Dominick Farinacci & Tri-C JazzFest Academy's Spirit of the Groove Ensemble

Featuring the next generation of musicians in Cleveland

About Dominick Farinacci

Dominick Farinacci ranks among the most acclaimed trumpeters and educators of his generation, with a list of career achievements that push beyond the conventional notions of recognition for a jazz musician. Born and raised in Cleveland, he was just 17 when one of his most important mentors, Wynton Marsalis, chose him to perform in a special program for PBS. While still a student in Juilliard’s inaugural class of jazz-studies majors, he hit the ground running as a recording artist and bandleader — first in Japan, where he released eight albums in short order, and later globally.At Marsalis’ request, Farinacci spearheaded an outpost of Jazz at Lincoln Center in Doha, Qatar, from 2012 to 2016. His star-filled 2016 album, Short Stories, was developed with music-industry legend and producer Tommy LiPuma. Six years later, Farinacci received the Cleveland Arts Prize, arguably his hometown’s most prestigious honor.

But for the New York-based trumpeter, achievement isn’t the point, and his most powerful works underscore a profound compassion for humanity. In 2011, in response to his mother’s cancer diagnosis, he crafted a serene melody called “A Prayer for You,” which inspired a lauded TED Talk that Farinacci gave at the Kennedy Center in 2014. A decade later, he was finally able to record his composition for the debut project by his group TRIAD.Farinacci’s interest in addressing trauma through art also informed Modern Warrior LIVE, a multidisciplinary touring work that combines first-person storytelling with film and the trumpeter’s innovative musical direction. Developed with U.S. Army veteran Jaymes Poling, who provides original narration, Modern Warrior LIVE chronicles the journey of the contemporary American veteran through multiple deployments and the complex process of readjusting to civilian life. General Jim Mattis called the project a “necessary and worthy mission paying our respects to all veterans and, by extension, to the Gold Star families.” 

Farinacci also continues to serve as the director of the Tri-C JazzFest Academy in Cleveland. There, he strives to honor jazz history while also breaking new ground through teachings that address the realities of the music business — part of his honest, earnest wish to help young artists find happiness and good health in music. As with all his endeavors, Farinacci’s efforts as an educator are rooted in empathy.

About the Tri-C JazzFest Academy and Spirit of the Groove

Tri-C JazzFest Academy’s Spirit of the Groove (SOG) is a pre-college ensemble designed for dedicated young musicians who are ready to engage at a professional level. Under the direction of internationally acclaimed trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, SOG offers an immersive training experience that blends rigorous artistic development with mentorship, discipline, and real-world performance preparation.

A defining element of SOG is its mentorship model. Students work closely with Farinacci and a rotating roster of accomplished professional musicians, gaining direct insight into the artistic, technical, and professional standards of the field. This guidance extends beyond the music itself—instilling habits of preparation, collaboration, and creative curiosity that are essential for long-term success.

Performance is a central pillar of the experience. Members of Spirit of the Groove are featured in high-profile settings, including appearances at the annual Tri-C JazzFest, one of the nation’s premier jazz festivals, and renowned venues such as Dizzy's Club in New York City. These opportunities place students on professional stages, allowing them to apply their training in real-world contexts while building confidence, stage presence, and artistic identity.

Ultimately, Spirit of the Groove serves as both a launching pad and a community—developing the next generation of jazz artists through excellence, mentorship, and meaningful performance experiences, while connecting Cleveland’s young musicians to the broader national jazz landscape.

The Tri-C JazzFest Academy offers performance-based programs for students ages 12 to 18 at every stage of their musical development. We believe that access to the rich musical culture of jazz and improvisation develops creativity, discipline, teamwork, empathy, lifelong curiosity and learning. The academy's ensembles have been featured at the Next Gen Stage at Playhouse Square, in New York City at Jazz at Lincoln Center and throughout the Cleveland area.

The academy is led by internationally acclaimed musician and educator Dominick Farinacci, a former Tri-C student and graduate of The Juilliard School, as well as a faculty of noted artists and educators. The Tri-C JazzFest Academy and Summer Camp make up the educational division of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank, one of America's premier educational jazz festivals that provides unprecedented access to master classes and clinics led by the world's most celebrated jazz artists.