Ruben Bellavia, born in Moncalieri (TO) on December 2, 1985, specializes in classical drums and percussion.
EDUCATION
In July 2018, he obtained a second-level academic diploma in Jazz Musical Disciplines from the G. Verdi Conservatory in Turin, under the guidance of Furio Di Castri. In 2009, he was awarded the "Master dei Talenti" scholarship by the CRT Foundation, which allowed him to spend three months in New York City. During this jazz music immersion experience, he had the opportunity to study with masters such as John Riley, Ari Hoenig, Jim Payne, and Quincy Davis. In July 2008, he obtained a first-level academic diploma in Percussion Instruments from the G. Verdi Conservatory in Turin, under the guidance of Matteo Moretti and Riccardo Balbinutti.
COMPETITIONS
In 2016, he was voted among the top 10 Italian jazz drummers according to the reader poll of JazzIt magazine. In 2014, he became president of the Ossi Duri Association, winning a cultural grant called "Scene allo Sbando" awarded by the Compagnia San Paolo of Turin. In May 2014, the Fabio Giachino Trio (of which he is the drummer) won the "Best Band" award at the Jazz International Competition in Bucharest. In August 2012, he won the first prize at the "Barga Jazz Contest" with the Fabio Giachino Trio. In July 2012, he won the first prize at the "Fara Music Jazz Live 2012" competition with the Fabio Giachino Trio. In 2011, he won the first prize with the Fabio Giachino Trio at the "Live e Giovani Jazz" competition, organized by Porsche Italia. In November 2008, he won the "Encouragement Prize for Study, Master of Musical Talents" offered by the CRT Foundation, reserved for recent graduates, thus gaining a scholarship position in the CRT Master of Musical Talents Orchestra.
ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES
In 2019, he toured with the Randy Brecker Quartet (featuring Chad Lefkowitz Brown). Since 2017, he has been part of the quartet "Voices," led by internationally renowned singer Karima. Since 2014, he has been performing concerts with the Antonio Faraò Trio and Antonio Faraò Quartet (Boundaries project) at various festivals and clubs in Italy. In July 2016, he performed with the Gavino Murgia Quartet at the European Jazz Expo 2016 in Cagliari. Between 2015 and 2016, the Fabio Giachino Trio performed at major Italian jazz festivals such as Trentino in Jazz, Mantova Jazz, Bologna Jazz Festival, and Torino Jazz Festival, collaborating with saxophonist Gavino Murgia. They also performed abroad at Jazzkeller in Frankfurt, the Italian Institute in Brussels, and the San Pau Recinte Modernista in Barcelona, the latter in collaboration with the city of Turin in anticipation of EXPO 2015. In May 2015, he performed with saxophonist Gavino Murgia and Serbian pianist Bojan Z at the Torino Jazz Festival. In March 2014, he performed with Furio Di Castri, Fabio Giachino, and Jacopo Albini at the Izmir Jazz Fest in Izmir, Turkey.
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
In April 2017, he was invited by John Ramsay and Skip Hadden to the Berklee College of Music in Boston to conduct a masterclass on Tony Williams. In March 2016, he produced a video transcription of drummer Tony Williams, which led him to connect with renowned American drummers and teachers. Drummers David Garibaldi and Mike Clarke expressed their sincere compliments for the video and wrote linear notes for an article by Ruben Bellavia published in issue 48 of Drumset Mag (July/August 2016) and soon to be released in the American magazine Modern Drummer. In March 2014, he conducted a jazz workshop for students at the Izmir Jazz Festival in Izmir, Turkey. From October 2013 to October 2015, together with the Fabio Giachino Trio, he conducted the jazz workshop called "Jazz on the Rocks" at the alpine refuge "Willy Jervis" in Torre Pellice, TO.
DISCOGRAPHY
2012: “Introducing Myself” Fabio Giachino Trio feat Rosario Giuliani (Musicamdo)
2012: “Quantum Discord” Andrea Manzoni Trio (altriSuoni)
2013: “Senza Perdere la Tenerezza” Ossi Duri (LaZaRiMus)
2013: “Marco Tardito – Eleven, undici solfeggi futuristi” (CMC Records) 2014: “Jumble Up” Fabio Giachino Trio (aBeat Records)
2014: “Porta Palace Collective” (Rudi Records)
2015: “TrioMonne” feat Nguyen Le (LaZaRiMus)
2018: “Sabir” Luca Curcio Free Humans feat. Gavino Murgia (Visage Music)
2018: “Moldau” plays classics Massimo Faraò trio (Venus records)
2018: “All the Way” Alexandra Shakina (Venus records)
2019: “No Time no Space and Between” 4 Strings Family (DDE Records)
2019: “Narrow Escape” Tommaso Starace 4tet feat. Dave O’Higghins (Music Center)
2019: “I Remember Clifford” Flavio Boltro 4tet (Venus records)
2019: “Italian Songs” Luca Aquino (ACT Music)
2019: “At the Edges of the Horizon” Fabio Giachino (Cam Jazz records)