Dominick Farinacci

Ohio-born trumpeter Dominick Farinacci brings technical precision and lyrical depth to swinging, straight-ahead jazz. He entered the world in Cleveland in 1983 and first picked up the trumpet during sixth grade. In addition to private instruction, he sharpened his skills through the Saturday music program at Cleveland’s Tri-C Community College. By high school he had already established himself as a capable jazz performer, appearing regularly throughout the city.

While still a teenager, Farinacci earned three consecutive selections to the High School Grammy Awards All-Star Big Band in California. During those years he also participated in the Berklee College of Music Summer Jazz Program and opened for trumpeter Wynton Marsalis at the Tri-C Jazzfest in Cleveland. Impressed by the performance, Marsalis invited him to appear on the PBS concert special Live from Lincoln Center: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong.

Following graduation, Farinacci joined the first class of the Juilliard Jazz Program. During his studies, a Lincoln Center concert honoring trumpet legends Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard brought him to the attention of producer Todd Barkan, who offered him a recording contract. His debut album, Manhattan Dream, appeared in 2002 and featured pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Chip Jackson, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The next year he claimed first place in the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition. Subsequent releases included the 2004 album Besame Mucho and the 2006 album Adoro.

After completing his Juilliard studies, Farinacci stayed in New York City and issued further recordings such as 2009’s Lovers, Tales and Dancers and 2011’s Dawn of Goodbye. He also spent two years dividing his time between New York and Qatar while serving as the first Global Ambassador for Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2016 he released his debut Mack Avenue album, Short Stories, produced by industry veteran and fellow Cleveland native Tommy LiPuma.