INNOVATIVE JAZZ PIANIST & COMPOSER WITH A GLOBAL TOUCH
“A pianist who originally hails from Italy, Crosara is well-versed in bop lore,
and his delicate flow might indicate a debt to Bill Evans.” DOWN BEAT
NEW ALBUM
“CIRCULAR MOTION” (ORIGIN/OA2 RECORDS)
NOMINATED FOR 2024 GOLDEN EAR AWARDS, BEST NW RECORDING OF THE YEAR
From a lifetime of music creation, Seattle-based Italian pianist & composer Francesco Crosara selected 10 of his compositions from the last 40 years with the idea of highlighting the nexus between early work, with its simplicity and youthful appeal, to later works where he expressed richer harmonic textures and possibilities.
Francesco Crosara is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator known for his innovative genre-defying blend of jazz improvisation, classical training, world and Latin influences.
Crosara’s music is deeply inspired by jazz piano legends such as Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Herbie Hancock. His work spans a variety of formats, from solo performances to trios and quartets, showcasing his versatility and depth as a musician.
Over his forty-year career, Crosara has performed with renowned artists including Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove, Von Freeman, Bobby Shew and Richie Cole. His seven record releases have featured a multicultural and international array of musicians and have been well received by the media. He has performed at festivals and venues across the USA, Japan, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, and Italy.
Music background. Early challenges and a decision point…
“Francesco, your music is wonderful – always has been. Play what you love and saturate the world with it.”
Chick Corea
“Crosara’s compositions are considerate of their audience, providing a source of joy, comfort, escape, and healing. Crosara believes jazz is a collective experience and a “living language” that distills a multitude of identities, backgrounds, and personalities.”
Earshot Jazz
“A pianist who originally hails from Italy, Crosara is well-versed in bop lore, and his delicate flow might indicate a debt to Bill Evans.”
Down Beat Magazine
“the kind of sensitive swing seldom heard since Bill Evans. Crosara’s rubato meanderings are precious insights into his fertile imagination and harmonic daring.”
Jazz Times Magazine
“The piano echoes notes like twinkling stars, beauty surrounded by silence. […] You’ll dance through your tears and love the loneliness, I did.”
Jazz Improv Magazine
“Francesco Crosara proves he is a pianist with expert chops and broad interests. […] Crosara has an awareness of world music but a firm grounding in the modern jazz vernacular. His major piano influences are unsurprising: Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. Like them, he has an interest in electric as well as acoustic jazz.”
All About Jazz
“Francesco Crosara has been a world traveler in both his life and his music. He is a strikingly original pianist who displays his own inventive style while reviving standards and debuting new suites.”
Pianist and composer Francesco Crosara led a quartet of top-tier Northwest musicians in the KNKX studios, celebrating a new album with the Italian native’s new Northwest friends.
In this exclusive performance in the KNKX studios, Crosara was joined by Farko Dosumov, D’Vonne Lewis, and saxophonist Alexey Nikolaev.
Extended versions of three great tunes from Crosara’s new album show that his music is constantly changing, always connected to the moment he shares with his fellow musicians and audience.
Special two-part series on KNKX 88.5 FM broadcasted on Sunday, April 24th and May 1st 2022. Listen to Jim Wilke’s Jazz Northwest program, featuring eight tracks from the Jazz Piano Duets Concert with Francesco Crosara and Bill Anschell at Stage 7 Pianos in Kirkland, WA
