Frank Valeriani

Frank Valeriani born in Newark N.J on November 26 1966. Starts to study music theory with his grandfather Giuseppe Valeriani, (very talented violinist and conductor ). In High School discovers his passion for saxophone, and his dad's band (who's a drummer) turns out to be the best way to get started. When his family moves to Italy Frank starts his very first band, Mediterranean blues oriented. He is still a youngster when he gets to meet James Senese, the Italian emblem of Mediterranean jazz & blues.
Frank is impressed by James' personality and learns from him that a real musician should know about the meaning of at least three things: persistence, ambition and most of all simplicity. In Italy Frank attends and graduates from the national Conservatory of Naples achieving excellent results.

During the conservatory years he approaches jazz with Antonio Balsamo (composer and arranger who performed with artists such as Johnny Hodges, The Modern Jazz Quartet, and many famous Italian artists).

After graduating from the Conservatory he finds himself interested into Latin jazz and fusion music. This interest leads him and some of his musician friends to participate to several festivals that feature some of the best Italian performers, such as the Antonio Onorato trio, the Jerry Popolo quartet, the Marco Zurzolo trio and many others.

With the trio "Kalimma" experiences are very formative for Frank's musical life : it's a chance to perform into theatres with the talented guitar player Sal Cangiano. The warm Mediterranean feeling of their sound brings the audiences to name the trio: "Kalimma". (the word comes from Neapolitan slang and it means in fact "warmth").

Frank moves then to Milan. Here he attends the C.P.M (Professional Music Center), probably the best alternative contemporary music school in Italy. At C.P.M. Frank studies songwriting-arranging and harmony with jazz pianist Massimo Colombo. Also more specifically he studies jazz with a great saxophonist from New York: Michael Rosen (from Berklee college of music). Frank graduates from C.P.M. 2 years later and again with excellent grades. During the years in Italy he performs with some very well known Italian pop artists, such as Wess, Rocky Roberts, Cristiano Malgioglio, Peppino Gagliardi, etc. Also works as music coordinator of the folk show "Quanno Tramonta 'o Sole".

This folkloristic show tours all over Italy for several years and features some of the best Neapolitan singers such as Franco Cipriani, Pamela Paris and others. Although the most significant cooperation is with Maestro Gianni Mazza from R.A.I. TV (Italian national TV conductor). With Maestro Mazza Frank tours all over Italy, performs on Italian TV networks. In 2003 Frank moves to Las Vegas. In Vegas for a whole year Frank is crooner Steve Rossi's music coordinator and saxophone player. Steve in his shows usually hosted some special guests.

This is Frank's opportunity to perform with historical names such as The New Platters, jazz singer Nancy Kelly from New York etc A turning point comes in August 2007 when he enrolls in the UNLV jazz studies (directed by the Maestro Dave Loeb). Besides taking classes he also becomes an essential component of the UNLV Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, conducted by Dave Perrico.