Meet António Quintino, born in 1988 into a family where musical roots ran deep, even though there were no professional musicians. The guitar and accordion became his self-taught companions, occasionally harmonizing with his father.
In 2004, António embarked on the world of electric bass at JB Jazz School in Lisbon under the tutelage of Gustavo Roriz and Francesco Valente. The subsequent year marked the expansion of his musical repertoire to the acoustic bass, with guidance from Yuri Daniel, Nuno Alan, and Demian Cabaud. Seeking formal education, he enrolled at the Superior School of Music of Lisbon (ESML), where mentors like Pedro Moreira, Nelson Cascais, Afonso Pais, and Bernardo Moreira shaped his musical journey. António had the privilege of attending masterclasses by esteemed musicians such as John Taylor, Lee Konitz, Dan Weiss, and Ohad Talmor, earning him the Outstanding Musician Award at the S.Luiz Jazz Fest in 2011.
António's musical journey extended beyond Portugal. He spent time at the Conservatoire National Supérieure de Musique et de Danse de Paris, collaborating with luminaries like Fred Hersch, Billy Hart, Larry Grenadier, Anders Jormin, Riccardo Del Fra, and Dre Pallemaerts. Later, in New York City, he received private lessons from Matt Penman, Joe Martin, Ian Froming, and Ben Street. His learning experiences continued through workshops and masterclasses with greats like Danilo Perez, Mulgrew Miller, and Steve Nelson.
On October 8th, 2011, António experienced a remarkable moment playing his first big band piece, "Tout n’est pas blanc et noir," with the Hot Clube Jazz Orchestra at the Great Hall of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The performance featured guest soloists Susana Santos Silva and João Mortágua, conducted by Pedro Moreira.
Presently, António is involved in various bands and projects, including Dead Combo, Cassete Pirata, Samuel Úria, and Trio de Jazz de Loulé. Notably, he played in the project "Aqui e Agora" by English saxophonist Julian Argüelles last November.
In addition to performing, António channels his creativity into writing and recording original music for ads and short films. He has contributed to movie soundtracks, such as "Refrigerantes e Canções de Amor," directed by Luís Galvão Teles and written by Nuno Markl, which won the 2017 Sophia Award for Best Song. Another project, "Patrick," directed by Gonçalo Waddington with original music by Bruno Pernadas, is also part of his portfolio.
Over the years, António has collaborated with an array of talents like José Mário Branco, Mário Laginha, Maria João, Sara Serpa & André Matos, Scott Reeves, Dan Weiss, Ohad Talmor, Mário Laginha (again!), John Ellis, João Paulo Esteves da Silva, André Santos, Gianni Gagliardi, Manuel Paulo, Nancy Vieira, Afonso Pais, Luís Figueiredo, Luís Madureira, and many more. His music has taken him to various countries, from Spain, France, and Belgium to the USA, Brazil, and beyond.
