Claudio Airo Jazz pianist, keyboardist and singer

Claudio Airo

Growing up in Milan, he started to play the piano when he was a child, but began serious studying at the age of 14, while he started to play with local bands. Soon he switched his efforts to jazz and studied with pianist Arrigo Cappelletti. In the 90s moved to Tuscany and started to study at the Siena Jazz Academy, where he graduated in 2005. During that time, he attended many workshops with artists like Umberto Petrin, Richard Muhal Abrams, Marc Ribot, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Roscoe Mitchell, Antony Braxton, Tim Berne, Garrison Fewell, William Parker, James Newton (composition) and Bruno Tommaso (arrangement).

In the early 90s he played as a keyboardist and vocalist in various entertainment and pop bands, including the famous songwriter Edoardo Vianello. At the beginning of 2000s he focused on jazz, playing in clubs and festivals in Italy and Europe, and making his first recording Omninside 2006. Other recordings: Moving off 2007; live in Novara and Live in Pisa 2008-2009; Follow the Line 2015 Let it Groove 2016. He has played with a range of other artists, including: Franco Cerri, David Pastor, Tullio De Piscopo, Giorgio Rosciglione, Irio De Paula, Jason Marsalis, Jimmy Villotti,...and many others.

In his collaborations are also included some tribute and cover bands like The Beatbox Beatles tribute band and Baluba Shake 60’s party band, and lounge bands. Interested in the combination of music with various arts, he has played in multidisciplinary performances and exhibitions. Alone as pianist and crooner, or in various bands, he regularly performs in clubs and luxury locations and hotels, working for important companies like Belmond, Four Seasons, Hotel de Paris (Montecarlo), Westin, St Regis, Adler, IHC, Baglioni, LHW, Costa, Tallink-Silja…

His songbook, while mostly based on international standards, is noticeably wide, and played in a jazzy to contemporary style.