ANTONIO CIACCA

ANTONIO CIACCA
Pianist, Composer, Educator

"At the heart of any true jazzman is the ability to tell his own musical stories in his own way, and hopefully touch a few hearts along the way. Down in his heart, there's a song he can feel, something that no one can steal. It's his own tune, all and in part. Pianist Antonio Ciacca dances to the unique songs in his heart.”
– Todd Barkan, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Record Producer

Born in Germany, raised in Italy and educated in the United States, Ciacca is able to move as fluidly among those varied cultural environments as he does between his life as a performer, composer, father of five, and top-tier arts presenter. Notably, Ciacca has served as Artistic Director for the Italian cultural agency, C-Jam, and in 2007, landed a plum job as the Director of Programming for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the impetus for his move that year from Bologna, Italy to New York City.

Ciacca began his career as a sideman for such acclaimed jazz artists as Art Farmer, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Jonny Griffin, Mark Murphy, Dave Liebman, and Steve Grossman, who he cites as his mentor, and with whom he studied for three years beginning in 1990. In 1993, he moved to Detroit to study at Wayne State University with Kenny Barron, after which he studied privately with Mingus’ pianist Jackie Byard in New York. While living in Detroit, he was first exposed to gospel music, which so impressed him with its passion and energy that he soon integrated it into his own developing style as a composer and performer; he eventually went on to produce a CD for the Detroit Gospel Singers.

One of the most important events in Ciacca’s career was an invitation to join the legendary saxophonist Steve Lacy’s quartet in 1997; he continued to perform with Lacy for seven years. Another key encounter that would have long lasting musical and professional repercussions for Ciacca took place in 1997. “Wynton Marsalis was performing in Italy with Elvin Jones, who is my son’s godfather. I’d first seen him at the Bologna Jazz Festival in 1989, and he really first opened my eyes to jazz then. But when I first saw him, I had no idea we’d ever work together.” Ciacca first performed with Wynton in Wess Anderson’s sextet at New York’s Village Vanguard in 2004.

In 1998 he also began to perform with saxophonist Benny Golson, with whom he continues to collaborate. In 1995, Ciacca recorded his first CD as a leader, Driemoty, which was released on the label C-Jam. In 1999 in New York City he recorded Hollis Avenue for the German label YVP. In 2002, he recorded Autumn in New York for the Italian label Splash.

After returning to Italy, Ciacca performed throughout Europe, including an intense series of performances in London in 2003, which included appearances at Ronnie Scott's, the Royal Festival Hall Foyer, the National Theatre and the London Jazz Festival, with “The Monk Liberation Front” project, a six hour-long performance that involved thirteen musicians alternately playing Monk's unedited music—The Guardian called out Ciacca’s performance as “terrific.” After opening for Wynton Marsalis’ concerts in Italy, in 2004 Ciacca returned to New York to again perform at the Village Vanguard with his own quartet, featuring renowned saxophonist Wess Anderson, subsequently touring with them throughout the US, UK, and Italy until 2005.

In Italy in 2004, Ciacca recorded a trio project, Ugly Beauty with the late Dennis Irwin and Detroit mate Ali Jackson for the legendary Italian label Soul Note which he supported with a European tour.

In 2007, Ciacca’s extensive music industry experience and comprehensive artistic vision led to his being tapped to take on the position of Director of Programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he works closely with JALC Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis.

In 2008 he released Rush Life on Motéma Records with Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, saxophonist Stacy Dillard, bassist Kengo Nakamura and drummer Rodney Green. Nancy Ann-Lee, writing in the Jazz & Blues Report, observed, “This superb recording demonstrates Ciacca’s immersion in the language of jazz”. And Fred Bouchard wrote in Downbeat, “ His piano style’s hints of Horace Silver and Sonny Clark, with a sprinkle of Jaki Byard’s zany wit, stand as crisp finials on his sturdy hand-tooled staircase to the future”.

In 2009 Ciacca turned 40. His year long celebrations included: an appearance at New York Blue Note, one week engagement at Dizzy’s, performances at the Rochester and Detroit International Jazz Festivals, European Tour with special guests George Garzone and Joe Locke, release of his first Music Book, “The Music of Antonio Ciacca Vol. 1” and his first year teaching the course "Business of Jazz" at Julliard. And performing at the Detroit International Jazz Festival was the climax of a fantastic journey started in Detroit in 1993 when Antonio first touched US soil. In the same year Antonio was invited to celebrate Art Tatum’s Centennial where John Hendrix joined him as special guest.

In 2010 Ciacca released Lagos Blues, his second recording with Motéma, documenting for the first time the pure joy of this be-bop, gospel, and blues-influenced pianist/composer’s deep long-term musical relationship with sax legend Steve Grossman. Grossman, who rose to fame in the 1970s through incendiary and groundbreaking sessions with Miles Davis, joined Ciacca’s deft ensemble (Stacy Dillard, Kengo Nakamura & Ulysses Owens) to swing with impeccable style on this historic disc.

Ted Panken, reviewing the launch of Lagos Blues at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola for Downbeat, observed, “He presented a generous selection of standards and originals, marked by fresh harmonizations, intra-ensemble counterpoint and considerable solo flights.” Greg Barbrick writing in Blogcritics.org commented, “Lagos Blues makes an excellent introduction to the music of Antonio Ciacca, and the addition of Steve Grossman makes it even better. If you are looking for something with the traditional fire of old, tempered with some lovely, modern-day piano work, this is a disc to look into.”

In September 2010 The Antonio Ciacca Trio performed in a special tribute to Bud Powell, which also featured The Jacky Terrason Trio, Barry Harris and Bertha Hope. In the autumn of 2010, Antonio Ciacca and Todd Barkan curated the second annual Italian Jazz Days 2010 New York, showcasing the rich jazz heritage of Italy through a series of concerts featuring American and Italian Jazz artists, including among others, tenor sax great Joe Lovano with Antonio Ciacca, trumpetist Flavio Boltro, bassist Joseph Lepore and drummer Luca Santaniello.

In June 2011 Antonio Ciacca left his jobs at Jazz at Lincoln Center to come back at his musician career.

In 2012 his debut in New York at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola during Italian Jazz Days conducting his own Big Band, featuring his original charts and standards from the Italian American Songbook. He expanded his role of jazz advocate and educator teaching in Summer Camps and lectures throughout the United States and Europe, conducting numerous workshops on jazz business, on piano technique, on ensemble work and Big Band. (Visit www.nycjazzworkshop.com to be updates).
Another Cd was released “Just…in Time” with his Quartet and the new vocalist Justin Echols.

In 2013 he debuts at Carnegie Hall with his composition for Children Choir and Symphonic Orchestra “Dany My Dear”.

In 2014 Ciacca recorded 5 Cds, two of them are released from TwinsMusic Enterprises Records: Antonio Ciacca trio “With A Song in My Heart”, Sweet Lu Olutosin with Antonio Ciacca Quintet “Sweet Lou’s Blues”.
Currently the New York-based pianist and composer Ciacca enjoys his work as composer, pianist, educator, his family of five kids with his wife and manager Giusy Magri, President of TwinsMusic Enterprises Inc. his beloved jazz piano playing the city jazz clubs and touring internationally and his Residency at Measure at Langham Place Hotel.