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Giovanni MirabassiItalian pianist and composer
Country:
 Italy |
Content:
Biography of Giovanni Mirabassi
Giovanni Mirabassi, an Italian pianist and composer, was born in 1970 in Perugia, in the Umbria region of Italy. He started playing the piano at the age of three and became interested in jazz at the age of ten. As a self-taught musician, he developed his talents by listening to recordings of virtuoso pianists such as Bud Powell, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Kenny Baron, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, as well as musicians playing other instruments, ranging from Charlie Parker to Pat Metheny. He was also inspired by the works of Astor Piazzolla, Elton John, Bach, Brahms, Charles Mingus, and others.
Early Career
At the age of seventeen, Mirabassi gave his first important concert, accompanying Chet Baker during his visit to Perugia. During the same period, he made his debut as a leading musician at a gathering of various Italian musicians, performing his own compositions on stage. At nineteen, Mirabassi became a member of an Italian tour, playing with Steve Grossman. In 1992, he decided to settle in Paris, where he later met Aldo Ciccolini, who taught him the art of piano playing for three years. Mirabassi supported himself by working as a waiter and a night watchman, while studying and practicing piano playing.
Professional Career
In 1993, Mirabassi signed his first professional contract and a year later formed his first musical group, the trio 'Panta Rei', with bassist Allen Remen and drummer Xavier Fratelli. Through the trio, he started performing in jazz clubs in Paris and met his fellow countrymen, Flavio Boltro, Stefano Di Battista, and Paolo Fresu, who were part of the new generation of jazz musicians living in Paris. By the end of 1994, Mirabassi was fully dedicated to music. He devoted himself to jazz groups and continued working as a concertmaster and composer under contract.
In 1996, Mirabassi recorded his first album with bassist Pierre-Stéphane Michel and trumpeter Flavio Boltro, and won the Grand Prix for "Best Soloist" at the International Jazz Competition in Avignon. His first CD was released by the trio, with drummer Louis Moutin and bassist Daniele Mencarelli. Subsequently, the founder of the 'Sketch' label liked many of Giovanni's works, leading to a contract for several of his albums. In October 1999, his release 'Architectures' received excellent reviews, propelling his career as a pianist. And to this day, the piano trio remains one of his favorite forms of musical collaboration.
Recent Career
Giovanni started dating singer Agnes Bil, for whom he composed and recorded her first album 'La terre est blonde'. In 2001, Mirabassi released his solo album 'Avanti', the result of years of work on revolutionary songs. This event marked the start of his professional career, as evidenced by the awards 'Django d'Or' for "Best Young Talent" and 'Victoires du jazz' in 2002, as well as the sale of 20,000 copies of the album. Mirabassi began touring regularly, both as part of a trio and as a solo artist.
In 2003, Mirabassi released the album '(((Air)))' with trumpeter Flavio Boltro and trombonist Glenn Ferris, which won the award for "Best CD of the Year" from the Jazz Academy. He became one of the top jazz pianists for the French audience and gained popularity in Japan. At the end of 2005, he released the new album 'Prima o poi' on the 'Minium' label, followed by another album, 'Cantopiano', inspired by French chanson standards. Both releases received high praise from the public and media, solidifying Mirabassi's status as an important figure in jazz. Over the course of ten years, Mirabassi has released a dozen CDs and DVDs, which have particularly sold well in Japan. He continues to perform concerts worldwide.
