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Pino Zortea (*1995) is a Swiss bassist, composer, songwriter, and bandleader. 

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In "Bicycle Fantasies," he combines his individual songwriting approach with the playing of a five-string acoustic bass. Philipp Saner aptly describes his style: “Pino’s music takes its time with you. His voice takes you by the hand and leads you through floating melodies across a colourful, harmonious landscape. The experience is one of clarity, tenderness, and warmth. There is something joyful in Pino’s music – even melancholic songs speak of an unconditional philanthropy. A gentle celebration of life."

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"Bicycle Fantasies" has been performing live since October 2022 and has since completed over 50 concerts. The song "Queen of Lies" was released in November 2024, while the first album is currently in production.

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In the project "Pino Zortea Jazzkarussell," Pino's sonic vision for the electric bass as well as his compositional style in jazz are reflected. Jorge Rossy sums it up: "Every note Pino plays is full of beauty and meaning. The same goes for the pauses between his musical phrases. There are no wasted moments: His sonic imagination is highly developed, clear, and poetic. He has a very unique sound on the electric bass. His tone is as nuanced, warm, and human as an acoustic instrument in the hands of a virtuoso." 

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The band – consisting of Niculin Janett, Joscha Schraff, Marton Juhasz, and Pino Zortea – released their debut album "Child’s Play" in 2020 and launched their second album "Tragedy or Comedy?" in March 2025 with a record launch at the Moods.

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Pino is also the author and composer of the illustrated music audiobook "Lukas und Wale," developed together with Tim Hüllstrung. The work introduces children and families to the diversity and playfulness of jazz music in an appropriate way. The program is regularly performed live at schools in the German-speaking part of Switzerland – in cooperation with "Schulkultur Stadt Zürich," "Kultur macht Schule Kanton Aargau," and "Kulturvermittlung Kanton Bern." In April 2025, "Lukas und Wale" was released as a musical audiobook together with an accompanying children's book under Zytglogge Verlag and Anda Verlag.

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As a sideman, Pino plays electric bass in various formations, for example in the jazz post-rock group Trois Imaginaires, and can be heard on numerous recordings with artists such as Melodiesinfonie, Nik Bärtsch, Balaclava, Arbajo Jairus, Tim Hüllstrung, Tie Drei, Fiona Fiasco, Knackeboul, Daschenka Project, or Dorj. These collaborations lead to regular live performances worldwide and further releases. In addition, he has been actively involved since 2019 as one of the hosts of the weekly Jazzbaragge jam session at the Mood.

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Pino began playing the piano at the age of seven and acquired electric bass skills a few years later. From the age of 16, he studied alongside high school at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he completed his bachelor's degree in 2016. Several extended stays in New York enabled him to attend numerous sessions and gain valuable experience. In 2020, he completed his master's degree at the Jazz Campus Basel – studying with, among others, Larry Grenadier, Guillermo Klein, and Aydin Esen. Since 2019, Pino has been living in Zurich with his family.

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