Home » Jazz Musicians » Pasquale Stafano

Pasquale Stafano

Pianist, composer and arranger, he graduated in Classical Piano in 1994 and in Jazz in 2000 at “Umberto Giordano” Music Conservatory in Foggia (Italy). He has also a Degree in Economy with Marketing specialization, at University of Foggia in 2004. He is Professor of Piano Jazz at “Luca Marenzio” Music Conservatory in Brescia (Italy). COLLABORATIONS He collaborates with some of the best contemporary jazz musicians among which Javier Girotto, Gabriele Mirabassi, Fabrizio Bosso, Valtinho Anastacio, Max Ionata, Roberto Ottaviano, Michele Rabbia, Kiwha Lee, Yeahwon Shin. He also collaborated with the Italian very famous actors Michele Placido and Giorgio Albertazzi and with Magna Grecia Orchestra and Bari Metropolitan Orchestra. PRODUCTION: 2021. New album "Sparks" with his trio released by German label Enja Records. The album contains with original compositions. 2020. “Mediterranean Tales” with the DUO project with Gianni Iorio on bandoneon, released in January by German label Enja Records. The album contains six original compositions. It’s available in all shops and on Spotify, iTunes, Google Music, Yandex and many others. 2016. “Nocturno” recorded with DUO project with Gianni Iorio on bandoneon released in May by prestigious label ENJA Records by Matthias Winckelmann. Liner notes of album are written by Oscar Award Luis Bacalov. 2016. His composition entitled Milonguita has been arranged and recorded by the famous cellos ensemble “12 Cellist der Berliner Philharmoniker”, all members of the most famous Orchestra, in the new album called “Hora Cero” released by Sony Classics. The album contains compositions by Astor Piazzolla, Horacio Salgan and Pasquale Stafano. 2012. “D’impulso”, recorded with Javier Girotto as special guest, released by German label Jazzhaus Records. 2008. “Tango Mediterraneo”, a new album with original compositions by Pasquale Stafano and Gianni Iorio, recorded with Gabriele Mirabassi as special guest. 2005. “A night in Vienna for Astor Piazzolla.”a live CD recorded in Porgy & Bess jazz club in Vienna, produced by the prestigious Italian jazz label PHILOLOGY. The CD has been positively reviewed by the most important music magazines in the world. 2002. “Astor’s Mood”, the first “Nuevo Tango Ensamble” CD released by the REALSOUND classical label. Every album has been reviewed by a lot of International Music Magazines all over the world like Suonare News, Musica Jazz, Jazzit, All about Jazz Italy, La Repubblica, Jazz Collective, Jazz Convention, Jazzitalia, Jazzthings, London Jazz, Oasi Walk, Jazz podium, Songlines UK, Amadeus, Jazz Rhythm, Cuadernos de Jazz, Nestor Minsk and many others. His composition “El compadrito” was selected and included in a CD compilation with the best jazz composition by Apulian composers called “Pugliasounds 2012”.

In December 2014 he composed and arranged together with korean composer Jungbum Kim two compositions for movie soundtrack “Chronicle of a blood merchant” by Ha Jung-Woo released on 15th of January 2015. CONCERTS: With his projects he currently performs all around the world in the most important Festival and jazz Clubs: Nymphenburg Music Summer in Munchen (Germany), Duc Des Lombardes in Paris (France), La Palma and Alexander Platz in Rome (Italy), Ferrara Jazz Club (Italy), Folk Club in Turin (Italy), Maison Musique in Rivoli (Italy), Chorus in Lausanne (Switzerland), La Spirale in Friburg (Switzerland), Porgy & Bess in Vienna (Austria), Treibhaus in Innsbruk (Austria), BP Club In Zagreb (Croatia), Panic Jazz Club in Marostica (Italy), Opus Jazz Club (Budapest – Hungary), Dusseldorfer Jazz Rally in Dusseldorf (Germany), Jazznastarowce in Warsaw (Poland), Beat Onto Jazz in Bitonto (Italy), Tam Jazz in Pedaso (Italy), Bolzano Jazz & Other (Italy), Bucarest Music Festival (Romania), Fivizzano International Music Festival (Italy), Macerata Jazz Festival (Italy), Groznjian Jazz Festival (Croatia), Krakow Summer Jazz Festival (Poland), Gipfel du Jazz in Freiburg (Germany), Gulf Jazz Festival in Dubai (Arab United Emirates), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Manama (Bahrein), Emmas Festival in Olbia (Italy), Villa Celimontana in Rome (Italy), Musica sulle Bocche in Santa Teresa di Gallura (Italy), Padova Jazz Festival (Italy), Jazz au Chellah in Rabat (Morocco), Jarasum International Jazz Festival in Gapyenong (South Korea), Changwoo World Music Festival in Seoul (South Korea), Banjul Music in Seoul (South Korea), Blue Note in Seoul (South Korea), All That Jazz in Seoul, Cheng-Kung Hall in Tainan (Taiwan), Eslite Performance Hall in Taipei (Taiwan), Guri Art Hall in Guri (South Korea), Kous Concert Hall in Seoul (South Korea), Beishan International Jazz Festival in Zhuhai (China), Hong Kong Jazz Festival, Haeundae International Jazz Festival in Busan (South Korea), Artbridge in Daejeon (South Korea), Akordeono Festivalis Vilnius in Vilnius (Lithuania), Auditorium Umberto Agnelli IIC Tokyo (Japan), Gates’7 in Fukouka (Japan), Busan Sea Real Music Festival in Busan (South Korea), Artfactory in Daejeon (South Korea), Ulsan Jazz Festival in Ulsan (South Korea), Norodowa Orkiestra Symfoniczna Polskiego Radia Katowice (Poland), Juillet Musical de Saint Hubert (Belgium), Gaume Jazz Festival in Rossignol (Belgium), Lagoa Jazz Festival (Portugal), Letni Festiwal Jazzowy Krakow (Poland), St. Petersburg “Shostakovich” Philarmonia in St. Petersburg (Russia), Ever Jazz Festival in Ekaterinburg (Russia) and many others. TEACHING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES: Pasquale Stafano is a teacher in piano jazz and classical, composition and arrangement in several Public and Private High Schools and Conservatory since 1998. His students won several prizes in national and international piano competitions. He held workshops and masterclasses at Nuniversity in Italy, South Korea, Switzerland,Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Thailand. In 2011 and 2012 he was invited for a live performance for six times as musical guest in the TV show “I fatti vostri” on RAI 2, one of main Italian TV channels. He was invited for interview and live performances at “Suoni d’estate” (“Suoni d’estate”) at RADIO RAI 1 and “Fahrenheit” programs and Radio RAI 3, on MBC Radio Seoul, one of the most famous radio program in Korea, he had a live performance and interview with Mr Bae Chul Soo. He had live perfomance and interviews also in MBC Radio Daejeon, MBC Radio Busan and EBS TV in South Korea. He is the founder and Artistic Director of “Stornarella International Music Festival” in Stornarella a city in South of Italy since 2010.

Show less

Pasquale Stafano: Sparks

by Mike Jurkovic
January 8, 2022

Funny how it seems to be that we're forever catching up to jazz no matter how astute or socially notified we believe ourselves to be. Case in point is Sparks, pianist Pasquale Stafano's stylistic and creative balancing act. Released in the pre-omicron haze of September 2021, Sparks delivers more and more as one surrenders and pays closer and closer attention to its warm textures, rising dramas, and festive dances. Actively articulate, Stafano's eight striking, shape-shifting compositions reveal an ...

Album Review

Pasquale Stafano: Sparks

by Ian Patterson
November 19, 2021

Italian pianist Pasquale Stafano is perhaps best known for the Nuevo Tango Ensemble which he co-founded in 1999 with bandoneonist Gianni Iorio, with whom he has also released a couple of fine duo albums, namely the tango-inspired Nocturno (Enja Records, 2017) and Mediterranean Tales (Enja Records, 2020). The centenary of Astor Piazzolla's birth might have seemed like an opportune moment for another tango project, but instead Stafano has launched a new trio, with double bassist Giorgio Vendola and drummer & ...

123

Album Review

Gianni Iorio & Pasquale Stafano: Mediterranean Tales

Read "Mediterranean Tales" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
May 23, 2020

When it comes to the bandoneon it's impossible not to think of Astor Piazzolla, the great virtuoso and father of nuevo tango, whose influence and legacy is still very much felt. Since the late 1990s bandoneonist Gianni Iorio and pianist Pasquale Stafano's Nuevo Tango Ensemble has found inspiration in Piazzola's jazz- inflected tango, releasing a handful of handsome recordings. Their excellent duo outing, Nocturno (Enja Records, 2017), likewise mined Piazzola's songbook, along with those of those of Carlos Gardel, Oswaldo ...

“The nocturnal lyricism of "Mirror of Soul" and the midnight flare of "Clocks" boldly reflect a confident, skillful, composer at peak awareness of the moment and what it readily demands. If anything broadens the audience for Stafano's spangling, rhythmic aspects, Sparks will definitely open a lot of ears.” Mike Jurkovic – All About Jazz (8th Jan 2022)

"The Italian pianist, with this new album makes really sparks from the first to the last note [...] It is a successful all-round album with brilliantly arranged original songs" Ruendi Akli - Jazz 'n More Switzerland (March 2022)

"Pasquale Stafano has an incisive, unashamedly European, precise and emotion-creating pianism." Alceste Ayroldi - Musica Jazz (IT) June 2022

“The album is rhythmic and lively, with songs that evokes images written and arranged often in odd-numbered order. An album full of vitality” Hiroki Sugita – Jazz Japan

“Speed and elegance are the trademarks of the Italian pianist Pasquale Stafano. The opener “Sparks”, which gives the album its name, actually lets the sparks fly at breakneck speed, at the same time Stafano maintains the composure.” Rolf Thomas – Jazzthing Magazine (DE) N. 141

“Lyricism, odd and articulated metric combinations without being cerebral, art rock hints: the late Esbjorn Svensson would have envied him a lot.” Guido Festinese – Il Manifesto (IT) (13/11/2021)

“Dev’essere un sognatore intenso, Pasquale Stafano, di quelli che creano continuamente immagini estraendole dalla fantasia e dando loro la dignità di oggetti reali attraverso la musica. […] Stafano riesce a dare una superba forma artistica a tutto questo tratteggiando un mondo di bellezza lacerante” Riccardo Talamazzi - Off Topic Magazine (IT)

“With Sparks there is certainly the promise of more incendiary music making still to come from Stafano’s impressive new trio.” Ian Patterson – All About Jazz USA (19/11/2021)

“A piano with a beautiful touch dances smoky in a powerful rhythm, and overflowing with gentle beauty tunes. You can enjoy the finest piano trio performance. Kazune Hayata – Jazz Life Japan

“Una travolgente e impattante ondata di energia sonora, ritmica, sviscerata con palpabile impetuosità comunicativa, vigore interpretativo, in cui non mancano frangenti più serafici, contemplativi, che invitano a una profonda riflessione.” Stefano Dentice - Instruments & Music Magazine (IT)

“Stafano is a pianist composer that is very original. In addition to presenting a solid basic structure, the compositions are fragments attributable to progressive-rock. Gerlando Gatto – A proposito di Jazz (22 Jan 2022)

"The music is very structured, written almost like a suite of classical music, there is a melody that attracts and liberates at the same time." Patrck Spanko - SK Jazz

"Bei hörerfahrenen klassik - affinen Jazz - Fans jenseits der Avantgarde dürfte der berühmte „ Spark " über springen". Andreas Ebert - Jazzthetik (Jan 2022)

"If you’re looking for a fresh sound that won’t disappoint then you owe it to yourself to check this jam out now!" Robert Waterson - USA Honk Magazine (April 2022)

"With his new music, Pasquale Stafano turns against the trends that have recently dominated jazz - he relies on erudition, creates unusual textures and invites attentive listening. And since he's one of those artists who knows what they're talking about and how to put it, stop and listen. It's really worth it." Jazz-Fun.De (Sep 2022)