Remembering Gene Bertoncini

April 6, 1937 – August 29, 2026

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Guitarist Gene Bertoncini passed away on Aug. 29, 2026 at the age of 89.

He was born on Apr. 6, 1937 in New York City, began playing guitar when he was seven (his father also played guitar), and was performing professionally as a teenager.

Bertoncini took lessons from guitarist Johnny Smith, earned a degree at Notre Dame in Architectural Engineering, played clarinet with the Notre Dame marching band, and served in the Marines.

After his discharge, he worked in Chicago with Carmen McRae and then in New York performed with Mike Mainieri and Buddy Rich, became a member of the Tonight Show band, and became very busy as a freelancer.

Among the many artists who he worked with were Tony Bennett, Benny Goodman, Paul Desmond, Hubert Laws, Michel Legrand, Wayne Shorter, Clark Terry, and Nancy Wilson, and he had a countless number of studio assignments, club dates, and jazz recordings.

Bertoncini played solo guitar twice a week at the Bistro La Medeleine in New York City during 1990-2008; he also was on the faculty of several colleges, teaching younger students.

The tasteful guitarist led at least 25 albums of his own during 1969-2022 and recorded with an endless list of jazz artists including Monty Alexander, Chet Baker, Ron Carter, Paul Desmond, Johnny Frigo, Astrud Gilberto, Rebecca Kilgore, Hubert Laws, Susannah McCorkle, Mark Murphy, Grover Washington Jr, and duets with bassist Michael Moore.

Gene Bertoncini is featured in 2012 playing solo guitar on a medley of jazz standards.

-Scott Yanow

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