About
My biography
As a pianist, I have been honored to play and record with some great artists, such as Benny Golson, Ivan Lins, Lee Konitz, Kenny Wheeler, Enrico Rava, Tony Scott, Mark Murphy, Nancy King, Jeff Ballard, Paolo Fresu, Massimo Urbani, Enrico Pieranunzi and Rita Marcotulli.
As a composer, I have published various albums presenting original music, with my groups InventaRio, Pagine Vere, Voices and in collaboration with musical partners Ferruccio Spinetti, Daniele di Bonaventura and Marcello Allulli.
"Giovanni Ceccarelli’s playing is impeccable, reminding me of the legendary late Hank Jones where every note seems to be thought out with great care. He’s not just playing correct notes of the ever-changing and moving chords defining a tune, but offers up creative, heartfelt expressions that seem to tell a story coming from inner feelings initiated by the music itself."
As an arranger, I have contributed to recording productions by my Latin Grammy-nominated group InventaRio and acclaimed project Animantiga.
As an educator, I currently teach jazz piano at the music conservatories CRR in Cergy-Pontoise and CRD Quincy Jones in Mantes- la-Jolie, France.
Timeline
Fabriano, Italy, 1992
Giovanni Ceccarelli was born in FabrianoGiovanni Ceccarelli was born in Fabriano, Italy.
He started playing the piano at seven years-old, then at thirteen he turned on to jazz. He received the basics of piano by studying with Anna Trontino and Nedda Spotti. Giovanni taught himself how to improvise, later on he specialized by studying jazz with pianists Eddie Wied, Rita Marcotulli, Mike Melillo, Franco D’Andrea, Stefano Battaglia and Enrico Pieranunzi, with arrangers Bruno Tommaso and Giancarlo Gazzani, with musicologist Marcello Piras, with masters Dave Liebman and Jack Walrath. He attended the Terni Jazz University, the Siena Jazz courses and clinics, the IASJ annual jazz meeting. In 1984-1985 Giovanni lived in Portland, Oregon for a year, studying jazz piano with Wied, attending the Cleveland High School jazz band class conducted by Larry Nobori, playing with the Oregon Youthsound Big Band conducted by Thara Memory and Greg McKelvey. In the early 2000’s he studied classical piano with Emilio Procaccini and North Indian music theory and tablas with Aki Montoya. In 2022 he obtained the French national diploma as piano jazz professor.
Benny Golson / Giovanni Ceccarelli Trio, Jazz San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain, 2008
Giovanni started playing professionally in the Rome jazz sceneGiovanni started playing professionally in the Rome jazz scene, where he lived for ten years, acquiring a deep knowledge of the jazz standards repertoire by performing with numerous soloists and ensembles. As a sideman and as trio member with bassists Mauro Battisti, Rosario Bonaccorso, Stefano Cantarano and Giordano Pietroni and with drummers Carlo Battisti, Massimo Manzi and Francesco Vitale, he performed in the most prominent jazz venues around the world, and he recorded in the studio with Tony Scott, Benny Golson, Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu, Jeff Ballard, Rita Marcotulli, Enrico Pieranunzi, Bob Wilber, Rosario Giuliani, Max Ionata, Luca Velotti, Gianni Basso, Garrison Fewell, Gianni Coscia, Fabrizio Bosso, Emanuele Cisi, Pietro Tonolo, Ettore Fioravanti, Massimo Nunzi, Charles Davis, Manu Katché, Marco Tamburini, Tiziano Tononi, Carlo Atti, Antonello Salis, John Stowell, Larry Smith, Joe Magnarelli, Jim Snidero, Attilio Zanchi, Gianni Cazzola, Gianluca Petrella, Massimo Moriconi, Stefano “Cocco” Cantini, Nicola Stilo, Dino Rubino, Roberto Taufic.
Lee Konitz / Giovanni Ceccarelli French Trio, recording album Waxin' In Camerino, Camerino, Italy, 2009
Giovanni recorded with great jazz soloists Massimo Urbani and Lee KonitzGiovanni recorded three albums playing standards with great jazz soloists Massimo Urbani – The Nights Of The Beuscher (2009) – and Lee Konitz – At The New Mississippi Jazz Club (2000) and Waxin’ in Camerino (2011). His first release as a co-leader – The Street Dancer (1998), a piano duo with mentor Eddie Wied – was also dedicated to the standards’ repertoire. All four albums were released by Italian record label Philology.
Murk Murphy Quartet, Vox Festival, Fabriano, Italy, 1997
Giovanni is a very demanded pianist for jazz singersGiovanni is a very demanded pianist for jazz singers, thanks to his active listening, deep sound and rich harmonic palette. He was a steady member in vocalists Tiziana Ghiglioni and Ada Montellanico‘s groups, performing and recording with them the American and Italian songbooks – albums The Essential Ellington and Tenco In Jazz with Ghiglioni, Suoni Modulanti and Omaggio a Billie Holiday with Montellanico. He also played and recorded with great vocalists Nancy King, Mark Murphy, Giacomo Gates, David Linx, Maria Pia De Vito and Camille Bertault.
Daniele di Bonaventura / Giovanni Ceccarelli, recording album Mare Calmo, Camerino, Italy, 2013
A prolific and inspired composer with an immediately recognizable style as a pianistA prolific and inspired composer with an immediately recognizable style as a pianist, Giovanni has released some remarkable recordings, as a leader or co-leader, presenting his own compositions. He co-signed songs with Sandra Cartolari, which were released in her album Twolips (1999). While living in Paris, Damascus, Beirut and back to Paris, he released Feedin’ Inner Urges (2009) with vocalist Fabrizia Barresi, Daydreamin’ (2010), acclaimed albums Météores (Bonsaï Music, 2011) – with long-time music collaborators Ferruccio Spinetti and Francesco Petreni – and Mare Calmo (2015) with bandoneon star Daniele di Bonaventura, Canto (2019) with saxophonist Marcello Allulli, Pagine Vere with Michela Lombardi and Luca Falomi, and Voices with Andrea Dulbecco, Salvatore Maiore and Paolo Orlandi. In 2022 Giovanni published In Music’s Hands, a sheet music book containing original compositions for piano, vocals and other instruments.
