Inizia la sua attività professionale negli anni settanta,suonando in svariati contesti musicali ed accumulando esperienze nel campo del Jazzrock ( Baricentro ),della musica folk (Compagnia dell’Arco ) e del Pop ( Alan Sorrenti ).
Successivamente consegue i diplomi di Contrabbasso e di Musica jazz con il massimo dei voti.
Sul finire degli anni ottanta fonda con Nico Stufano e Mimmo Campanale, il trio di jazz elettrico Jazzerie, ponendosi all’attenzione del pubblico e della critica con due dischi in cui è anche compositore di diversi brani.Nel ’94 incide a suo nome,in quartetto con Maurizio Giammarco,Davide Santorsola e Mimmo Campanale, il disco Out of Perspective, dal quale in seguito vengono tratti due brani per la raccolta Jazz Collection (Just Jazz- distrib. Sony music) in cui sono presenti, tra gli altri, artisti come Billy Cobham,Toots Thielemans,Eddie Gomez.
Da sempre interessato alla composizione,nel ’96 vince il secondo premio al Concorso Internazionale di Composizione ed Arrangiamento Jazz città di Barga, con l’arrangiamento del brano Cafè di E. Gismonti.
Ha composto la medley Disney’s songs per trio jazz ed orchestra sinfonica,eseguita in prima assoluta nel Dicembre 2004 dall’Orchestra Sinfonica di Bari.
Ha suonato ed inciso con diversi protagonisti del jazz nazionale ed internazionale, tra i quali vanno ricordati Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Benny Golson,Tony Scott, Bobby Watson,
Dave Liebman, Eddie Henderson, Luis Agudo, Massimo Urbani, Gianni Basso, Franco Cerri, Maurizio Giammarco, Roberto Ottaviano, Fabrizio Bosso,Maria Pia DeVito,
Tiziana Ghiglioni,Gianni Lenoci,Pino Minafra,Gianluca Petrella,Marco Tamburini,Mario Rosini etc.
Tra le varie collaborazioni,è da menzionare quella con il gruppo pop Novecento, in un brano in cui vedeva impegnati artisti come Toots Thielemans,Jeff Berlin e Dannie Gottlieb.
E’ stato contrabbasso solista con l’Orchestra Sinfonica di Bari sotto la guida dei Maestri Ennio Morricone e Bruno Tommaso.
Nel Luglio 2003 ha accompagnato in una solo performance un recital
dell'attore Giorgio Albertazzi.
Dal 2000 insegna Improvvisazione e Contrabbasso jazz ai corsi di primo e secondo livello di Musica Jazz del Conservatorio N Piccinni di Bari.Maurizio Quintavalle was born in Bari, Italy, on July 27,1957.He was drawn to music at age 11 starting with the guitar and then moving to the bass guitar. He began playing pop music in local clubs and in 1979 he joined the jazzrock group "Baricentro" with which he began his professional activity.This was followed by some tours with italian pop singers.In 1979 he started studying at the local Conservatory and in 1986 got his diplomas in Double Bass and later , in Jazz Music .During those years he began playing jazz music at local jazzclubs and festivals. By 1981 he also played folk music with the Compagnia dell'arco group.In 1988 he founded, featuring the guitarist Nico Stufano and the drummer Mimmo Campanale, the "Jazzerie " trio with which he recorded 2 Lp's,"Another day" and "Future memories", widely acclaimed. In those years he began a long musical relationship with the saxophonist Roberto Ottaviano with which he played in several formations.In 1994 he recorded his first album as a leader,"Out of Perspective", featuring the saxophonist Maurizio Giammarco, the pianist Davide Santorsola and the drummer Mimmo Campanale.Maurizio Quintavalle has composed a lot of tunes,many of which recorded.In 1996 he received the second prize at the International Competition in Composition and Arrangement for jazz Orchestra in Barga (Italy).In his career he has played and recorded with many important jazz musicians as Phil Woods,Lee Konitz,Tony Scott,Benny Golson,Bobby Watson,Eddie Henderson,Luis Agudo,Massimo Urbani,Gianni Basso,Franco Cerri,Maurizio Giammarco,Roberto Ottaviano,Tiziana Ghiglioni,Maria pia DeVito,Fabrizio Bosso,Gianni Lenoci,Pino Minafra,Marco Tamburini,Gianluca Petrella,etc.He has also played directed by Ennio Morricone (Time Zones Festival-Bari) and Bruno Tommaso.In 2002 he recorded with the group Novecento a tune featuring Toots Thielemans,Jeff Berlin and Danny Gottlieb.His own compositions and performances are present in the cd "Jazz collection",edited by Just Jazz and distribuited by Sony music (Germany), featuring also great jazz artists as Toots Thielemans,Billy Cobham,Eddie Gomez,Jeff Berlin etc.In 2004 he composed "Disney's songs",a medley for jazz trio and Simphonic Orchestra,performed by Bari Simphony Orchestra.
In 2003 he accompanied as a solo doublebass player a performance of the famous actor Giorgio Albertazzi.At present he leads a quartet with which he plays his own composition and arrangements.
He teaches Improvvisation and Jazz Double bass at the Conservatory of Music in Bari.Ennio Morricone,with whom he has played as a soloist,wrote:"......Maurizio Quintavalle is a quick, musical, precise, tuneful and with a beautiful sound musician.He satisfied me completely".
Discography
1994 cd “Out of perspective†Maurizio Quintavalle Extra Jazz;
2002 cd “ Jazz collection†raccolta Just jazz ;.
1988 Lp “Another day†con il trio Jazzerie Splasc(h) records.
1990 Lp “ Future memories†con il trio Jazzerie Splasc(h) records.
2006 Aldo Bucci “Black out†Splasc(h) records
2oo5 Kekko Fornarelli “ Circular Tought†Wide Sound;
2oo5 Mimmo Campanale “ Of course...†Just jazz;
2005 Davide Santorsola trio “Rythm and changes†cd edito in Giappone dalla etichetta giapponese P.J.L.;
2oo5 Michele Marmo “ Un po’(p) di jazz†Just music;
2004 cd “Rhythm and changes†trio di Davide Santorsola Just Jazz;
2004 cd “Standards collection†JazzClub trio Just Jazz;
2003 cd “Featuring...†Novecento Just Jazz ;
2002 cd “Waiting for†Nico Stufano Just Jazz;
1999 cd “Words on piano†Paola Arnesano Cristiani produzioni;
1998 cd “To Bill Evans†trio di Davide Santorsola + Lee Konitz Philology;
1996 cd “Synthesys†Aldo Bucci Splasc(h) records;
1995 cd “Be tune†trio di Davide Santorsola + Phil Woods Philology;
1993 cd “Tambor Sagrado†trio di Davide Santorsola Le parc music.
