Dave Solazzo and The Bridge

Dave Solazzo -Piano

Matthew Vacanti – Bass

Bill D’Agostino – Drums

Dave Solazzo and The Bridge is a piano trio like no other. While jazz pianist Dave Solazzo is deeply rooted in the traditional styles of Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, and Bill Evans, his original compositions are boldly experimental and distinctly his own. The group is known for bending genres and grooves into fresh, exciting music.

Dave Solazzo has been a staple of Central New York’s music scene for over two decades. Much in demand as a soloist and sideman, Dave has worked with artists from a wide mix of genres – jazz, fusion, R&B and beyond. He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries like Eric Alexander, Chuck Mangione, Larry Coryell, Joel Frahm, Dick Oatts, Jerry Weldon and Joe Magnarelli at venues like The Flatiron Room (NYC), Troy Music Hall, the Savannah Jazz Festival and the Syracuse Jazz Fest. In addition to his work as a sideman, Dave leads his own trio which has toured nationally and internationally with performances in New Mexico, Florida, Vermont, Canada and Italy.

Dave was educated at Berklee College of Music and SUNY Purchase College. He has taught Jazz History at Cayuga Community College in Auburn, New York and Jazz Piano at Colgate University. He currently teaches Jazz Piano at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Bassist Matthew Vacanti and drummer Bill D’Agostino have not been a positive influence on the

group, either. Vacanti has been known to expose minors to questionable jazz improvisation

techniques through educational clinics and has been seen performing unauthorized styles of

music for decades, offending Martha Reeves and the Vandella’s, Kevin Mahogany, and

Giacomo Gates.

Drummer Bill D’Agostino was born in the prison city of Auburn NY and got his unscrupulous

start by pilfering the best licks from famous drummers such as Steve Gadd and Tony Williams.

His politically incorrect placement of funky grooves and other forbidden rhythms in jazz has

gotten him all but banned from most venues.