CORRADO ABBATE
Originally trained as a classical pianist, Corrado Abbate quickly turned to jazz and began playing professionally in 1979. Under the guidance of his teacher, the Torinese pianist Gianni Negro, he soon demonstrated a distinct aptitude for composition and arrangement. He has always loved leading small combos, playing mainly his own compositions, together with exciting jazz renditions of numbers from various musical styles.
		photo Stefania Levi

During the Eighties he led a number of groups highly active on the Torinese scene, playing everything from hard-bop to modal, from fusion to free-funk. Many talented young musicians, now well-known professional players, like guitarist Luigi Tessarollo, saxophonists Marco Tardito and Roberto Regis and drummer Davide Graziano, emerged from these groups. In the same period he played with musicians as Massimo Urbani, Gianni Basso, Franco Mondini, Alfredo Ponissi, Luciano Bertolotti and many others.
In 1991 he formed his own quartet with Fulvio Albano (tenor and soprano sax), Claudio Nicola (double bass) e Raffaele Fontana (drums); in 1993 this formation recorded a CD entitled "Brecce" (Pentaflowers) and stayed together for the whole of 1994, playing numerous concerts and taking part in important jazz festivals.
In 1995 he founded an acid-jazz band called "Primitivo"; in 1996 this group, including saxophonist Danilo Pala, the Cuban trumpeter Amik Guerra and the Argentinean percussionist Luis Casih, together with Nicola e Fontana, recorded a CD entitled "Speed Jazz" (Tielines), from which followed an intense series of concerts lasting throughout 1998, with participation in numerous international festivals (Ivrea Eurojazz Festival, Turin JVC Jazz Festival, Bordighera Jazz and Blues, Catanzaro Jazz Fest, to name but a few). In this period Abbate played also with musicians such as Claudio and Fulvio Chiara, Enzo Zirilli, Alessandro Minetto, Nicola Muresu and many others.
Corrado Abbate has taken on several projects in the theatrical field, composing music for the staging of works by Arrabal, Topor, Jodorowskij, de Ghelderode, Allen and other artists. The most recent was the music accompanying the production of "Short Stories", which was performed live at the opening of the 2000 " Ivrea Eurojazz Festival".
The end of 2002 saw the realisation of "Jazzcom", a joint project of Corrado Abbate and producer Massimo Visentin, whose aim is to offer quality contemporary jazz which is more easily accessible to a non-specialist audience. The group, whose current line-up includes, as well as its leader, Danilo Pala (alto sax), Luigi Di Gregorio (tenor sax), Roberto Giolito (double bass) and Carlo Bernardinello (drums), has recently recorded a CD entitled "Stultifera Navis" (SFR 2005).

Discography quoted:
"Brecce" ("Quartetto A.N.F.A" - Pentaflowers 1993)
"Speed Jazz" ("Primitivo" - Tielines 1997)
"Stultifera Navis" ("Jazzcom" - SFR 2005)