Claudio Cojaniz

Pianist Claudio Cojaniz: Balkan Blues Piano - City of Asylum, North Side

Italian pianist Claudio Cojaniz returns to City of Asylum for an evening of blues music exploring ancient Balkan culture.

Claudio will lead the audience on an excursion into the vast world of the Balkans. Featuring songs and dances, prayers and sacred songs, and bluesy improvisations. About this programs and his devotion to Balkan music, Claudio says, “only by loving and practicing tradition, can we fly.”

Claudio Cojaniz is an internationally renowned pianist and has worked extensively as a composer. He writes music for film and for TV. Since 1996 he has been a pianist in the New DK Blues Band quartet and founded the N.I.O.N orchestra. He won the Irino Prize in Japan in 1990, 1st prize composition with Spheres for the great Tokyo national symphony orchestra. His CDs include War Orphans (2005)—a dedication to the music of Ornette Coleman; Caligula Reds (2010); The Heart of the Universe in Trio; Shadows of Colors—compositions in 9 parts for Organ; Songs for Africa—on behalf of the association Time For Africa; Molineddu with Coj & SecondTime—dedicated to Sardinia; and Blue Question in duet with bass player Franco Feruglio.