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rec.: April 2000
"The best young piano player to come up for years" (as Kenny Kirkland said), Italian virtuoso Antonio Faraò was awarded a New Talent Prize at XI Musical Review (1987) and the Four Roses Prize as Best Musician in Italy (1991). In 1998 he won the most prestigious Concours Martial Solal in Paris and was presented as "Rising Star" at European jazz clubs the following year. Faraò also performed at numerous international festivals (Umbria, Lugano, Maastricht, Lucerne, Athens, Lyon and others) as well as many TV and radio shows. Over the years, he developed an original style that combines a Mediterranean sense for melody with a deep understanding of the Afro-American piano tradition. Virtuosic and soulful, Faraò is considered one of the most interesting voices on the piano today. He collaborated with such as John Abercrombie, Billy Cobham, Richard Galliano, Lee Konitz, Didier Lockwood, Branford Marsalis, Pat Metheny and Tony Scott. Recently he was a featured sideman on recordings by Daniel Humair, Adrian Mears, André Ceccarelli, Franco Ambrosetti and others. "Black Inside," his ENJA debut in 1998, received strong critical attention everywhere (Fono Forum: "Consummate piano trio", ****; Jazz Hot: "Découverte... Sélection"; Cuadernos de Jazz: **** ½).
On his new album, "Thorn," Faraò goes one step further presenting a ripened amalgam of deep-felt ballad moods, rhythmic complexities, fiery uptempo improvisation and ethnic and classical elements. His playing is inspired by the help of a hand-picked band including master drummer Jack DeJohnette (Miles, Corea, Hancock, Jarrett, Rollins a.o.), young sax wizard Chris Potter (Jazzpar Award Winner, Mingus Big Band, Dave Holland Quintet) and bass expert Drew Gress (Dave Douglas, Don Byron, Fred Hersch). A band fit to raise a thunderstorm.
Antonio Faraò is also featured on:
Antonio Faraò - Black Inside (ENJ-9345 2)
with Ira Coleman (b), Jeff "Tain" Watts (dr)
Franco Ambrosetti - Light Breeze (ENJ-9331 2), Grazie Italia (ENJ-9379 2)
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Some other recordings by
Antonio Farao:
(Full list)
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