Antonio Farao

安東尼．法拉歐 義大利鋼琴家安東尼．法拉歐，是新生代樂手中的佼佼者，也是名聞歐洲爵士樂壇的天才少年，在他的故鄉米蘭，人們一直津津樂道他14歲時的軼事：安東尼．法拉歐曾和父母一起前往城中最著名的爵士俱樂部，少年好奇的安東尼．法拉歐請求駐場樂手讓他演奏一曲，當時義大利鋼琴巨擘賽拉尼也在座中，琴音飄揚，大為驚豔的賽拉尼的第一個反應是：「老天，哪裏來的美國好手？！」 安東尼．法拉歐年紀雖輕，故事卻不只這一樁，10年前，一心求取進步的安東尼．法拉歐向大師鼓手丹尼胡邁爾説他想到著名的美國百科裏音樂學院待個四年，胡邁爾楞了一下，繼而大笑説：「你去百科裏幹嘛？教書啊！」 小時了了，往往需要更堅強的意志力才能成大器，現年30出頭的安東尼．法拉歐就是這樣一個律己極嚴的藝術家，他熟悉爵士樂的傳統鋼琴語言，卻絕不因循，他創作了眾人交相讚譽的樂曲，仍然毫不自滿。安東尼．法拉歐的鋼琴演奏極具個人創意，酷派的內斂、硬式咆勃的熱情活力、前衞爵士的解放創意，在他手中達成絕妙的平衡。   by Charlotte Dillon Extraordinary Italian pianist Antonio Faraó was born in Rome in 1965. He attended the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan in the '80s, where his musical gifts were refined. Faraó began cultivating his profound love of jazz music at active jazz clubs when he was only in his teens. Even then, those around him didn't miss the natural talent for piano the young man had been blessed with. Faraó started touring at an early age, playing in festivals like Lugano, Merano, Lyon, Umbria Jazz, Palermo, and many others. In 1987, at only 22, he won the New Talent Prize at the X1 Music Review. Four years later, he was voted Pianist of the Year, winning the Four Roses Prize. In 1998, he was invited to enter into the international competition for the Concours Martial Solal. Faraó came away as the winner. In 1999, Faraó saw the release of his debut album under the ENJA Records label, Black Inside. Bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts accompanied Faraó's piano work. With post-bop tracks like "Latin Dance," "Sweet," and "My One and Only Love," the album combined a Mediterranean touch with the African-American jazz styling that Faraó has become known for. A sophomore effort entitled Thorn followed in early 2001.