נולד בסלובניה ב 1978.בוגר ה- Bruckner Conservatory בלינץ, אוסטריה ובעל תואר שני מה- City College of New York. למד אצל ויקטור לואיס, בילי דראמונד, ג'ון פטיטוצ'י ואנדי ווטסון. הוציא שלושה אלבומים תחת הלייבל הניו יורקי Arabesque Records, כתב מספר ספרי לימוד למתופפים הנלמדים בבתי ספר גבוהים למוסיקה ברחבי העולם והופיע עם אני ג'אז ידועים ביניהם ניתן למנות את וינסנט הרינג, ג'רמי פלט, לו טבקין, בוריס קוזלוב ופיטר מייליך. גאספר חי בישראל, ומרבה להופיע בישראל באירופה, ארה'ב ורוסיה.
While Jazz gives him the musical freedom of expression which demands the highest level of musicality and control of the instrument, other genres like
ג'אז חם 14-15
Blues, Country & Western, Rock'n'Roll, Latin and Gypsy Swing, Funk, R'n'B, among others, give him a chance to connect with people on different levels.
Gasper Bertoncelj is an internationally acclaimed drummer. His musical education started in Slovenia, by playing trumpet. In his early teens he switched to drums. His talent became noticed immediately as he started to play with different groups.
The Passion for music lead him to Linz, Austria where he studied music at Bruckner University. Doug Hammond, his mentor, revealed to Gasper deeper layers of jazz and music in general. Upon graduation with honors he convinced Gasper to move to New York. Two years later Gasper received a Master of Arts degree from The City College of New York where his main mentors were Victor Lewis , Billy Drummond, Andy Watson and John Patitucci.
Gasper started performing in New York the first year he came there and by the time he graduated he was able to proudly support himself by playing drums professionally around the city. Eight years later he moved to Tel Aviv, where jazz has strong American alliance. There he continues to expand his musical circles.
Gasper has been playing in many projects in USA and Europe. while leading his groups that featured his compositions and arrangements. He produced his own CDs: CAUTION! Hard Hat Area! – 2008 Arabesque Records, NY; The Swingers of Jazz – 2008 Goga Muzika, SLO; The Swingers of Jazz: Gasper's Back in Town – 2012 Arabesque Records, NY, which receive warm welcome around the globe.
Along performing, Gasper leads/teaches master classes based on his manual Brush Book: Playing With Brushes, in which he demonstrates his unique techniques and approach to playing with brushes.
"Drummer Gasper Bertoncelj is from Slovenia, but his musical allegiances skew more toward hardbop than Eastern Europe"
NYC jazz magazine All About Jazz
"Gasper Bertoncelj is a driving and swinging force. Gifted with great sensitivity and a talent which makes him one of the best artist drummers around."
RENATO D'AIELLO – sax (I/UK)
"He is a drum spirit. He understands how to hold a wild Bull (The Song) by the tail, calm him down, make him flip and send him home with a smile. I love playing with this Drummer man, he makes me fly."
MICKEY "KYDD KAYN" SHAVIV – guit, bass (ISR)
"In my opinion, Gasper is one of the few drummers on this side of the Atlantic that can swing as hard as the drummers I was use to playing with in NYC! From note one, he is swingin', groovin', can open things up, whatever the music needs, he is right on top of it! He also brings a wonderful freshness and creativity to tunes and arrangements I've played for years…A true artist!"
DENA DEROSE – piano, vocal (USA)
"Gasper is an accomplished drummer and a true artist who plays and LIVES the music. As in his own life, he pursues his art honestly, bravely and most important of all, with a genuine spirit of adventure! Congratulations Gasper!"
RENATO CHICCO – piano (SLO/I/A)
"Your band was the best concert of the year…I'm very proud of you! It goes with being the very best student who did and does his own home work. Keep it going" DOUG HAMMOND – drums (USA)