danisescugnizzodeljazz@gmail.com
I studied music and at the same time I worked as a waiter anywhere I had the chance. One day, when barely 15, I was working in a Neapolitan yacht club when someone asked me to leave the vessel and get on the piano to entertain the guests.
Among them was Roberto De Simone, the great compositor and founder of the “Nuova compagnia di Canto Popolare”
He saw my talent and pointed me to a teacher that left an everlasting mark on my life, M. Miriam Longo.
Since that moment I have never left music, I graduated from the Conservatory of Naples “San Pietro a Maiella” and, meanwhile, I performed around Europe and South America among some of the most important jazzmen: Marco Zurzolo, Renaud Garcia Fons, Massimo Manzi, Massimo Moriconi.
But I was still a “Scugnizzo” and I did not forget where I come from so I created the project “Danise on the road”: I brought my piano in the squares, in the alleys and in the roughest areas of the city and I played my jazz around common people.
Today I teach jazz piano at the Reggio Calabria Conservatory.
It was a great success and in this way I gained the name of :
“SCUGNIZZO DEL JAZZ".
I won prizes, among which the “Chicco Bettinardi Nuovi talenti del jazz italiano” in 2006 and the “Waltex Jazz Competition” in 2009 that led to the publication of my first record “immaginando un trio”. (EGEA)
Staying on the road I got to Brazil where in 2016 I performed in several cities. I got back there for a tour in March 2017 to present the new record “Sarava”, out on the 10th of February for the record label Full Heads.
The language became international. It is because of this that I was invited, in addition to Brazil, to Mexico for a cycle of three Master Classes that I gave at “Accademia Florencia” where I spoke of jazz and the Neapolitan music tradition.
From the 21st to 29th of June 2017 I was involved in a series of concerts for the presentation of the record “Sarava” on behalf of the Italian Culture Institute in Mexico, then in Brazil on behalf of the “Orquesta em Acao”, then in Argentina and across the world.
Today I detain the brand “Made in Naples” obtained from the municipality. A recognition of Neapolitan excellence and with pride I say that I am not Italian but Neapolitan!
