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Salvatore Bonafede

Salvatore Bonafede was born on August 4, 1962 in Palermo, Italy and began playing the piano at the age of four; at first he was self-taught, but later he received classical lessons and in 1973 entered the Conservatory of Music in Palermo. As a teenager he started gigging with local groups and big-bands, accompanied several visiting American Stars, worked in the orchestra for a number of theatrical performances as well as appearing on national Radio and Television programs. Bonafede's early influences were McCoy Tyner and Chick Corea, and he also become steeped in the work of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Charles Mingus.

Salvatore Bonafede imageIn 1986 Salvatore Bonafede won a scholarship to Berklee College, where he graduated three years later. Since living in Boston, Mass. he joined the Jerry Bergonzi Quartet with whom he toured Australia (1987-88), and tought a clinic at Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.). In 1989 Bonafede moved to New York where he led his own groups and performed as a sideman with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Dewey Redman, Joshua Redman, Lew Tabackin and Joe Lovano with whom he performed at Town Hall.

In 1990 Salvatore started recording for the japanese label Ken Music as a leader and composer: his first CD, "Actor-Actress", has been internationally well-received by the critics and voted "A" by The Village Voice; he also recorded with Marc Johnson, Paul Motian, Paolo Fresu, Judi Silvano, Randy Brecker, John Abercrombie, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Jerry Bergonzi, Tim Berne, Ralph Towner, Dave Douglas, Michael Formanek, Enrico Rava. In 1991 magazine Musica Jazz voted him "Top young player" of the year and in 2001 received the "Top record of the year" award.

Bonafede moved back to Italy in 1994 and worked with Lester Bowie, Tom Harrell, Bobby Watson and John Scofield, with whom he toured in 1995. Then he took part in a number of major european festivals with a 12-piece band led by Joe Lovano and performed for "The 2005 Nightlife Awards" at Town Hall in New York.

In addition to his performing and recording activity, Salvatore Bonafede writes for film scores (two awards for best soundtrack in 2003 and 2004) and for TV movie series ("Emmerdale" in Finland and "Emmerdale farm" in Sweden). He is also active in jazz education, teaching at the Conservatory in Trapani, Italy and conducting workshops and clinics.

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237
Album Review

Salvatore Bonafede Trio: Sicilian Opening

Read "Sicilian Opening" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


Sicilian Opening from Salvatore Bonafede is a wonderful album. It offers ample reason why Bonafede has been in demand by musicians as diverse as Ralph Towner, Enrico Rava, Dewey Redman, and Lester Bowie. The Italian pianist is an extremely gifted and melodic composer. His songs are utterly fascinating and memorable. They can flutter and soar, like birds on the wing, as “La Grande Ilusión" and “Appunti su Palermo," do. They gallop and swing with equal portions of equine grace and ...

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Album Review

Salvatore Bonafede Trio: Sicilian Opening

Read "Sicilian Opening" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Hailing originally from Sicily, pianist Salvatore Bonafede earned a scholarship to Boston's Berklee School of Music in 1986. A 1989 move to New York saw him playing with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Dewey Redman, Joshua Redman, Lew Tabackin and Joe Lovano. Bonafede moved back to Sicily in 1994, where he has worked with many jazz luminaries, including Joe Lovano's 12-Piece Orchestra. The résumé reveals a musician conversant in a variety of ensemble configurations, but Bonafede pares things down to a ...

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Album Review

Salvatore Bonafede: Journey To Donnafugata

Read "Journey To Donnafugata" reviewed by Celeste Sunderland


Enrico Rava weaves his passionate trumpet through “Viaggo A Donnafugata, the opening track of pianist Salvatore Bonafede's new album. Kicking Journey To Donnafugata off with a nostalgic tone, he creates a prayerful introduction to an album which pays homage to the beloved island of Sicily, the setting for Luchino Visconti's 1963 film Il Gattopardo (The Leopard). Journey To Donnafugata is actually an exploration of Nino Rota's soundtrack to the movie, complete with Giuseppe Verdi's “Gran Valser, played as a solo ...

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Recording

Salvatore Bonafede Trio "Sicilian Opening" (Jazz Eyes)

Salvatore Bonafede Trio "Sicilian Opening" (Jazz Eyes)

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

After many releases ranging from trio to larger bands, featuring several jazz notables--from Joe Lovano and John Abercrombie to Enrico Rava--renowned Italian pianist and composer Salvatore Bonafede gets back to his roots with a trio featuring two fellow Sicilians now based in New York: Marcello Pellitteri on drums and Marco Panascia on electric and double bass. Out of folk clichs, the Salvatore Bonafede Trio takes Mediterranean melodies dipped into the bittersweet colours of their home-island and opens them up to ...

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Performance / Tour

Joe Lovano/Judi Silvano/Salvatore Bonafede Sound Garden Meditations Sun. Jan. 30th at 5pm

Joe Lovano/Judi Silvano/Salvatore Bonafede Sound Garden Meditations Sun. Jan. 30th at 5pm

Source: All About Jazz

January 28, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS!!! Hudson View Gardens Performing Arts Group Presents “SUNDAYS at 5" THIS SUNDAY January 30th at 5pm in the “Lounge" A peaceful music journey through soothing East-Indian and jazz-influenced improvisations for varied reed and wind instruments, voice, piano, gongs and percussion featuring one ...

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Music

Sicilian Opening

From: Sicilian Opening
By Salvatore Bonafede

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