DOMINICK FARINACCI

TRUMPET

Dominick Farinacci ranks among the most acclaimed trumpeters and educators of his generation, with a list of career achievements that push beyond the conventional notions of recognition for a jazz musician. Born and raised in Cleveland, he was just 17 when one of his most important mentors, Wynton Marsalis, chose him to perform in a special program for PBS. While still a student in Juilliard’s inaugural class of jazz-studies majors, he hit the ground running as a recording artist and bandleader — first in Japan, where he released eight albums in short order, and later globally.

At Marsalis’ request, Farinacci spearheaded an outpost of Jazz at Lincoln Center in Doha, Qatar, from 2012 to 2016. His star-filled 2016 album, Short Stories, was developed with music-industry legend and producer Tommy LiPuma. Six years later, Farinacci received the Cleveland Arts Prize, arguably his hometown’s most prestigious honor.

But for the New York-based trumpeter, achievement isn’t the point, and his most powerful works underscore a profound compassion for humanity. In 2011, in response to his mother’s cancer diagnosis, he crafted a serene melody called “A Prayer for You,” which inspired a lauded TED Talk that Farinacci gave at the Kennedy Center in 2014. A decade later, he was finally able to record his composition for the debut project by his group TRIAD.

Farinacci’s interest in addressing trauma through art also informed Modern Warrior LIVE, a multidisciplinary touring work that combines first-person storytelling with film and the trumpeter’s innovative musical direction. Developed with U.S. Army veteran Jaymes Poling, who provides original narration, Modern Warrior LIVE chronicles the journey of the contemporary American veteran through multiple deployments and the complex process of readjusting to civilian life. General Jim Mattis called the project a “necessary and worthy mission paying our respects to all veterans and, by extension, to the Gold Star families.”

Farinacci also continues to serve as the director of the Tri-C JazzFest Academy in Cleveland. There, he strives to honor jazz history while also breaking new ground through teachings that address the realities of the music business — part of his honest, earnest wish to help young artists find happiness and good health in music. As with all his endeavors, Farinacci’s efforts as an educator are rooted in empathy.