Francesco Cafiso - Portrait In Black And White -- Single-Layer Stereo Japanese SACD

When he was barely nine years old Francesco took his first steps, working with internationally famous musicians. Meeting Wynton Marsalis in Pescara at the jazz Festival held on July 2002 was a decisive moment for Francesco's career. Amazed by Francesco's qualities, Marsalis took him along with his septet on his European tour 2003, where Francesco performed in prestigious theatres in the largest cities in Europe.

From that moment on, Francesco went through a series of important experiences both in Italy and abroad. He won various important prizes: the Massimo Urbani National Award in Urbisaglia, the EuroJazz Award in Lecco, the International Jazz Festivals Organization Award in New York, the World Saxophone Competition in London, the Django d'Or in Rome and many others.

In order to experience new musical styles and genres, Francesco went to New Orleans where he played with Ellis Marsalis and many other important local musicians. In 2004, he participated as a special guest in the Sanremo Music Festival. In 2005 the Swing Journal, the authoritative Japanese jazz music magazine, confers him the New Stars Award, a prize reserved to the emergent foreign talents. Immediately after, the affirmation in the Top Jazz, referendum of the Italian Music Jazz magazine, that recognizes him as the best new talent of the year.

Francesco has performed with world famous musicians: Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Jimmy Cobb, Ben Riley, Ray Drummond, Lewis Nash, James Williams, Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, George Mraz, Kenny Wheeler, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Enrico Rava, Stefano Bollani and many other musicians.

"At the head of a splendid quartet of Sicilian musicians such as Dino Rubino (trumpet), Giovanni Mazzarino (piano), Nello Toscano (double bass), Francesco Cafiso presents a work that winds around eight beautiful standards. Cafiso embodies a strong link with the tradition and glorious past of his instrument. In his phrasing there are numerous references to the sacred monsters of jazz history from Charlie Parker to John Coltrane, from Eric Dolphy to Jackie McLean and, at the same time, has the tendency to go beyond the historical-stylistic limits showing great personality and extraordinary ideas. The musicians who accompany him are all extraordinary and interact with great efficiency and precision without ever hindering or excelling, managing to create a perfect balance between dynamism and groove, between delicacy and aggression. To realize this mixture to the limits of perfection, it is enough to pause to listen to 'Woodin' You', 'Night Mist' or the sweet 'Portrait In Black And White', a song in which the lyricism and the inspiration of the collective reach very high levels. All the pieces of this work are always full of intensity, melodic and with frequent original solutions that make it, although very usable, never predictable." - Alessandro Carabelli, jazzitalia.net (translated from Italian)

Features:
• Super Audio CD
• SACD Stereo SACD Layer
• This Single-Layer SACD can only be played on a Super Audio CD Player! It will NOT play on conventional CD Players!
• Made in Japan

Musicians:
Francesco Cafiso, alto sax
Dino Rubino, trumpet
Giovanni Mazzarino, piano
Nello Toscano, bass

Selections:
1. Woodin' You
2. Night Mist
3. Waltz For Ruth
4. Detour Ahead
5. Wrong Together
6. Sail Away
7. Portrait In Black And White
8. You And The Night And The Music

Recorded at The House Studio in Rome on January 4 & 5, 2008