Antonio Onorato (Aquilonia, IT January 13 1964)
Composer and guitarist, Antonio Onorato holds a vast artistic career of 25 years, with great success in the world of jazz;
Eclectic musician and scholar of ethnomusicology, his search is based on the fusion of harmonic-melodic language styles in relation to the Neapolitan culture with the influence from the African-American, middle eastern and Brazilian music, which has led him to develop a very personal language style.
He has edited 24 CDs and numerous soundtracks for film and television.
In his last albums ,[1]One notices an Onorato tied less to a virtuous guitar, who remembers him easily in the course of his 20-year career, but more inspired and eager to melodies composed for guitar and Orchestra certainly more suitable for soundtracks than for Jazz concerts. Onorato, however, is still "spoiled" by the Jazz circuit which considers him - as he says the most authoritative criticism - a true guitar hero style now recognizable.
He’s also recognized as part of the Jazz-Rock & World Music (his works: Breathing, Native Spirits - included in the double CD Emmanuel of 2009, with the ECM label drummer Paolo Vinaccia, and Mater Lucania, a new CD recorded in 2012, are examples).
Several works created of contamination with the African culture (Angola): The Soul Breath and Quatro Linguas Uma Alma (with the participation of the singer Dodo Miranda), with the Brazilian culture: Un Grande Abbraccio, Tudo Azul and From Napoli to Belo Horizonte; with the Middle Eastern culture: Sotto il Cielo di Baghdad and Native Americans culture: South Winds and Native Spirits with the participation of the Cheyenne poet Lance Henson and the Apache musician Danny Many Horses.
His artistic collaborations include huge names such as the Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta, Italian jazzmen Franco Cerri, Enrico Rava, Paco Sery, Eddy Palermo, Tullio De Piscopo, the musicians James Senese and Joe Amoruso, the actor Enzo Decaro, and many more.
During 2012, 2013 and 2014, Antonio Onorato has been a special guest to the concerts of Pino Daniele.
Countless times he has participated in huge festivals along side artists such as John Scofield, Jan Garbarek, Charlie Haden, Steve Grossman, John Mclaughlin, Pat Metheny, Tito Puente, Toots Thielemans, Tuck & Patty, Gary Burton, Bob Geldof, Rita Marley, George Benson.
Awards
2014. Premio alla carriera Nino Rota
2013. Premio Internazionale Sebetia-ter
(targa d’argento del Presidente della Repubblica Italiana)
2013. Premio Sorrento Jazz Festival
2013. Premio Mio Magazine
2012. Premio Pompei Cinema Festival
2011. Premio Cimarosa
2010. Premio Gallo d`Oro
2010. Premio Giglio Marino
2006. Premio Tirana Jazz
2004. Premio Vittorio Annona
2003. Premio Associazione Aiutiamoli a vivere
2001. Premio Positano Jazz
2000. Premio Napoli per il Mozambico (FIMP)
1999. Premio Stella di Napoli
1998. Premio ALTS (Ass. lotta tumori al seno)
1998. Premio della critica stampa estera (Festival di Napoli)
1994. Premio G. Roccella (concorso nazionale per giovani musicisti)
1994. Premio Vulcano Metropolitano
1991. Premio Musicalmente Napoli
