guido di leone

musician

Guido Di Leone, born in Bari in 1964, is a virtuoso jazz guitarist and director of the renowned music school “Il Pentagramma Bari,” which he founded in 1985. A guitar and harmony instructor, he also teaches at the “Duni” Conservatory in Matera, maintaining a high‐level pedagogical approach that has trained generations of musicians—from jazz standards technique to a deep knowledge of jazz roots and the Golden Age tradition—and hosting a vibrant in‐house big band celebrated for sold‐out premieres and original projects such as “Seven Come Eleven.”

With a discography of around one hundred CDs released as both leader and sideman for labels like YVPMusic, Philology, and Abeat Records, Guido has collaborated with international legends such as Mark Murphy, Jerry Bergonzi, Paolo Fresu, and Franco Cerri. His stylistic hallmark, inspired by the compositions of Jim Hall, shines through in sophisticated arrangements and fluid improvisation, making him one of the most acclaimed guitarists on the Italian jazz scene.

A guest at select vintage parties organized by Salento Swing People and on the stage of the Salento Swing Festival, Guido Di Leone has brought his elegant guitar touch to arrangements that blend solo jazz with swing rhythm, marrying lindy hop footwork, the intensity of balboa, and the contagious energy of the charleston. Parallel to his performance work, through HOPS Bari he organizes swing dance courses in Bari, where the synergy between music and dance creates a unique bridge between Il Pentagramma’s musical training and the vibrant Bari Lindy Hop community.