Gianni Gardner is an up-and-coming jazz guitarist, composer,
bandleader and educator living in New York City. With roots in Central Connecticut, he earned his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Western Connecticut State University and received his Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Manhattan School of Music. Gianni studied with and was deeply influenced by an eclectic variety of renowned jazz musicians including Mike Moreno, Marc Cary, John Benitez and Ingrid Jensen.
Gianni, a versatile guitarist, enjoys playing a variety of jazz styles. Besides leading Ascent, he plays with New London Big Band in Connecticut and UltraBlue, a smooth jazz band in New Jersey, as well as with Latin jazz groups and small ensembles throughout NYC, Connecticut and the East Coast. Through these collaborations, Gianni has had the opportunity to play at well-known jazz locales including The Django, The Iridium, Birdland Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Minton’s Playhouse, Winnie’s Jazz Bar, The Side Door Jazz Club, the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz and Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series in Bushnell Park.