Sal LA ROCCA : biography

Sal LA ROCCA

double bass

Sal was born, 1961, in the Liège area.
After a stint with rock playing guitar, at age 23, Salvatore LA ROCCA discovers jazz in the early 80's and switches to double bass which he intensively explores on his own, taking as a model Paul CHAMBERS.

His first gigs, in 1985, are with Jean LINSMAN (trumpet) , Stéphane MARTINI.

Thereafter he is regularly seen aside Jacques PELZER. Establishing himself as a bass player, a position rather empty at that time in Liège, he plays with the musicians of the region: Robert JEANNE, Robert GRAHAME, Steve HOUBEN, Pierre VAIANA...
It is aside Jacques PELZER that he meets and plays with Jon EARDLEY and Chet BAKER.

In 1986, he works with French pianist Michel GRAILLIER and American drummer Leo MITCHELL.

Steve GROSSMAN hires him, together with Georges BROWN (drs), in 1987, for a tour in the Benelux and south of France, to appear in the major Festivals.

In 1988, He is hired for a 6 weeks tour in Singapore as a member of the Steve HOUBEN band, with Jacques PIROTTON and Rick HOLLANDER to play at the "jazz club" there.
That same year he tours Germany with John THOMAS (guitar), Marcus BECKER (piano) and Jan de HAAS.

Becomes, in 1989, the regular bassist of Lundis-Jazz of "La Luna". Later, he gets hired by the John THOMAS Quartet "Extremely Serious Business" and is invited to replace Riccardo DEL FRA within an international quintet with Ack VAN ROOYEN, at the Montreux festival playing with the Mikesch VAN GRUMMER quintet, Christopher HIRSON, Gerd BREUER.

He is a founding member of the non-profit organization "Jazz in Time".
In 1990 he plays in Andorra with Phil ABRAHAM, Félix SIMTAINE and Ivan PADUART, with Sal NISTICO, Jacques PELZER and Mal WALDRON at Gouvy, with Kurt VAN HERCK, Erik VERMEULEN and Jan DE HAAS at Festival of Comblain-La-Tour.

In 1991, member of "Raffaela RENZULLI Ensemble" with Charlie MARIANO.

Participates in Festival International of Lafayette in 1993 with Steve HOUBEN, Diederick WISSELS and Rick HOLLANDER. It is with this quartet that he recorded a CD.

1994, tours with Pierre VAIANA, Salvatore BONAFEDE and Dré PALLEMAERTS as well as with Harold LAND, Mike DEL FERRO and Hans VAN OOSTERHOUT.
Participated in the Liège festival with Dave TURNER, Vic VOGEL and Félix SIMTAINE, their appearance was recorded by Belgian television.

1995, concerts in France and Belgium with Lee KONITZ, Jeanfrançois PRINS and Bruno CASTELLUCCI, and a live CD.
Participation in the Montréal Festival with the trio of Nathalie LORIERS, CD. He is part of the "ODE FOR JOE" PROJECT, WITH Peter HERTMANS, CD recorded live at Gaume festival.

'96 a week tour in Syria and Jordan, with Nathalie LORIERS Trio at the occasion of the 1st Euro-Arab jazz festival "Jazz Caravan '96", followed with a tour, with Lee KONITZ, JF PRINS Trio and Judy NIEMACK in Corsica.

'97 With Nathalie LORIERS Trio in Quebec, with Philip CATHERINE as guest, with Ivan PADUART Quartet, guest Toots THIELEMANS and another tour in the Near East with "Ode for Joe".

1996, joins the Bruno CASTELLUCCI Stringtet with Erwin VANN, Michel HERR or Eric LEGNINI and a string quartet. (1 CD)
He is a member of Franck VAGANÉE - Mike DEL FERRO Quartet with numerous tours around Europe and a CD album.

He recently joined the trio of pianist Erik VERMEULEN, MÄÄK's SPIRIT, did concerts with Brazilian songwriter Marito CORREA, regularly tours with the French Quintet of guitarist Maxime BLÉSIN, etc...

Other musicians with whom Salvatore played : John RUOCCO, Gianni BASSO, Harold LAND, Jack VAN POLL, Kris DEFOORT, Ali RYERSON, Paolo RADONI, John ENGELS, Michel HERR, Gino LATTUCA, Guy CABAY, André CECCARELLI, Kris GOESSENS, Ron VAN ROSSUM, Ch. HIRSON, Bert JORIS, Jiggs WIGHAM, Dave TURNER, Michel GRAILLIER, Salvatore BONAFEDE, Lee KONITZ, Gordon BECK, Anne DUCROS,.....

As a leader, Sal LA ROCCA now presents his own quintet, of which a first album came out in 2003, titled Latinea (Igloo Igl 168).

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

	Nathalie LORIERS Trio.
	Peter HERTMANS/Jeroen VAN HERZEELE	"Ode For Joe" (Igloo).
	Lee KONITZ , Jean-François PRINS Quartet with Bruno CASTELLUCCI	Live at Club Manhattan Disneyland Paris (Gam records) 1995.
	Steve HOUBEN Quartet
	Mike DEL FERRO/Frank VAGANEE Quartet.
	Bruno CASTELLUCCI Stringtet	"Towards the light" (Quetzal).
	MÄÄK's SPIRIT	"Live" (J.A.M.).
	Nathalie LORIERS	"Silent Spring" (Pygmalion).
	ODE FOR JOE	"Caribbean Fire Dance" (W.E.R.F. 017 - 1999)
	Maxime BLÉSIN	"Quintet" (Organic OR 001 1999)
	Toots THIELEMANS	"The Live Takes, vol. 1" (Quetzal QZ 108)
	Manu HERMIA	"L'esprit du Val" (Igloo Igl 145)
	Erik VERMEULEN Trio	"Songs of Minutes" (Werf 025)
	Anne DUCROS	"Anne Ducros" (DREYFUS FDM 36622-2)
	Jean-Pierre GEBLER Belgian All Stars	"Meggie" (GAM 917)
	Nathalie LORIERS Trio + Extensions	"Tombouctou" (Werf 032).
	Maxime BLÉSIN Quintet	"Bowling Ball" (Igloo IGL 161).
	SAL LA ROCCA QUINTET	"LATINEA" (Igloo IGL 168).

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