The acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and educator discusses his formative years in Italy, the vibrant jazz scene in the Pacific Northwest, and the rotating combos found on his excellent album, Circular Motion.
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Today, the Spotlight shines on jazz pianist, composer, and educator Francesco Crosara.
Francesco was born and raised in Rome, Italy, where both jazz and classical music came into his life early on, particularly through his mother, the influential jazz singer, broadcaster, and educator Lilian Terry. Lilian presented many of the most important names in American jazz, and some—like Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, Chick Corea, and Dizzy Gillespie—influenced young Francesco’s artistic growth.
Francesco studied classical piano, music theory, and composition at the Conservatory of Music Santa Cecilia in Rome. After three years, he transferred to the Conservatory of Frosinone to specialize in jazz harmony, composition, and improvisation. While attending USC in Los Angeles, he became a permanent member of the USC Jazz Big Band.
We spoke in early March, several weeks after Francesco’s recent album, Circular Motion, was released on Origin/OA2 Records. The record consists of all original material, including a revisiting of his compositions dating back over 40 years.
As longtime listeners will know, we’ve recorded episodes in recording studios, over Zoom, in front of live audiences, and backstage at concerts. This episode marks the first time that it was recorded at my kitchen table! Francesco lives not too far from Spotlight On World Headquarters, and he graciously stopped by to record in person.
It was a treat to sit across the table from Francesco, in person, and talk about music, pianists, and his work as an educator and mentor. Enjoy our talk.
(all musical excerpts heard in the interview are taken from Francesco Crosara's album Circular Motion)
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00:00 - Introduction
03:01 - Francesco's thoughts on the Seattle jazz scene
07:15 - Francesco's early life and exposure to music
15:34 - Francesco's turning point: discovering the joy of jazz
20:00 - The influence of jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach
22:42 - Francesco's journey to the United States and studying at USC
26:11 - The impact of Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett on Francesco's music
33:04 - Francesco's approach to electronic instruments and synthesizers
35:11 - The story behind Francesco's acoustic piano
36:16 - The process of revisiting and rearranging old compositions
39:32 - Choosing the right musicians for each composition
44:22 - The healing power of music and Francesco's mission to create uplifting jazz
46:04 - Francesco's future projects and plans
47:01 - The importance of supporting music education and community outreach
50:55 - Francesco's involvement with the Music Discovery Center in Seattle
53:17 - The significance of Quincy Jones' connection to Bremerton, WA
54:57 - Final thoughts on the role of music and art in society
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Visit Francesco Crosara at https://www.francescojazz.com
Purchase Francesco Crosara's Circular Motion from Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/circular-motion-francesco-crosara/hcegi9x2qpvvc
or Bandcamp → https://francescojazz.bandcamp.com/album/circular-motion
and listen on [your streaming platform of choice → https://songwhip.com/francesco-crosara/circular-motion
Follow Francesco Crosara on Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/francescojazz
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescocrosara
and YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/francescocrosara
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