Sebastian Spanache (Romania) – piano

 

Romanian jazz pianist and composer Sebastian Spanache started his musical journey in his home town Timisoara, where he began playing the piano at age 5, and then took up the study of jazz in ninth grade while attending the National College of Arts ‘Ion Vidu’. While still studying classical piano in high-school, Sebastian founded his first jazz/funk ensemble at age 14, later to have toured all over Romania and win numerous prizes at student competitions. After college, Sebastian shifted his playing and compositional directions towards a more modern edge- leading and composing for several student Latin-jazz and funk ensembles. While attending the National Conservatory of West University, Sebastian also attended the first jazz-pop faculty in Central-Eastern Europe, the ‘Richard Oschanitzky’ Faculty of Tibiscus University.

 

Sebastian’s lyrical playing unfolds itself beautifully on his acclaimed records with his trio with multiple outings on Europe’s most influential jazz stages for over seven years. Compositions and performances placing them at the leading edge of the new generation of young Romanian jazz musicians with award-winning original material- by fans and critics alike. The debut recording ‘Humanized’ awarding them the ‘Grand Trophy’ prize at the prestigious ‘Johnny Raducanu’ International Competition in 2013; second outing ‘A Pasha’s Abstinence’ snagging ‘Album of the Year’ award from Sunete Magazine in 2014. In 2016 and 2017 Sebastian was awarded the ‘Pianist of the Year’ and ‘Artist of the Year’ distinctions by BJA. Sebastian Spanache Trio has had an impressive concert activity, both in Romania, and abroad, and participated at several important festivals, such as JazzTM, Green Hours Jazz Fest, Bucharest Jazz Festival, Jazz & More Sibiu Festival, Müpa Budapest Jazz, Gărâna Jazz Festival, opening for world renowned artists such as Richard Bona, Hidden Orchestra, Adam Bałdych Imaginary Quartet and Robert Mitchell’s Panacea.

Sebastian’s latest project „Upamercado” – a new series of completed works inspired by his travels in Latin America from 2017 to 2020, has given him the opportunity to take on the challenge of embracing a new solo direction, and presenting them live on jazz festival stages in Europe, as well as producing his first solo album freshly released in the summer of 2023.