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PIANIST AND COMPOSER:
A graduate of the Bologna Conservatory with a degree in Contemporary Music, Antonio Ciacca was born in Wuppertal, Germany on March 14, 1969. After a Wynton Marsalis concert in 1989, Antonio decided that he would become a jazz musician.
Soon after, he met Steve Grossman who was living in Bologna, Italy which is where Antonio calls home these days. Grossman introduced Antonio to the music of Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell and the other giants of the genre. Soon he decided, with Grossman’s encouragement, to go to the US and follow his new passion. This decision led him to Detroit, MI where he was accepted with open arms by the musicians he met there. He soon found himself in the company of a young James Carter, Rodney Whitaker, Dwight Adams and Detroit Jazz Masters like Marcus Belgrave, Larry Smith and Roy Brooks. These individuals would shape his future in the world of jazz and prepare him for the road ahead. That road has led Antonio to stages all over the world performing in the bands of jazz legends. From the start, Antonio realized that in order to work as a jazz musician he not only needed to hone his chops on the piano, he also needed to create performance situations that would allow him to gain access to the best performers in the world. This strategy proved invaluable and has given him the chance to play in the bands of Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, Mark Murphy, Steve Grossman, Johnny Griffin, James Moody and Dave Liebman. Antonio was the pianist for Steve Lacy for 7 years until his untimely death at the age of 70. Currently, Antonio tours extensively throughout the world with Jazz Legend Benny Golson. With performances in venues such as Pizza Express and Ronnie Scott’s in London, the Blue Note in Milan, Alexander Platz in Rome, London Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, Stockholm Jazz Festival and the Village Vanguard with Wess Anderson and Wynton Marsalis. Recently he performed at “Ravenna Jazz festival†with Benny Golson & Antonio Ciacca Trio, also with the Wess Anderson Quartet (Wess Anderson saxophonist, Antonio Ciacca piano, Kengo Nakamura double bass and Joe Farnsworth drums). In 2006 He was busy leading his own groups which featured Benny Golson and Steve Grossman. He also completed an European tour promoting his trio's new Album "Ugly Beauty" which was released in 2006. Antonio has proven that he is a musician amongst musicians. His bebop influenced style coupled with his deep rooted love for Gospel Music has helped to shape Antonio’s sound and has given birth to a refreshing voice in jazz.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:Antonio is the Founder of C-Jam Music Italy, a non-profit organization founed with its goal of spreading African American Music through Europe. As artistic director and executive producer of the organization, he brought musicians through C-Jam from playing in jazz clubs to festivals to the most prestigous European institutions. Major artists promoted by C-Jam include: Miriam Makeba, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Stevie Wonder, Elvin Jones, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Buddy De Franco, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Manhattan Trnasfer. Some rising stars of jazz who were promoted by C-jam include: Wess "Warmdaddy" Anderson, Jason Moran, Lonnie Plaxico, Jeremy Pelt, Kelvin Sholar, Kevin Hayes, Bill Carroters, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra.
While Artistic Director and Executive Producer for C-Jam Music Antonio is also the founder and producer of the Detroit Gospel Singers. He is the Artistic Director of "Zola Jazz & Wine" in Italy. Antonio, also has been an artistic consultant for; the Calagonone Jazz Festival in Sardina since 1998, and for the "Oh jazz be good" jazz festival in Mosciano Sant'angelo, Italy. Antonio has given many workshops and classes on the Business and Music including many Universities all over Italy and is busy answering requests for workshops in the United States. Currently Antonio is the Director of Programming for the world renowned, Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
