Paolo Damiani

Paolo Damiani composer, conductor, double bass player.

In 1981 he graduated in jazz composition and classical double bass, after studying composition and instrument with Bruno Tommaso, Giorgio Gaslini, Lucio Buccarella, Giorgio Pani, Fernando Grillo, Giuseppe Selmi, Frances Marie Uitti, Giancarlo Gazzani, and Franco Sbacco.

Since 2002 he has directed the Department of Jazz at the Rome Conservatory of Santa Cecilia, which has included and includes some of the most prominent musicians in Europe: among them Danilo Rea, Roberto Gatto, Rosario Giuliani, Stefano Di Battista, Maria Pia De Vito, Fabio Zeppetella, Ettore Fioravanti, Antonio Jasevoli, Stefano Pagni, Mario Corvini, Mike Applebaum, and Vincenzo Caporaletti.

In January 2011, he won the monthly magazine Musica Jazz’s TOP JAZZ referendum as the best composer of the year.

In September 1999 he was appointed artistic and musical director of the ONJ – French National Jazz Orchestra , the first and only foreign artist to win the relevant competition.

Paolo Damiani remained at the helm of the prestigious ensemble until September 2002, playing all over Europe and recording for the well-known German record label ECM.