Federico Bertelli. Born on November 18th 1966 in the surroundings of Pisa. He started playing "diatonic harp" in 1987. In 1990 he was featured in the "Blues Harbor" LP with M. Mollica and D. North "The Next Blues Generation". After some stints in Amsterdam and Copenhagen (1992-93) where he play with local and International acts, he joins the "Dixie Jam Band" whose leader, "Gianna Cerchier" is a highly respected singer in Italy. In the same period he establishes a group at this name, "Freddy B.Band" with Sergio Montaleni on el.guitar. For more than year, he plays the harmonica in the Blues and Funky Group called "Serious Fun" leaded by Nick Becattini (one of the most important guitar player in Italy). He started to study the "Chromatic Harmonica" listening to Stevie Wonder and Toots Thielemans, sax players (C.Parker, S.Stitt, A.Pepper, J.Coltrane) and pianist (B.Evans, Bud Powell etc.). In 1992 and 1993 he takes part, as a student, to the Jazz Summer Seminars in Siena and "The Clinics - Berklee College of Music in Boston", organized in Perugia during the Umbria Jazz period.  In 1993/94 he attends the C.A.M. school of music in Scandicci (Firenze) as a "Luca Flores's" pupil. In the meanwhile he enters the "Duke of Abruzzi Big Band", leaded by Alessandro Fabbri. In 1995 he takes part to the realisation of the film's soundtrack "Io No Speak Inglish" by E.Vanzina. In the same year, together with the jazz quintet "Iridescente", he is one of the finalist at the "EURO JAZZ FEST" in Oristano and in "Summer Jazz Festival" in Prato. Always with them, he records a live CD with the trumpet player P.Fresu as a guest, at the "Petilia Festival" in Pitigliano (Grosseto). In January 1996, he starts studying improvvisation and harmony with Riccardo Arrighini, focusing on the jazz style, which he likes most, the "Be Bop". During 1996/97, he takes part to the jazz winter seminars at the C.P.M. in Siena as a pupil of Marco Tamburini and Maurizio Giammarco. In addition to some piano lessons, performed by Enrico Piranunzi, he attends the special workshops held by "PALLE DANIELSSON" and "DAVE LIEBMAN", with whom he performs "live as a guest". At the end of September '97, he takes part with the jazz quintet "Blue Bird Conversation" at the "EUROPE JAZZ CONTEST" in Overijse (Bruxelles), where he wins the fifth position, gaininig an award of 5000fr. On September 23, 1998 he takes part at the "Mentana Jazz Festival" in Rome, with his trio, earning a scolarship for the "Berklee in Umbria". Discography: 1990 Denny North & Blues Harbor "THE NEXT BLUES GENERATION" (Minotauro Records) 1993 Scott Alan Hansen "NON MI VERGOGNO" (Morning Star Rec) 1995 Filippo Gaetani "WHAT'S COOKING AT LE BOZZE" (Foné Rec) 1999 Malina "GENTLY HARD" (CIS Records) 1999 Marco Macchiarini & the Sugar Night Band "AMICO MIO HARLEY" (MM CD 1001-2) Contacts: Federico Bertelli P.zza C. Montanara, 10 56030 Cevoli di Lari (PI) tel 0587.685029 fax 0587.686239 GSM 0347.3666182 e-mail federico@officinaweb.it - jazzid@tiscalinet.it