He approached the drums as a child, quickly acquiring a good mastery of the instrument, also thanks to the discovery and listening of the great jazz drummers from overseas. His professional career began in 1957 , when at 19 he joined the band of guitarist Franco Cerri . The following year, saxophonist Gianni Basso and trumpeter Oscar Valdambrini , leaders of the Basso-Valdambrini quintet (with Renato Sellani on piano and Giorgio Azzolini on double bass), called him to complete the quintet’s lineup. His career was characterized by a crescendo of experiences, which led him year after year to collaborate with highly renowned musicians and performers, with prominent names such as Billie Holiday , Chet Baker , Tommy Flanagan , Gerry Mulligan , Dexter Gordon , Lee Konitz , Phil Woods , Sarah Vaughan , Helen Merrill and many others, participating in numerous international concerts and festivals.

After founding the “Italian Repertory Quartet” in 1988 , with bassist Piero Leveratto, pianist Marcello Tonolo and tenor saxophonist Jacopo Jacopetti, in 1992 he began collaborating with the trio of pianist Dado Moroni , with Rosario Bonaccorso on double bass. In the summer of 1993 , on the occasion of his participation in Umbria Jazz , he represented Italy on the European radio circuit . In July 2017, with a tribute to the New York pianist Fats Waller , he was again at Umbria Jazz (UJ 17) leading a sextet composed of Sandro Gibellini (guitar), Alan Farrington (vocals), Alfredo Ferrario (clarinet), Marco Bianchi (vibraphone) and Roberto Piccolo (double bass). [ 2 ]

He also had some significant experience in the pop field, playing with Pino Presti ‘s orchestra for the singer Mina in famous songs such as Grande, grande, grande and E penso a te , and with Augusto Martelli ‘s orchestra ( L’Orchestra di Augusto Martelli dal vivo ).

Always active with recordings and concerts, Gianni Cazzola is cited in the Treccani encyclopedia ” Among the high-level musicians expressed by Italian jazz ” [ 3 ] .

«Mr. Cazzola is more than a musician: he is a piece of jazz history. His drums have supported, played and strengthened the greatest jazz musicians the world has ever hosted… [ 4 ] »

On the evening of July 18, 2026, he fell ill while playing the drums at the Gemia Swing Club in Busto Arsizio , dying shortly after in hospital, at the age of 88. [ 5 ]