Pianist Enrico Pieranunzi mixes jazz and classical styles

MONTREAL — Enrico Pieranunzi, the top jazz pianist from Italy (and perhaps all of Europe), started out playing both classical music and jazz as a child. He eventually played on Ennio Morricone’s soundtracks, propped up Chet Baker and, well into his career, wrote a book about Bill Evans. That should give you a preliminary idea of the elements in his style: structure, lush colour, judicious choice of notes, and swinging melodic lyricism, respectively.

“The feeling when I approach the piano,” Pieranunzi said Wednesday, “it’s as if I realize for a few seconds that I’ve never played it in my life.

Source: Montreal Gazette