Each piece is born as if it had always existed—simply waiting to be found.
—Gio Guido
Italian guitarist and composer Gio Guido, currently based in Japan, announces the launch of a groundbreaking new artistic project: Extemporaneous Compositions, a live performance series in which every piece is composed and performed simultaneously in real time. The series premieres on December 14, 2025, with additional live broadcasts on December 19 and December 28 at 8 p.m. (JST) on YouTube.
For Gio, this project represents the most significant artistic breakthrough of his musical life—the result of a research path that began in 2005, when he first became fascinated with the idea of real-time composition. Through years of study in classical harmony and its application to jazz improvisation, Gio developed a personal method for transforming spontaneous musical ideas into fully formed compositions.
In recent months, this exploration reached a turning point. Gio describes this discovery as “unlocking a door that had been closed for years,” where improvisation merges naturally into composition, and music reveals itself in complete form.
This approach situates Gio in the lineage of musicians such as Keith Jarrett, whose solo piano concerts set the highest standard for extemporaneous composition in contemporary jazz.
Gio openly acknowledges Jarrett as a major influence, crediting deep listening and study as essential to his own breakthrough.
Gio Guido extends this tradition to the guitar — an instrument rarely used for long-form spontaneous composition—supported by his distinctive “Up & Down Fingerstyle” technique, which allows simultaneous articulation of melody, harmony, counterpoint, and rhythmic structure.
Each performance in the series stands as a complete artistic event:
The December 14 premiere also marks the beginning of Gio Guido’s next solo album, which will be recorded entirely through extemporaneous performances. The project serves as an offering to the jazz community: an exploration of pure creativity, vulnerability, and real-time composition.
“This is the greatest achievement of my career,” Gio states. “I feel blessed to have reached a place where composition and improvisation become one.”
For Gio, this project represents the most significant artistic breakthrough of his musical life—the result of a research path that began in 2005, when he first became fascinated with the idea of real-time composition. Through years of study in classical harmony and its application to jazz improvisation, Gio developed a personal method for transforming spontaneous musical ideas into fully formed compositions.
In recent months, this exploration reached a turning point. Gio describes this discovery as “unlocking a door that had been closed for years,” where improvisation merges naturally into composition, and music reveals itself in complete form.
This approach situates Gio in the lineage of musicians such as Keith Jarrett, whose solo piano concerts set the highest standard for extemporaneous composition in contemporary jazz.
Gio openly acknowledges Jarrett as a major influence, crediting deep listening and study as essential to his own breakthrough.
Gio Guido extends this tradition to the guitar — an instrument rarely used for long-form spontaneous composition—supported by his distinctive “Up & Down Fingerstyle” technique, which allows simultaneous articulation of melody, harmony, counterpoint, and rhythmic structure.
Each performance in the series stands as a complete artistic event:
- No written music
- No predetermined forms
- No rehearsals of music that exists
- Only once, created in the moment
The December 14 premiere also marks the beginning of Gio Guido’s next solo album, which will be recorded entirely through extemporaneous performances. The project serves as an offering to the jazz community: an exploration of pure creativity, vulnerability, and real-time composition.
“This is the greatest achievement of my career,” Gio states. “I feel blessed to have reached a place where composition and improvisation become one.”
YouTube Live Dates
- December 14, 2025 — 8 p.m. JST
- December 19, 2025 — 8 p.m. JST
- December 28, 2025 — 8 p.m. JST
