Attilio Zanchi began studying double-bass in 1978 after devoting himself to various music genres. He attended the Milano Conservatory Jazz courses for two years and the Milano Council School of Music for three years. In 1980 and 1981 he specialized with Dave Holland both in Canada at the “Banff School of fine arts” and in the USA at the “ Woodstock Creative Music Studio”. Since his return to Italy, he has been playing with the F. D’Andrea band, the Paolo Fresu Quintet and Tiziana Ghiglioni, with whom he has also been on a world-wide tour and played in various Jazz Festivals in USA, Canada, Australia, Africa, Russia and Europe. He has also brought out several records with them, some of which, in the opinion of critics, turned out to be “the best of the year” at the time when they were released. The well-known American jazz players he has been on concerts and recording with include George Lewis, Sam Rivers, Jimmy Giuffrè, Ed Blackwell, Lee Konitz, Kenny Wheeler, Jack de Johnette e John Abercrombie, Baikida Carrol, Julius Hemphill, Ed Blackwell, Nana Vasconcellos, Collin Wallcot, Dewey Redman e Howard Johnson, L.Konitz, T.Scott, Bud Freeman, G.Masso, Kai Winding, Joe Newman, J.Owens, Sam Rivers, Joe Farrell, S.Hampton, H.Edison, M.Forman, Robin Kenjatta, Mal Waldron, B.Watson, D.Liebman, Al Cohn, G.Mulligan, S.Nistico, Lew Tabackin, Mike Melillo, Franco Ambrosetti, J. Knepper, G. Mulligan, B.Berg, L.Hayes, D.Cherry, F.Lowe, F.Morgan, R. Hargrove, R.Matthews, T.Stanko, C.Corea, P.Erskine, I.Sullivan, J.Surman, J.Cook, J.Baron, E.Lockjaw Davis, T.Campbell, P.Favre, P.Woods, W.Bishop, K.Washington, D.Schnitter, J.McNeely, G Keezer, G.Bertoncini, J.Stowell, S.Lacy, G.Burton, M.Jackson, M.Murphy, D.Liebman, T.Gurtu, S. Jordan ... ; Throughhout his carreer, he has recorded over 80 albums, among which 5 all on his own. One of these “Early Spring” came second in a pool held by the “ Musica Jazz” magazine to choose the best record of the year, and third in the “Musica & Dischi” magazine. Another of his record, called “Some Other Place”, saw the cooperation of several musicians, including Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, George Garzone, Franco D’Andrea, Gianluigi Trovesi and many others. Alongside his carreer as a musician, Attilio teaches at the Milano CPM School and holds seminars all over Italy and abroad ( Melbourne Univerity, Australia); he also edited “The Comparative Encyclopedia of Scales and Chords” together with F. D’Andrea, the “ Educational Course for the Developing of Musical Hear” with R. Cipelli, “Walkin’ Bass Styles” and “ A Practical Method for Improvisation” with M. Colombo. In 1992 he was voted as “ best italian bass player of the year” by the “Guitar Club” magazine.
