Antonio Ciacca is a jazz pianist.

Early life

Ciacca was born in Germany and brought up in Italy. He began playing the piano at the age of seven. He has been taught by Steve Grossman, Kenny Barron, Marcus Belgrave and

Barry Harris Barry Doyle Harris (December 15, 1929 – December 8, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. He was an exponent of the bebop style. Life and career Harris was born in Detroit, Michigan, on December ...

Later life and career

Ciacca toured Europe with the Larry Smith Quartet in 1995 and 1996, played in Japan with the Eiji Nakayama Quartet in 1998, and toured Europe with Joe Henderson and Steve Lacy in 1999. Ciacca studied further with

Jaki Byard John Arthur "Jaki" Byard (; June 15, 1922 – February 11, 1999) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. Mainly a pianist, he also played tenor and alto saxophones, among several other instruments. He was known for hi ...

in 1998–99, and dedicated the album ''Hollis Avenue'' to him. Ciacca founded the Detroit Gospel Singers, and toured Europe with them in 2000. He has a masters degree in Afro-American musicology from the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continu ...

. He became Director of Programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2007, resigning in 2011.

Musical style

The '' DownBeat'' reviewer of the album ''Lagos Blues'' wrote: "Ciacca is informed by a broad range of influences. Two are particularly obvious, those being hard bop and Duke Ellington."

Discography

As leader

As sideman

* Larry Smith & Co ''Live at the Slovak Phihlarmonic'' (1996) * Larry Smith Quartet ''Estate'' (1998) * Detroit Gospel Singers ''Gospel Jubilee'' (2000) * Craig Bailey Sextet ''Brooklyn'' (2001) * Detroit Gospel Singers "Gospel Jubilee" Alma Records (2001) * Various Artists ''Gubbio No Border Festival'' (2004) * Dario Mazzucco ''Light Lunch'' (2008) * Lucio Ferrara Quintet Featuring Lee Konitz & Antonio Ciacca ''It's All Right with Me'' (2009) * Stefania Tchantret Quintet ''Love For Sale'' (2010) * Sweet Lu Olutosin "Sweet Lu's Blues" TwinsMusic Records (2014) * Debora Tamagnini with the Antonio Ciacca quartet "Camellia" Beat Sound (2016) * Mara De Mutiis with the Antonio Ciacca Quintet "The men I love" Dodicilune Records (2016) * Antonio Belladelli with the Antonio Ciacca Quartet "Save Your Love for Me" Jazz3 (2016) * Francesco Alemanno Quintet, "The Nearness of You" Dodicilune records (2017) * Antonio Belladelli with The Antonio Ciacca Hammond Trio "It Might Be Swing... 'round Midnight" Jazz3 (2017) * Jamile Saevie Ayres, "If you could see me now" (2019)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ciacca, Antonio 1969 births Living people Post-bop pianists Hard bop pianists Mainstream jazz pianists American jazz pianists American male pianists American jazz bandleaders American jazz educators German emigrants to the United States Place of birth missing (living people) Juilliard School faculty 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Motéma Music artists