Spelunker
Microphones, internal resonances and feedback extend the saxophone into an electroacoustic instrument. Alto saxophone, bass flute and electronics meet in a personal sound laboratory.
Hear the album ↗
01 / About
Biography
Piero Bittolo Bon is an Italian saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, improviser and composer whose work spans jazz, improvised music and electroacoustic experimentation. His principal instrument is the alto saxophone; he also plays baritone saxophone, flutes, clarinets and electric bass.
As a member of the former El Gallo Rojo collective from 2006 to 2016, he has developed several projects ranging from collaborative reed trios to large ensembles. Together with Alfonso Santimone, he co-directs the Tower Jazz Composers Orchestra, resident at Jazz Club Ferrara, and is a member of the Istantanea collective.
He studies shakuhachi with Dai Shihan Fiore De Mattia of the Hijirikai school.
Since 2019 he has taught jazz saxophone at the Pietro Mascagni Conservatory in Livorno. He is an endorsing artist for Rampone & Cazzani saxophones.
He performed and recorded with Italian artists such as Danilo Gallo, Zeno de Rossi, Beppe Scardino, Enrico Terragnoli, Stefano Senni, Francesco Bigoni, Massimiliano Sorrentini, Achille Succi, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Tiziano Tononi, Daniele Cavallanti, Francesco Cusa, Domenico Caliri, Giovanni Maier, U.T. Gandhi, Simone Massaron, Silvia Bolognesi, John De Leo and with musicians like Anthony Braxton, Uri Caine, Peter Evans, Steve Lehman, John Tchicai, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Bill Carrothers, Lukas Ligeti, Maurice Louca, Rabih Beaini, Gino Robair, Jessica Lurie, Andrew Drury, Neil Leonard, Ernest Dawkins, Vincent Davis, Craig J. Green, Tristan Honsinger, Gerhard Gschloessl, Christian Lillinger, Tobias Delius, Mark Solborg, Marc Lohr, Lisa Mezzacappa, Jason Levis and many others.
Further reading: Il Giornale della Musica ↗ · Istantanea ↗
Selected projects
02 / CollaborationsSpell//Hunger
With Andrea Grillini. Electronically augmented saxophones meet drums, electronics and voice.
Explore recordings ↗Bread & Fox
With Filippo Vignato, Glauco Benedetti, Alfonso Santimone and Andrea Grillini. Composed material and improvisation for an ensemble of saxophone, trombone, tuba, piano and drums.
Hear the quintet ↗Crisco 3
With Beppe Scardino and Francesco Bigoni. Original compositions, collective improvisation and arrangements, documented on two releases for Aut Records.
Listen ↗Tower Jazz Composers Orchestra
The Tower Jazz Composers Orchestra grew from the “The Unreal Book” workshops. Istantanea connects contemporary composition, improvisation, electronics and the visual and performing arts.
The self-titled album documents the orchestra, with Alfonso Santimone and Piero Bittolo Bon as music directors.
Listen to the album ↗ · Istantanea ↗Jümp The Shark
Original compositions for reeds, guitar, vibraphone, bass and drums. The group features Domenico Caliri, Pasquale Mirra, Danilo Gallo and Federico Scettri, with Gerhard Gschlössl joining the sextet on trombone and sousaphone.
Three albums on El Gallo Rojo: Sugoi Sentai! GATTAI!!, Ohmlaut and Iuvenes Doom Sumus.
Listen to the collection ↗Eyal Maoz / Piero Bittolo Bon / Zeno De Rossi
Eyal Maoz on electric guitar, Piero Bittolo Bon on alto and baritone saxophones, shakuhachi and electronics, and Zeno De Rossi on drums and bells. Their album forced to feel was released by Chant Records in 2026.
Hear the album ↗Selected recordings
03 / DiscographyCollaborations
Beppe Scardino
Orange Room
The saxophonist’s sextet with Francesco Bigoni, Pasquale Mirra, Antonio Borghini and Federico Scettri. Recordings include Orange Room (2007) and Elegy for the Punk Movement (2010).
Listen ↗
Orange Room ↗Francesco Bigoni & Mark Solborg
On Dog
An Italian–Danish quintet with Beppe Scardino and Marc Lohr. The group has released three albums on ILK, bringing together reeds, guitar, drums and electronics.
Explore the project ↗
Dielectric ↗Alfonso Santimone
Unscientific Italians
A large ensemble dedicated to the music of Bill Frisell, with arrangements by Alfonso Santimone. Piero plays alto saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet.
Listen ↗
Play the Music of Bill Frisell Vol.1 & 2 ↗Woodwinds & electronics
Rabih Beaini / Upperground Orchestra
Collaborations include Beaini’s Al Bidaya, Upperground Orchestra’s The Eupen Takes and Euganea, and Astral Travel’s If You Say You Are From This Planet, Why Do You Treat It Like You Do?, produced by Beaini.
Upperground recordings ↗
Euganea ↗Domenico Caliri
Camera Lirica
An ensemble combining reeds, brass, strings, keyboards and percussion under Caliri’s direction. Piero appears on Camera lirica, playing alto saxophone, alto clarinet and flute.
Listen ↗
Camera lirica ↗Skrunch / Jaruzelski’s Dream
Francesco Cusa
A collaboration with the drummer and composer Francesco Cusa. Piero plays alto saxophone in the electric lineup of Jacques Lacan, A True Musical Story.
With Cusa and bassist Stefano Senni, Piero also plays in the trio Jaruzelski’s Dream, whose album Jazz Gawronski was released by Clean Feed in 2010.
Listen ↗
Jacques Lacan, A True Musical Story ↗
Jaruzelski’s Dream: Jazz Gawronski (Clean Feed, 2010) ↗Maurice Louca
Elephantine
An ensemble led by Maurice Louca, with Piero on alto saxophone and electronics. The collaboration is documented on Moonshine, alongside an international group of musicians.
Listen ↗
Moonshine ↗El Gallo Rojo Records
Recordings featuring Piero Bittolo Bon in the label’s Bandcamp catalogue.
04 / Connect
Contact
For booking, collaborations and enquiries:
piero.bittolobon@gmail.com