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ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards 2004/2005
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22, Windsor, CT
Born December 25, 1981 in Hartford, Connecticut, Zaccai began studying jazz seriously as a sophomore at Greater Hartford Academy of the Performing Arts, studying with Dave Santoro and Paul Brown. That year he won a full scholarship (the Charlie Palmieri Memorial Scholarship funded by Tito Puente) to attend the Harbor Conservatory and studied with Oriente Lopez and Alfredo Valdez.
As a senior in high school, he was selected as the small combo pianist for the National High School Grammy Band. Zaccai continued his studies at The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in Boston where he studied with Danilo Perez, Jerry Bergonzi, Steve Lacy and Michael Cain. As a senior at NEC, Zaccai was invited by New Orleans-based alto saxophonist Donald Harrison to be a member of his quintet and has performed on tour with Harrison at jazz festivals in Spain, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and New Orleans among other venues. He has also performed with the Christian Scott Sextet in Boston and New Orleans.
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