SEATTLE JAZZ FELLOWSHIP: January 30^th, 2025

FRANCESCO CROSARA QUARTET: Francesco Crosara, piano, Alexey Nikolaev, saxophones, Clipper Anderson, bass, Mark Ivester, drums

Francesco Crosara, the Italian-born jazz pianist composer based in the Northwest, will perform at the Seattle Jazz Fellowship on January 30th with an all-star quartet, featuring saxophonist Alexey Nikolaev, bassist Clipper Anderson, and drummer Mark Ivester. 

Crosara will present a program of all-original compositions, a tour de force of four decades of music writing as recorded on a number of albums, most notably the 2024 release of the critically acclaimed CIRCULAR MOTION (Origin/OA2 Records), and the 2000 release of COLORS (Southport Records) with special guest the late great Von Freeman.

Crosara’s original music melds an impressive mix of jazz improvisation, a romantic vein from his classical Conservatory training in Rome, bouncy lyrical expression along with strong Latin influences. His main jazz piano and stylistic influences are Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Zawinul.

Crosara stands among the European-bred jazz greats, performing over the years with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove, Richie Cole, Bobby Shew, Ira Sullivan, Don Menza, Von Freeman, John Heard, Gabe Baltazar, Mayuto Correa, Bruce Forman, Barbara Morrison, Earl Palmer, Lilian Terry, and more. His recordings have featured a multicultural and international array of musicians. He has performed at festivals and venues across the USA, Japan, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, and Italy.

“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

Photos by Lisa Hagen-Glynn, Mark Harazim (BW), Julia Wright Crosara