Luciano Troja

Born in Messina, Italy (Sicily), self-taught from the age of 6, he studied for several years with the pianist-composer Salvatore Bonafede, and, in New York for a brief and intensive time with Richie Beirach. In the years he attended several jazz courses and clinics, among the others Siena Jazz; Berklee Clinics in Umbria, Aebersold School in London , and piano courses with Shirley Scott, James Williams and Franco D’Andrea.

Luciano performed in several festival and jazz- clubs in Europe and US. He is the pianist of the Mahanada Quartet an original combination of free improvisation and written music. With Mahanada he has released three CDs, and garnered extremely good reviews and recognitions "Top Ten CDs Critic’s Best Choice Top Ten CDs 2006 - Cadence, "Best Albums of 2006 - All About Jazz, Italy).

Luciano also released two CDs in duo with the guitarist Giancarlo Mazzù: “Seven Tales About Standards” (SplascH Records, 2006) and “Seven Tales About Standards Vol.2” (SplascH Records 2009). Both the CDs have been considered as a creative and original approach to the standards: “The approach in these tunes is a delight,like a Third Stream reworking of Undercurrent” (Cadence); >“A work of rare elegance and intelligence, and dialogic fineness. A continuous pleasure for ears and mind" (“Best Albums of 2009”, All About Jazz, Italy, 2009)"Favourite Ten CD’s 2006" (El Intruso Jazz Magazine, Argentina).

He is one of the two pianist (with Salvatore Bonafede), of Double Piano Orchestra directed by the italian jazz vocalist and composer Rosalba Lazzarotto. With Rosalba's groups he has recorded the CD Double Rainbow (Wide Records, 2006), and My Funny Valentine (Wide Sound, 2008).

Luciano has been signaled as Talent of the Year, Pianist of the Year, Group of the Year (2008 and 2009) and CD of the Year in Top Jazz Poll 2009 of Musica Jazz magazine.

In 2010 Luciano Troja released At Home With Zindars a piano solo CD, entirely dedicated to the music of the American composer Earl Zindars, well-known for the close friendship and the musical empathy with Bill Evans, who played many of his songs along the entire career. The work is an along five years personal research inside the world of the composer. The CD contains 14 Earl Zindars compositions -some of them never previously released- and a 40-page book, realized after a personal visit at home with the Zindars family, in San Francisco.

Website: www.lucianotroja.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/lucianotroja

Awards

- 2011 Record To Die For -"At Home with Zindars",
Stereophile Magazine

-10°Independent Music Awards
Nomination "Best Tribute Album 2010" for "At Home with Zindars"

- Reviewer's Choice: Top Ten Albums of 2010 ("At Home with Zindars")
Cadence Jazz Magazine

- 10 Best New Songs of the Year
"Earl and Bill" by Luciano Troja, from "At Home with Zindars"
Ken Franckling Jazz Notes