Tonina Saputo
Bassist and vocalist Tonina Saputo comes from a family of music lovers that exposed her to many music styles, from funk, soul, and jazz to classical music. She was born in San Diego, California but raised in St. Louis, Missouri from a multicultural family from African and Italian backgrounds. All these components have given Saputo a great musical scope playing many different genres but making each her own. Her sense of rhythm, melody, and her extraordinary voice make her performances a thrilling experience for all listeners.
Saputo began studying the bass when she was nine years old and has had years of classical training. She played principal double bass with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orquestra for four years and with the Missouri All State Orchestra for another four years. While in high school she had the chance to perform in New York at Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center.
She is a professional music major at Berklee and recently spent a semester on the Berklee Valencia, Spain, campus, where she formed an pop/R&B band with pianist Heather Rivas called Riva Saputo. While in Valencia, Saputo participated in two MMI recording sessions giving exceptional performances of traditional boleros. This summer, Saputo will be performing in the St. Louis music scene with a folk-soul band called the Almas.
Watch a video of Saputo's performance of the bolero "Historia de un Amor":
Watch a live performance of Saputo performing an arrangement of "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás" by Paul Sanchez: