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Take Five with Andrea Domenici

By AAJ Staff
May 11, 2019
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About Andrea Domenici

Born and raised in Lecco , Italy, Andrea Domenici is a jazz pianist and composer who has been living in New York since 2012. A 2016 graduate from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Domenici has studied with great piano players such as

Benny Green

piano
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Green,

Barry Harris

piano
1929 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Barry Harris,

Benny Green

piano
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Green,

Dado Moroni

piano
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Dado Moroni,

Rossano Sportiello

piano
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Rossano Sportiello and Mario Rusca.

Since moving to New York, Domenici has collaborated and shared the stage with:

Harry Allen

saxophone
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Harry Allen,

Wynton Marsalis

trumpet
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Wynton Marsalis,

Gary Bartz

saxophone, alto
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Bartz,

Louis Hayes

drums
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Hayes,

Kenny Washington

drums
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Washington,

James Morrison

multi-instrumentalist
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">James Morrison,

Etienne Charles

trumpet
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Etienne Charles,

Eddie Henderson

trumpet
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie Henderson,

Billy Drummond

drums
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Drummond,

Peter Washington

bass
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Washington,

Roy Hargrove

trumpet
1969 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Hargrove,

Carol Fredette

vocals
1940 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Carol Fredette,

Billy Harper

saxophone
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Harper,

Dave Glasser

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Glasser,

Charles Tolliver

trumpet
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Tolliver,

Wayne Escoffery

saxophone, tenor
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Escoffery,

David Kikoski

piano
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">David Kikoski,

Dave Douglas

trumpet
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Douglas,

James Carter

multi-instrumentalist
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">James Carter and many more. Andrea Domenici has performed in the most prestigious venues of New York City: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Smalls, Mezzrow, Smoke Jazz Club, Zinc Bar, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, etc. Andrea Domenici has played all over the world. In 2017 he played at the Festival Internacional de M��sica in Cancun, Mexico. Andrea Domenici was also called to do a week residency at the prestigious Marrians Jazzroom in Bern with The David Adewumi's Quartet.

Andrea Domenici recently graduated from The Juilliard School with MM in Jazz Studies. He recently released his debut album Playing Who I Am (Abeat Records, 2019) which features Peter Washington on bass and Billy Drummond on drums.

Instrument(s):

Piano.

Teachers and/or influences?

Bud Powell

piano
1924 - 1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bud Powell,

Hank Jones

piano
1918 - 2010

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Jones, Barry Harris,

Sonny Clark

piano
1931 - 1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Clark,

Erroll Garner

piano
1921 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Erroll Garner,

George Shearing

piano
1919 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">George Shearing,

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans,

Kenny Barron

piano
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Barron and Dado Moroni are probably my biggest influences.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

Jazz has always been present in my life since I was very little. My father is a huge Errol Garner fan and I used to listen to Garner's record when I was in kindergarten. I played drums along with those records but my real love was for the piano. I could not envision myself doing anything but playing the piano.

Your sound and approach to music.

I want to be lyrical and, at the same time, have a very strong rhythm. All the pianists I quoted earlier have the ability to play a ballad with true passion that can make you cry and they can play lines that can make you dance.

Your teaching approach:

Depending on the level of the student, I like to know what records my student is listening to and plan the lessons based on the material of the record. For instance if one student is listening to "Dolphin Dance" by

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock from the album Maiden Voyage (Blue Note, 1956) I want him to learn the tune (melody and changes) possibly by ear and then check how the rhythm section is playing, how Herbie Hancock is soloing, comping and try to emulate what he is doing. Everything is on the record and I believe that learning how to play should be based on listening and then understanding the theory.

Favorite venue

I truly love Mezzrow. I believe it is the jazz club with the best acoustics. The piano truly sings in that room.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

I don't know, I know how much music is contributing in my life. I become a better listener everyday and I meet new people everyday because of jazz. Music always brings something new and fresh in my life.

Music you are listening to now:

I am deeply listening to Sonny Clark. I do love the album entitled Sonny Clark Trio with George Duvivier and Max Roach (Time Records, 1960) and Blues in The Night (Blue Note, 1979). Sonny Clark's phrasing is astonishing.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

I don't honestly know, I do not believe there is formula to answer this kind of question but I am sure that more people would be interested in listening to jazz if jazz musicians played music that comes from their hearts more than from their brains. What I desire to do is to be true to myself. I want to be able to play a melody with feelings and to be able to make people dance and feel good either with my comping or soloing.

Your dream band:

I would love to play in a rhythm section with

Ron Carter

bass
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Ron Carter. I love his time, feel, lines and ideas. I am also a huge fan of Harry Allen and I hope to record with him some day.

Did you know...

I started as a drummer when I was 9 years old because I had a terrible piano teacher before and I wanted to change air, then when I was 15 I realized that I loved the piano so much that I wanted to spend my life playing it.

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