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Farewell to Pino Presti, stage name of Giuseppe Prestipino Giarritta: Bassist, arranger, composer, record producer, and conductor, one of the leading figures in Italian and international music, died in Sanremo at the age of 83. The news, as reported by Adnkronos, was announced following his funeral.
Born in Milan on August 23, 1943, he was a reference figure for generations of musicians, leaving a recognizable mark especially in the discography of Mina, with whom he collaborated for over a decade.
Considered one of the most sought-after bassists of his generation, Presti has explored diverse musical genres and languages, from pop to jazz, from funk to Latin music, building a career characterized by instrumental versatility, sensitive arrangements, and the ability to lead large orchestral ensembles. His name is particularly linked to Mina, for whom, starting in 1971, he has curated and directed dozens of arrangements, contributing to the creation of some of the singer's most famous songs.
These include "Grande grande grande," "E poi...", "L'importante è finitura," and "E penso a te." Already a bassist on Mina's recordings and performances, Presti gradually became one of her main musical collaborators, even accompanying her on her last public appearances in 1978. This crucial artistic relationship helped define the sound of a key part of Mina's output in the 1970s.
Presti's work was not limited to instrumental accompaniment: the arrangements and orchestral direction represented a central element in the musical construction of the songs, combining elegance, timbre research and attention to vocal interpretations.
His career has expanded far beyond the confines of Italian music. Presti has collaborated with internationally renowned artists such as Astor Piazzolla, Gerry Mulligan, Quincy Jones, Wilson Pickett, Shirley Bassey, Stéphane Grappelli, and Maynard Ferguson, as well as with leading figures in Italian jazz, including Franco Cerri, Enrico Intra, and Tullio De Piscopo. Among his most significant collaborations is with Piazzolla, on the recordings of "Libertango" and the album "Summit-Reunion Cumbre," made with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. His bass line on "Libertango" has remained linked to one of the most famous recordings of the Argentine composer's famous piece.
Born into a family of musicians, the son of violinist Arturo Prestipino Giarritta, Presti began his musical studies at the age of six. By seventeen, he was already active in Milan's clubs and recording studios, where he quickly established himself as an instrumentalist. During his studio career, he collaborated with numerous leading figures in Italian songwriting, from Giorgio Gaber to Ornella Vanoni, Gino Paoli to Fabrizio De André, Mia Martini to Franco Battiato and Adriano Celentano.
In 1976, he released "1st Round," an album for Atlantic Records considered one of the first important Italian dance-funk experiences. The following year, he took over as musical director of the television program "Rai Auditorio A," leading a 56-piece orchestra and accompanying artists of various genres. Subsequent television credits included "C'era due volte" in 1980 and "Il cappello sulle ventitré" in 1983. From the 1980s onward, he intensified his work as a composer and record producer, continuing to explore new sounds. In the decades that followed, he pursued projects spanning jazz, soul, funk, and electronica, releasing new works and reviving parts of his catalog. His most recent productions include “Sharade” from 2023, the remastered version of “1st Round” released in 2024, and the collection Soulful Touches, released in February 2025. In January 2026, an original version of “Libertango”, recorded in Milan in 1974, was also released. His musical activity was combined with an interest in martial arts: in 1987 he achieved the rank of fifth dan black belt in Shotokan karate.
"The great Presti Pino has left us. Now you'll be playing our LIBERTANGO with Astor. Thank you, Pino, for everything you've done. My friend, fly higher than the heavens," wrote Tullio De Piscopo in a Facebook post. (by Paolo Martini)
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