Mimmo Cafiero
biography
Mimmo Cafiero was born in Palermo on November 13, 1960. A Sicilian percussionist and composer, he studied piano at the “Vincenzo Bellini” Conservatory in Palermo between 1971 and 1974. During the 1972-1973 period, he participated as a singer in the “Coro delle Voci Bianche” of the Conservatory, directed by Maestro Tagini, in the opera performances of “Carmen” and “Tosca” during the seasons at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. He became interested in jazz in 1975 as a self-taught percussionist, frequently playing at the “Brass Group Jazz Club” in Palermo with various musicians and participating in jam sessions with foreign artists passing through, such as Ian Carr and Oliver Lake. Between 1975 and 1978, he participated in important television broadcasts about jazz, hosted by Franco Cerri, including “Sapere, il Jazz in Italia,” “Chitarra e Fagotto,” and “Di jazz in jazz.” From 1978 to 1981, he was a permanent member of vibraphonist Enzo Randisi’s group, with whom he recorded two albums and participated in a tour of twenty concerts in Spain.
In 1981, he began personal musical exploration, playing with his own formations and collaborating in a trio with Salvatore Bonafede on piano and Giuseppe Costa on double bass. In 1983, he joined the “Brass Group Big Band,” a twenty-piece orchestra directed by artists such as Mel Lewis, Sam Rivers, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Archie Shepp, and Ernie Wilkins. In 1984, he began teaching at the “Centro Studi del Brass Group” and, still self-taught, learned to play the drums. That same year, he played with Claudio Lo Cascio’s “Reinhardt Jazz Studio Orchestra” in over fifty concerts mainly directed by Enrico Intra and Sal Genovese, also recording an album in April. Also in 1984, as a percussionist with the orchestra directed by Bruno Biriaco, he participated in fourteen episodes of “Domenica in…” on Rai Uno, a show hosted by Pippo Baudo.
In 1985, while continuing his freelance work, he began a compositional journey that led him in 1986 to record his first album “Emersion” with a septet composed of Paolo Fresu, Stefano D’Anna, Salvatore Bonafede, Paolino Dalla Porta, Ettore Fioravanti, and Loredana Spata. Between 1986 and 1988, he appeared in over 400 concerts in Italy with the Romano Mussolini band, which featured soloists like Gianni Basso, Gianni Sanjust, Glauco Masetti, and Valery Ponomarev. In 1987, for Rai Fonit Cetra, he created a sound recording album with his compositions, often used by RAI in documentaries and television themes. In 1988, he recorded his second album under his name, “I Go,” preceded by a tour of fifty concerts throughout Italy from March 5 to April 30. From 1989 to 1992, he collaborated with the “Ente Autonomo Teatro Massimo” of Palermo to promote jazz music in schools. During his career, he has contributed, both as a composer and performer, to the creation of music for cinema, theater, dance, and documentaries.
In 1990, he recorded the album “Moon and Twenty Five,” with Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar as a guest in his quintet. In 1991, he was the creator of the “Open Jazz Orchestra,” a large ensemble involving many Sicilian musicians. Also in 1991, he founded, served as educational director, and taught jazz drums, percussion, and ensemble music at the “Scuola Musica Insieme” in Palermo, now called Open Jazz School. In 1992, as president of the regional committee of A.M.J. (National Association of Jazz Musicians), he coordinated with Gianni Gebbia the publication of the first audio catalog of Sicilian jazz, “Sicilian Jazz Collection,” three CDs published by Splasc(h) Records and distributed worldwide. In 1993, he was the author of the music and lead actor in the video “Toccare” by Salvo Cuccia, part of the work “Sensi Unici” (five videos for five authors) produced by Scottish TV and Anonimi Indipendenti, presented at the “Fringe Film and Video Festival” in Edinburgh in 1994.
In 1994, he embarked on a long Italian tour, resuming collaboration with Salvatore Bonafede (returned from the United States) twenty years after their first joint experience. He recorded his fourth album under his name, “Domani è Domenica,” with Salvatore Bonafede and Paolino Dalla Porta. In 1995, he began a long European tour with Dario Deidda and Salvatore Bonafede, recording a live album in Brussels. Between 1995 and 1996, he conducted seminars with Hal Crook and Mick Goodrick in Langnau, Switzerland. In 1996, he toured Italy with Joey Calderazzo’s quartet and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel’s trio, recording an album of original music, featuring pianist Diederik Wissels in his new group “Triangles.”
In 1997, he obtained the qualification as a JAZZ teacher in Conservatories, ranking forty-second nationally, but chose not to apply to focus on his school and concert and compositional career. In 1998, his group was invited to Poland for concerts organized by the Italian Cultural Institute of Krakow. In 1999, he toured the United States, playing in New York at the Blue Note and Savoy, and in North Carolina with saxophonist Paul Jeffrey. In 2000, he returned to the United States as a guest soloist of the Duke University Jazz Orchestra for concerts inspired by the music of Sam Rivers. Also in 2000, he participated in July at the “Jazz Nights” festival in Langnau, Switzerland, where he taught drums and ensemble music and played with Hal Crook’s quartet, vibraphonist Hazy Osterwald’s quartet, and collaborated on a project with Hannibal Peterson for a concert for jazz quartet and symphonic orchestra.
During 2001 and 2002, he continued to collaborate with Paul Jeffrey, participating in several concerts in the United States. In 2001, he held numerous concerts with the Open Jazz Orchestra, especially in the summer, throughout Italy. In 2003, he began collaborating with saxophonist Mario Raja, joining his new quintet, with which he participated in the Umbria Jazz 2003 and Siena Jazz 2003 and 2004 festivals. With this quintet, which also includes Roberto Rossi, Riccardo Zegna, and Pietro Leveratto, he made a recording in 2004.
In July 2004, he was again invited to Langnau, Switzerland, to play with Hal Crook and Rick Peckam’s quartet and to present the Italian Open Youth Band, a young under-21 group organized by him with musicians from various Italian regions. In August of the same year, during a trip to Brazil, he met and got to know pianist and composer Osmar Milito in Rio de Janeiro, who invited him to play for two nights at “Mistura Fina,” one of the most important jazz clubs in Rio at the time. In 2005, he performed in Switzerland with Russian violinist David Goloshchekin and singer Mya Nydegger. In August, he played in New York with Paul Jeffrey’s quintet, and, again with Jeffrey, between November 10 and 20, he conducted a concert tour throughout Italy with Toni Cattano, Dino Rubino, and Silvia Bolognesi.
In March 2006, he recorded with Japanese guitarist Akio Sasajima’s quartet, along with Stefano D’Anna and Harvie S, conducting a short tour in Sicily. In May 2008, he embarked on a tour with his “Open Band,” hosting American double bassist Harvie S in the group. During this tour, he recorded the album “Vitti ‘na Strada” with original music in Genoa. In July, he participated in the international festival in PORI, Finland, the LANGNAU festival in Switzerland, and performed in Siena during the Siena Jazz event.
Between 2009 and 2015, he dedicated himself to various projects, including a trio with Riccardo Zegna and Gabriele Evangelista, with whom he performed numerous concerts in Italy. He frequently played with Enrico Rava, participating in important events, and became increasingly focused on compositional activity.
In 2024, he was engaged during the summer in several concerts in a trio with Danilo Rea and Nello Toscano, and played two concerts in a trio with Japanese guitarist Akio Sasajima, who invited him to bring his music to Sapporo, Hokkaido, the city where he lives. In recent years, he has served as the creator, promoter, and artistic director of numerous events in Sicily, with a particular focus on young talents. His projects have been selected and funded on some occasions by the FUS (Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo) of the Ministry of Culture. In 2024, the EduJazz project he conceived together with Gianni ZIchichi, an initiative aimed at integrating music as an educational and cultural tool in schools, was approved and selected among those funded by NUOVOIMAE (Nuovo Istituto Mutualistico Artisti Interpreti Esecutori).