From Enrico Pieranunzi to Stefano Bollani via Giovanni Mirabassi, the Italian scene has been rich in talented pianists. Within this long line, Antonio Faraò figures prominently: winner of the prestigious Concours Martial Solal in 1998, dubbed by Herbie Hancock, he was able to impose himself naturally through a game of lyricism and elegance, which allowed him to rub shoulders with the best musicians, European and American.

Hailed as one of the best jazz pianist of the last decades, Farao’ has earned his fair share of praise over the years. The Italian pianist exudes a spectacular energy and vibrancy and has a presence whether on stage or recording. His style is immediately recognisable: excellent instrumental mastery, ardent emotional charge, fertile compositional vein, sensational rhythmic sense and proverbial communicative refinement are his greatest peculiarities.
Born in Rome in 1965, he comes from a family with deep musical roots. His solo career has been full of successes since the beginning, such as the victory obtained in the "New Talents" category at the referendum organized by the magazine "Musica Jazz" (in 1991). Thanks to his undoubted artistic talents, he forges particularly significant collaborations alongside an impressive string of musicians renowned worldwide, including: Jack DeJohnette, Chris Potter, Daniel Humair, Gary Bartz, Lee Konitz, Steve Grossman, Billy Cobham, Mike Clark, Bireli Lagrène, Dennis Chambers, Claudio Fasoli, André Ceccarelli, Ivan Lins, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ira Coleman, Benny Golson, Von Freeman, Chico Freeman, Miroslav Vitous, John Abercrombie, Didier Lockwood, Billy Hart, Lenny White, Eddie Gomez, Bob Berg, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Wayne Shorter, Johnny Griffin, Richard Galliano, Al Jarreau, Marcus Miller, Charles Tolliver, Toots Thielemans, Christian McBride, George Garzone.

He was invited several times by Herbie Hancock to join the International Jazz Day global concert, a world event organized by UNESCO, together with Brandford Marsalis, Kurt Elling, Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller, Al Jarreau, Richard Bona among other prominent names.

Since 2023 he has been involved in the "McCoy Tyner Legends" project, an all-American quintet where he, the only European musician, shares the stage with world-class jazz musicians such as Chico Freeman on tenor sax, Steve Turre on trombone, Avery Sharpe on double bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums. With this line-up, he pays homage to one of the greatest jazz pianists ever who passed away in 2020: McCoy Tyner.

Cast: Antonio Farao (Piano), Wayne Dockery (Double Bass), Gene Calderazzo (Drums), Dave Liebman (Tenor, Saxophone)