Andrea Centazzo
During his artistic career that spans over 30 years, composer, conductor, percussionist and video artist Andrea Centazzo has given more than 1500 concerts and live performances in Europe and the United States, as well as appeared and performed on numerous radio and television broadcasts worldwide. In 1976 he founded ICTUS records one of the first independent labels for jazz and avant-garde. The label closed down in 1984 due to financial problems and it was resuscitated in 2004 in Long Beach California. Now all the ICTUS catalogue is on sale on the ICTUS site and bandacamp page.
In 2011, his alma mater, the University of Bologna (Italy) honored him by establishing the “Fondo Centazzo” section of the University Library, where all his musical works are housed and made available to students, scholars and musicians.
He has recorded over 170 LP's and CD's, and has authored 550 compositions mostly published by Warner Chappell (ranging from opera and symphony to solo works) and eight musicology books. He has performed at festivals, concert seasons and theaters as soloist and conductor of his compositions conducting the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra, the LA Contemporary Orchestra, the Mittleuropa Orchestra, the ER Youth Symphonic Orchestra and many Ensembles. He also directed and staged his operas as well theatrical plays of other US authors. His opera TINA was highly acclaimed in Italy as well in California. Holding a PHD in Ancient Music from the prestigious University of Bologna, he did teach in Europe as well in USA from Universities to jazz schools.
In the early '70s he introduced a new concept of percussion playing on the jazz scene and immediately migrating from the Free Jazz to a new form of improvised music, defining itself.
Centazzo was one of the founders in the late 70s of the NY Downtown Music Scene with his seminal collaboration with John Zorn, Tom Corra, Eugene Chadbourne, Toshinori Kondo and others.
He has performed and recorded, co-leading, with some of the greatest avant-garde soloists and composers, including John Zorn, Sylvano Bussotti, Steve Lacy, Don Cherry, Evan Parker, Fred Frith, Tom Cora, Alvin Curran, Henry Kaiser, Teo Jöergesmann, Albert Mangelsdorf, Gianluigi Trovesi, Anthony Coleman, Toshinori Kondo, just to name few.
Deservedly, Centazzo has received a number of prestigious music and video Awards (Italian Critic’s Choice Award, Italy, Downbeat Magazine Poll, USA, International Video Festival Tokyo, Japan, Prix Arcanal of French Culture, France, Jazz Forum Critic’s Poll, USA, Bruce Chatwin Award, Italy, Dramalogue Award, USA and many more).
Tags
Live Review
Album Review
- Trigonos by Neri Pollastri
- L.A. Strictly Confidential by Alberto Bazzurro
Live Review
Album Review
- Guitars by Elliott Simon
Extended Analysis
Album Review
- West Coast Trio by Jerry D'Souza
- The Bay by Jerry D'Souza
- The Heart of Wax by John Barron
- The Soul in the Mist by John Barron
March 20, 2012
ICTUS Records Nights @ The Stone (NYC) April 1-14
January 31, 2006
Andrea Centazzo: Mandala Friday at Rubin Museum of Art, February 3rd at...
October 19, 2004
Andrea Centazzo multi-media project for solo performer and video images...
It is an important, if not essential collection, featuring an incredible array of talent, and priced as an extraordinary value. Reflecting the tastes and performances of Italian composer and percussionist Andrea Centazzo, the 12- CD boxed set gloriously presents an eclectic and highly individual selection of free improvisation.” Steven Loewy (CADENCE, January 2007)