Francesco Cafiso Alto Sax
Esteban Castro Piano

This concert was part of a tour organized by Claudio Angeli’s New Age Productions

Francesco Cafiso (Vittoria May 24, 1989)

Francesco Cafiso was barely nine years old when he took his first steps on the stage, working with musicians of international acclaim.
Since then, Francesco has gone on to perform with a dizzying array of the biggest names in jazz, including Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Jimmy Cobb, Ben Riley, Ray Drummond, Lewis Nash, James Williams, Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, George Mraz, Kenny Wheeler, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Enrico Rava, and Stefano Bollani, to name but a few.
A decisive moment in Francesco’s career came in 2002, when he met Wynton Marsalis at the Pescara Jazz Festival, in Italy. Amazed by what he heard from the thirteen-year-old, Marsalis invited Francesco to join his septet in Europe the following year on a tour that included some of the most prestigious theaters in Europe. From that moment on, Francesco’s career took off, both in Italy and abroad. He won various important prizes: the Massimo Urbani National Award in Urbisaglia, the EuroJazz Award in Lecco, the International Jazz Festivals Organization Award in New York, the World Saxophone Competition in London, and the Django d’Or in Rome amongst many others.
In search of new experiences, musical styles and genres, Francesco then traveled to New Orleans, where he played with Ellis Marsalis and many other important local musicians.
In 2004, he was featured as a special guest at Italy's Sanremo Music Festival.
In the 2005 edition of Swing Journal, the authoritative Japanese jazz music magazine, he was presented with the New Stars Award: a prize reserved for emerging foreign talents. The same year, he was awarded the “Best New Talent” in the Top Jazz charts of the Italian magazine, “Musica Jazz”.
In 2006, Francesco graduated from the Musical Institute Vincenzo Bellini in Catania with a Diploma in Transverse Flute.
In 2008, Francesco took on the role of Artistic Director at the Vittoria Jazz Festival, in his native city; a role which he continues to fulfill today.
On January 19, 2009, he performed in Washington DC during the celebrations in honor of President Barak Obama for Martin Luther King Jr Day.
On July 17, 2009, the Umbria Jazz Foundation named Francesco “Ambassador of Italian Jazz Music Around the World.”
In 2012, he arranged “Don’t Stop”: the music used in an ongoing commercial for ENI Station.
In 2010, he obtained a Masters Degree in Jazz at the Corelli Conservatory of Messina. Soon after, he was featured in the "Best of Italian Jazz" festival at the Shanghai Expo in China.
In July 2012, he was invited to perform in London for the Summer Olympics, at the headquarters of “Casa Italia” in the presence of the Italian Ambassador in London and of the leaders of CONI (the Italian National Olympic Committee). In September of the same year, during an extended stay in the USA, he held a series of saxophone master classes at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
In June 2013, at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Consulate General of Philadelphia, in collaboration with the American Secretary of State John Kerry, Francesco represented Italy during the celebrations for the “Year of Italian Culture” in the United States.
On February 20, 2014, Francesco received the “Grand Award of Merit” from the “American Society of the Italian Legions of Merit” in New York, on behalf of the many Sicilian musicians that have contributed to the development of jazz music throughout the world.
In March 2015, Francesco’s ambitious work entitled "3" was released (Alfredo Lo Faro Productions). It consists of three albums, each unique in their own right: “La Banda", "Contemplation" and "20 Cents per Note”. The three albums see Francesco in the role of composer, arranger, and performer.
In 2016, Francesco created and launched his own jazz record label, named “EFLAT Records”.
In 2017, Francesco recorded the album “We Play For Tips” at the Vittoria Jazz Festival, which was released in 2018 on his record label, EFLAT Records, obtaining widespread acclaim and recognition from specialized critics.
In 2019, Francesco returned to the recording studio with the infamous London Symphony Orchestra, giving life to his project "Irene of Boston - Conversation avec Corto Maltese”, which was released in 2020.
On December 27, 2022, Sergio Mattarella, the President of the Italian Republic, knighted Francesco with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. The decree, coming directly from Mattarella himself, is the highest recognition the President of the Republic can confer.
On May 19, 2023, Francesco received a graduate Artist's Diploma in Jazz Studies from The Julliard School of New York.
Francesco continues to perform throughout the world with various musical ensembles under his own direction.

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