From the first notes of Rush Life, pianist Antonio Ciacca's debut for Motema Music, it is clear that the international acclaim that he's earned, even without benefit of having ever released a CD on a U.S. label, is only a sampling of the critical accolades that will be'comíng his way once his work reaches an even wider audience.

Rush Life is Antonio's fourth outing as a leader, and it features his New York Citybased quíntet - Kengo Nakamura on bass, Rodney Green on drums, Stacy Dillard on saxophone and Joe Magnarelli on trumpet. The CD, which was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Todd Barkan at New York's legendary (and now defunct) jazz recording space, The Studio, is an impressíve collection of original compositions and re-imagined classics that sounds at once comfortably familiar and remarkably fresh.

A mixture of both European and American influences has helped to shape Antonio's style and sound. Born in Germany, raised in Italy and educated in the United States, Antonio continues to move as fluidly among those varied cultural environrnents as he does between his life as a performer and composer and his "day job" as the Director of Programming for Jazz at Lincoin Center.

Antonio began his career as a sideman for such acclaimed jazz artists as Art Farmer, james-Moody, Lee Konitz,Johnny Griffin, Mark Murphy, Dave Liebman, and Steve Grossman, who he cites as his mentor, and with whom he studied for three years beginning in 1990. In 1993, he moved to Detroit to study at Wayne State University with Kenny Barron, after which he studied privately with Mingus' pianist Jakie Byard in New York. While living in Detroit, he was first exposed to gospel music, which so impressed him with its passíon and energy that he soon integrated it into his own developing style as a composer and performer; he eventu. ally went on to produce a CD for a band known as the Detroit Gospel Singers.

One of the most important events in Antonio's career was ioining the legendary saxophonist Steve Lacy's quartet in 1997; he continued to perform with Lacy for seven years. Another key encounter that would have long lasting musical and professional repercussions for Antonio took place in 1997. "Wynton Marsalis was performing in Italy with Elvin Jones, who is my son's godfather. Fd first seen him at the Bologna jazz Festival in 1989, and he really first opened my eyes to jazz then. But when I first saw him, I had no idea we'd ever work together." Antonio first performed with Wynton at New York's Village Vanguard in 2002.

In 1998 he also began to perform with saxophonist Benny Golson, with whom he continues to collaborate. Antonio's first CD as a leader was Hollis Avenue, which was released on the German label YVP. In 2003, he recorded Auturan in New York for the Italian label Splasch.

After returning to Italy, Antonio performed throughout Europe, including an intense series of performances in London in 2003, which included appearances at Ronnie Scott's, the Royal Festival Hall Foyer, the National Theatre and the London.

Jazz Festival, with 'The Monk Liberation Front" project, a six hour-long performance that involved thirteen musicians alternately playing Monk's unedited music; The Guardian called out Antonio's performance as "terrific." After opening for Wynton Marsalis' concerts in ltaly, in 2004 Antonio returned to New York to again perform at the Village Vanguard with his own quartet, featuring renowned saxophonist Wes Anderson, subsequently touring with them throughout the US, UK, and Italy until 2005.

In New York in 2006, Antonio recorded his third CD, Ugly Beauty, for the legendary Italian label Soul Note. He followed its release with a European tour.

In 2007, Antonio's extensive music industry experience and comprehensive artistic vision led to his being tapped to take on the position of Director of Programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he works closely with JALC Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis.

That sarne year, he first met Jana Herzen, founder of Motema Music, who quickly decided to sign Antonio to his first USbased label. His debut for Motema, Rush Life, will be released as the label's first digital only recording. The CD's title track, Antonio's own composition, is a lush showcase for the pianist's strong yet subtle stylings. His prowess as a composer is evident on such originals as the swinging opener, "The Great Squazini," and the poignant tribute to Clifford Brown, '1 Remember Clifford" (which showcases trumpter Joe MagnarellO while his substantial appreciation of his jazz forerunners can be understood in the context of his unique reinterpretation of the classic "Green Dolphin Street."

Now permanently based in New York with his family, Antonio continues to travel all over the world, as a musician and representing jazz at Lincoln Center.

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