A gifted child, Rotondo studied music, first playing piano, then trumpet. In the late 40s he was leader of a small jazz group and in those years and into the early 50s regularly supported visiting American jazzmen including Louis Armstrong. He also played with Bill Coleman, Roy Eldridge and others from the jazz mainstream, but by the early 50s he was taking heed of bop, leading and co-leading several boppish bands in company with fellow nationals such as Gil Cuppini and Romano Mussolini. During the 60s he was active with many forward-thinking musicians, among them Albert Mangelsdorff, Gato Barbieri and Mal Waldron. In the early 70s he was co-leader of a band with Franco D’Andrea. After a period outside music he resumed performing in the early 80s. A lyrical player with a strong melodic sense, Rotondo also composes in a contemporary style.