In Music's Hands, Baroom, Tokyo, Japan, 2023
Giovanni’s solo performances present a repertoire of original compositionsGiovanni’s solo performances present a repertoire of original compositions on piano and the lyrical sound of clavietta. Together with humanitarian association Life4Syria, Giovanni co-organized numerous Concerts for Syria: solo performances with the participation of guest artists. Giovanni’s solos were also featured at benefit concerts supporting Italian regions which were struck by earthquakes. He has given solo concerts in Italy, France, Switzerland and Japan.
Recording album InventaRio Incontra Ivan Lins, Siena, Italy, 2011
Giovanni has a passion and strong interest in Brazilian musicA curious and open-minded musician, Giovanni has a passion and strong interest in Brazilian music. In 2009 he and Ferruccio Spinetti formed group InventaRio, also starring Francesco Petreni and Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Dadi. Their acclaimed album InventaRio (My Favorite Records, 2010) featured Brazilian star Marisa Monte and Italian artists Petra Magoni and Pacifico. In Japan, it ranked among the five best world music albums of the year. InventaRio Incontra Ivan Lins (Blue Note / Biscoito Fino, 2012), a tribute to the music of Ivan Lins entirely recorded and arranged with the Brazilian master, was nominated as Best MPB Album at the Latin Grammy Awards. It stars some outstanding artists from Brazil and Italy including Chico Buarque, Vinicius Cántuaria, Maria Gadú, Vanessa da Mata, Tosca, Samuele Bersani, Fausto Mesolella and Chiara Civello. With di Bonaventura, Giovanni released Eu Te Amo – The Music Of Tom Jobim with the participation of great cellist and arranger Jaques Morelenbaum. Moreover, the pianist is featured in Dadi’s album Todo Vento and in singer-songwriter Maria Gadú’s album Nós. Giovanni has shared the stage with Ivan Lins, inviting him with his group InventaRio, as a duo and with the composer’s group.
Recording album Arie feat. Jeff Ballard and Rita Marcotulli, Siena, Italy, 2021
Giovanni has performed all over the world and recorded about sixty recordsAlong his career, Giovanni has performed all over the world, in festivals, concert seasons, jazz venues and for cultural institutions. He has recorded about sixty albums, collaborating with jazz soloists and composers Marcello Sebastiani, Piero Delle Monache, Toni Germani, Enrico Ghelardi, Fabrizio Cecca, Antonello Sorrentino, Elvio Ghigliordini and Enrico Bracco. He is part of Mauro Gargano‘s group whose album Nuages was released in 2020. Arie by Ferruccio Spinetti stars jazz masters Jeff Ballard and Rita Marcotulli.
Marcello Allulli / Giovanni Ceccarelli, Ciné-concert Cenere, Italian Cultural Institute, Paris, France, 2019
Beyond jazz, Brazil, and composingBeyond jazz, Brazil, and composing, Giovanni has taken part in projects merging music with poetry in collaboration with Italian great actors Arnoldo Foà – I Canti Di Leopardi (Micromega, 1999) – and Alessandro Haber, poetesses Francesca Merloni – Elice (2007) – and Gabriela Kurylewicz, theater director Federica Altieri. Giovanni has collaborated with visual artist Blas Gimeno Ribelles and he has been a steady member of cross-over ensemble Trioakì starring jazz master Tony Scott. As a soloist and sideman he was featured in recordings by avant-pop ensemble Gnu Quartet, percussion orchestra Bandão, Cuban artist Mayto Torres, acoustic fusion group Agorà and duo As Madalenas. Giovanni has given several concerts with pop star vocalist Amii Stewart. As a duo with Marcello Allulli, he performs live soundtracks to silent movies, presenting a repertoire of original music.
Rehearsal album Animantiga, Genoa, Italy, 2017
Another important facet in Giovanni’s careerMusical direction and arranging is another important facet in Giovanni’s career. Album Animantiga by Stéphane Casalta and the late Roberta Alloisio was nominated at Italian awards Targhe Tenco and Premio Loano. This album and Occhi by Italian crooner Francesco Giannelli featured Giovanni as an arranger and musical director.
Recording album More Morricone, Meudon, France, 2019
Giovanni Ceccarelli todayGiovanni Ceccarelli is today a pianist, composer and arranger with a distinct style, leading and co-leading his own projects and collaborating internationally with artists and groups. His tribute album to the late, great composer Ennio Morricone, More Morricone (Bonsaï Music, 2020) was co-signed with Ferruccio Spinetti and acclaimed by the music press and media internationally. The two artists will release in 2025 a tribute album to the eminent French composer Michel Legrand, starring some renowned guest artists.
Jazz masterclass, Daya Indonesia Performing Arts Academy, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2023
Giovanni is a passionate and active music educatorGiovanni is a passionate and active music educator, giving lessons, workshops, masterclasses, conferences in jazz piano, improvisation, arranging, composing and ensemble playing online and around the world. For fifteen years he was the president of cultural association InJazz, organizing and directing jazz clinics in Italy. Currently he teaches jazz piano at the music conservatories CRR in Cergy-Pontoise and CRD Quincy Jones in Mantes-la-Jolie, France.