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Andrea Tofanelli

Andrea Tofanelli is a trumpet instrumentalist born in Viareggio (Lucca, Italy) and began to study music and trumpet in 1976 in the wind ensemble of his village with some musicians close to Dean Benedetti, the famous italo-american jazz saxophonist mentioned in all officials Charlie Parker biographies. In 1979, at the age of 14, Andrea started working with some local semi-professional big bands and commercial music groups, and in 1984 he began performing professionally in the classical music field, while simultaneously attending the Conservatory at the "Istituto Musicale Pareggiato L. Boccherini" in Lucca (Italy). In 1987 Tofanelli finished his Conservatory studies with highest full marks, graduating cum laude. That same year he attended a 10 days Master Class given by Armando Ghitalla (Boston Symphony Orchestra trumpet soloist and teacher at the University of Michigan) and started his first jazz studies with O. Valdambrini and S. Fanni, trumpet soloists of the RAI national network Big Bands in Rome and Milan. In the jazz music field, Andrea Tofanelli has performed with great jazz musicians like Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band, Randy Brecker and Claudio Roditi, Peter Erskine, Kenny Wheeler, Denis DiBlasio, Paul Jeffrey, Carl Anderson, Lee Konitz, John Taylor, Palle Daniellson, Ernie Hammes, Wayne Bergeron, Roger Ingram, Eric Miyashiro, Carl Fischer, Reggie Watkins, Lew Soloff, Walter White, Jon Crosse, Craig Woods, Jim McFalls and George Rabbai as well as the greatest italian jazzmen like Bruno Tommaso, Enrico Rava, Gianni Basso, Stefano Bollani, Giorgio Gaslini, Gianluigi Trovesi, Henghel Gualdi, Paolo Fresu, Glauco Venier, and many others. He performed as soloist also with the Atlanta Seventeen Big Band, the Luxembourg Jazz Orchestra, the Opus78 Big Band, the Rowan University Big Band, the New England Jazz Ensemble and the Harmonie Bascharage (Luxemburg 2006). On September 20th, 2006, he has been invited to perform as soloist at the “Maynard Ferguson Tribute” at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis (Usa), now released also in dvd (2007). Moreover, Andrea has been invited performing as soloist at the 2008 International Trumpet Guild in Canada. In 1999 Tofanelli recorded his first solo CD entitled "Mattia's Walk & Tribute to Maynard Ferguson" released by the Italian label Splasc(H) Records. His second solo CD, "Ricordo di...Napoli" a tribute to Neapolitan Italian music, was released by the Italian label, Fonotecnica, in 2001. During his USA 2005 Tour he recorded with the Artisan Brass the “Romantic Celebration” Suite for jazz trumpet and brass quintet, composed by the Grammy-Nominated composer Brent Pierce.

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Album Review

Big Band Italia: Blue Sun

Read "Blue Sun" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Big Band Italia's “Blue Sun" is intriguing listening. Saxophonist/co-leader Gianni Bardaro's tune could best be described as a modernised Oliver Nelson track exploding on steroids. Bruno Luise's arrangement is complex and challenging in terms of time signature and textures and it is performed superbly by this cadre of Italy's foremost jazz musicians--with guest artists trumpeter Randy Brecker and guitarist Ciro Manna lending fine solos. The tune's melody moves in sophisticated, angular intervals and dominating triplet figures. The ...

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In Pictures

Tribute to Maynard Ferguson by Andrea Tofanelli & MJF All Stars Big Band Ponchielli Theatre Cremona

Read "Tribute to Maynard Ferguson by Andrea Tofanelli & MJF All Stars Big Band  Ponchielli Theatre Cremona" reviewed by Danilo Codazzi


A collection of photos from the Tribute to Maynard Ferguson by Andrea Tofanelli concert at Ponchielli Theatre in Cremona on February 24, 2023 featuring Andrea Tofanelli and MJF All Stars Big Band. ...

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Album Review

Andrea Tofanelli & The Trumpet Show Band: Vulcano

Read "Vulcano" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


In the Tyrrhenian Sea, just north of Sicily sits the tiny island of Vulcano, the mythological chimney of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan. While Italian trumpeter, Andrea Tofanelli may or may not be paying pay tribute to Vulcan or his eponymous isle, with Vulcano he's gathered some of Italy's top players to deliver 10 explosive tracks of screaming trumpet, killer ensemble, and A-1 solo playing. “Adagio," taken from the Luis Bacalov-composed and the New Trolls-performed “Concerto Grosso," ...

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Album Review

Enrico Rava: Rava on the Dance Floor

Read "Rava on the Dance Floor" reviewed by John Kelman


Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava doing a tribute to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson? Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava doing a tribute to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, on ECM? If either of these concepts seem somehow wrong, it's likely because, in forty-plus years, ECM has garnered (beyond its reputation as one of the most important labels in the history of music) its share of magical (and incorrect) thinking. Rava, it turns, out, hadn't paid much attention to ...

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Album Review

Andrea Tofanelli: Flamingo

Read "Flamingo" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Back in 1974, a French daredevil named Philippe Petit brazenly high-wire walked across the span of New York's Twin Towers. He electrified the pre-internet, pre-YouTube world by spanning the buildings on a ¾" wire cable eight times; a feat of incredible skill, athleticism and bravery later detailed in his book, To Reach the Clouds (North Point Press, 2002). With Flamingo Italian trumpeter Andrea Tofanelli magnificently performs his own incredible high-wire, high-note performance with similar bravado and trumpeting brilliance.

Tofanelli has ...

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"At this point in my life, I have listened to so much music and so many musicians that nothing surprises me anymore (or almost). But I must confess that when I went to Barga Jazz Festival (Italy) this summer and heard the orchestra rehearsals for the first time, especially when I heard Andrea Tofanelli for the first time as he guided the trumpet section from stratospheric heights with swing and sound as big as a house, I was left literally speechless and very keen on getting to know better this musician whose trumpet seems to start where it leaves off for most other trumpeters"... Enrico Rava

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Primary Instrument

Trumpet

Credentials/Background

Andrea Tofanelli is Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Workshop at the "Orazio Vecchi" Institute of Music in Modena Conductor of the "L. Boccherini Institute of Music Jazz Orchestra” in Lucca.

Clinic/Workshop Information

Currently consulting with Clint "Pops" McLaughlin on the first American draft of "Embouchure - The Pros Talk" and for an instructional video on trumpet playing.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Blue Sun

Self Produced
2023

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Vulcano

Self Produced
2022

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Flamingo

American Creative Music
2010

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Videos

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