Riccardo Gola is a multi-disciplinary artist.
He’s active both as a visual artist (illustrator, graphic designer and art director) and as a musician (jazz double bassist, bassist, composer, bandleader).
He lives in Roma, Italy with his wife Gaia and his daughters Cristina and Matilde.
Visual art
Riccardo has been working since 2006 as an illustrator, art director and graphic designer. He art-directed and often illustrated hundreds of book covers for publishers such as Rizzoli, Garzanti, Longanesi, Amazon Publishing, Salani, Nord. He has designed logos and visual identities for events such as music festivals, film festivals and sport championships. In 2019 he’s been selected for the annual exhibition of the Italian illustration association “Illustri” and he won the 1st prize in the Cose Belle illustration contest. For 3 years in a row – 2020 to 2022 – he was selected among the winners of the Posterheroes competition. In 2021 one of his illustrations has been selected for the annual of Autori d’Immagini. In 2021 he illustrated two books: “La storia del jazz in 50 ritratti” by Paolo Fresu and Vittorio Albani (Centauria) and “7 daily rituals: gratitudine” by Federica Avanzi and Simone Massarini (Vivida Books).
Music
Riccardo has been working as a professional jazz musician since 2011. His debut solo record “Cosmonautica” (with Francesco Bigoni, Enrico Zanisi and Enrico Morello) is out on Jando Music. His main instrument is double bass, but he loves playing electric bass and synth as well. He graduated in Siena Jazz University, studying with teachers such as Joe Sanders, Greg Hutchinson, Ralph Alessi, Ferenc Nemeth, Seamus Blake and Logan Richardson. He’s part of some of the most interesting bands in the Italian contemporary jazz scene such as Simone Alessandrini Storytellers and Costanza Alegiani Folkways. Riccardo performed in some of the most important italian jazz clubs and festivals and he played and recorded with many renowed artists such as Rosario Giuliani, Flavio Boltro, Max Ionata, Pino Jodice, Antonio Faraò, Fabrizio Sferra, Ettore Fioravanti, Francesco Diodati, Marcello Allulli and several others.