With an international career spanning two decades, which has seen him play every major jazz festival on the planet, acclaimed Italian pianist, composer and producer Kekko Fornarelli seeks to create music that can be both listened-to and observed.

Journeying from improvisational jazz to sparse electronica, Fornarelli is known for drawing a wonderfully harmonic lyricism from the piano. Last performing at Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) in 2013, Fornarelli has continued to evolve and reinvent his sound while remaining loyal to his roots in classical piano.

Described by the UK’s Financial Times as having ‘a near-perfect balance of tension and freedom,’ Fornarelli’s inimitable, pared-back sound approaches modern jazz with a stream of influences as broad as Romantic classical music and 21st-century dance – all delivered with a generous dash of Italian warmth.

Having just released his eighth album, Naked, after completing a string of orchestral projects and film score compositions, this highly skilled instrumentalist will perform a solo show as part of MIJF’s opening night, presented with the support of the Italian Institute of Culture.

Presented by the Melbourne International Jazz Festival

Supported by City of Stonnington

Official Trailer

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