The virtuosity of the piano, the nostalgic atmospheres of swing, and the undeniable energy of live jazz: The Jazz Club Network continues its events this weekend, with three consecutive dates on October 10th, 11th, and 12th for the island tour of world-renowned pianist and composer Michael Wolff, performing as a trio. The event is part of the program organized by Cedac in collaboration with the cultural association Il Jazzino, which will feature internationally renowned contemporary jazz projects until December 13th.
The Cagliari dates on the 10th and 11th will take place at Jazzino, Via Carloforte 74. The second will feature two consecutive concerts (one at 7:30 PM and the other at 10:00 PM), while at 7:00 PM on the 12th, the Vecchio Mulino in Sassari, Via Frigaglia 5, will host a performance by the piano master Wolff. Starting out as a young jazz musician in California, he seriously embarked on a musical career in the early 1970s, joining the band of renowned Latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader. This first step would lead to collaborations with other genre heavyweights such as Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Nancy Wilson, Christian McBride, and Tony Williams, as well as playing in historic orchestras such as the Duke Ellington Band. From orchestral musician, he later became a conductor, leading over twenty-five symphony ensembles and filling the halls of prestigious stages such as London's Royal Albert Hall and New York's Carnegie Hall.
In 1989, he became bandleader of the Arsenio Hall late-night show orchestra, a small-screen opportunity that allowed him to rub shoulders with icons like Ray Charles, B.B. King, James Brown, Whitney Houston, and Chick Corea, even accompanying then-President Bill Clinton on piano during his unexpected saxophone appearance. Currently a professor of Jazz Studies at New York University, he boasts awards such as the BMI Music Award, the Japanese Gold Disc Award, and even the Hamptons Film Festival Best Soundtrack Award. A unique combination of technique, talent, and experience, only two other virtuosos like Francois Moutin (double bass) and Jeff Boudreaux (drums) could match the trio, scheduled for this weekend in Cagliari and Sassari.