno and grew up in Bergamo, graduating with a Degree in Performing Arts from the University of Bologna.
Starting in 1995 he has taught at several Italian Conservatories and since 2000 has been tenured professor and coordinator of the Jazz Courses at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan.
From 1981 through the early ‘90s he was a member of the Franco D’Andrea Group with which he took part in numerous national and international festivals, recording five albums, two of which (No Idea of Time and Live) were awarded best album of the year by Musica Jazz magazine in 1984 and 1986 respectively. In that same year the quartet was voted best group of the year.
Moreover, since 1983 he has been a member of the Paolo Fresu Quintet with which he has toured extensively in Italy and abroad and recorded several albums, all of which have enjoyed both critical and popular success; one of these, Live in Montpellier won the Musica Jazz Referendum in 1990. The quintet was also voted best group that year. Night on the City and Melos were awarded the prestigious French “Choc” prize from Jazzman magazine in 1995 and 2000, respectively. During those years he collaborated on various projects with Tiziana Ghiglioni and many other leading Italian jazz musicians.
Recently Tino has been working and recording with many other Italian and international jazz musicians, appearing on 110 albums as guest soloist.
Since 1985 he has led his own groups and recorded several albums all of which have been critically and popularly received, participating at numerous festivals and events. Among these, it is worth citing 292 (3rd place in the Musica Jazz Referendum), Quartetto, La Forma delle Cose and Live (with Massimo Colombo, Marco Micheli, Francesco Petreni, P. Dalla Porta), Gesualdo (an interpretation of madrigals by Gesualdo da Venosa, with the participation of Mariapia De Vito, and arrangements by Corrado Guarino), Punctus in duo with Pierre Favre, Affinita’ Elettiva (score for Jazz quartet and small orchestra).
In 2001, he founded the group Acrobats consisting of T. Tracanna, M. Ottonlini, R. Checchetto, P. Dalla Porta, A. Fusco) with which he recorded the album of the same name and Red Basics in 2016 for Parco della Musica (Music Park).
In 2012, in collaboration with Bonnot and R. Cecchetto, Drops was created, experimenting with acoustic and electronic instrumentation.
Just recently Mappe was released to critical and popular acclaim, with the Double Cut pianoless quartet consisting of Massimiliano Milesi, Giulio Corini and Filippo Sala.
In the Musica Jazz Referendum of 2017 Tino placed second in the category of best musicians and third place for Acrobats as best group. In 2019 Double Cut was awarded second place for best group.
Tino Tracanna has collaborated with: D.Liebman,S. Lacy, M. Dietrich, G. Ferris, B. Altschul, M. Helias, J.Knepper, T. Stanko, G. Fewell, Steve La Spina, George Cables, Jeff Williams, B. Drummond, J. Tchicai, A. Impullitti, G. Gaslini, Muhal R. Abrams ,T. Pancella, D. Douglas, S. Gervasoni, A. Dulbecco, G. Falzone, G. Trovesi, O. Vanoni, T. Ghiglioni, S. Infascelli, M. Raviglia, R.Cipelli, A.Zanchi, E. Fioravanti, R. Cipelli, A. Zanchi, F. Faraò, G. Cazzola, E. Galante, F. Faraò, S. Tasca, M.Pia De Vito, M. Grossi, Emilio Galante, R. Demo, T. Tononi, D.Cavallanti, P.Minafra, C.Bagnoli, S. Palumbo, R. Gatto, R. Bianchi, I. Varela, G.Basso, A. Pellegrini, A. Mancinelli, A. Altarocca, A. Pellegrini, L. Martinale, G.Tommaso, P. Iodice, M. Milesi, Achille Succi, R. Casarano, F. D’Auria, A. Zambrini, A. Mandarini, D. Douglas, U. Caine…
