JAZZ PIANIST, COMPOSER and FILMMAKER Steve Blanco has been forging ahead with self-made creative works for over a decade. The son of a French-speaking Moroccan belly dancer (mother) and film editor with a love of music and art (father), Blanco was exposed to artistic expressions from many different cultures. Growing up he learned the trumpet then drums and didn't arrive at the piano until age 23.

Blanco was recently selected to serve as a music composition grant panelist for the prestigious New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).

Blanco has released three critically acclaimed CDs, produced a music video (directed by Blanco) and currently leads a piano trio with Adam Roberts and Sunny Jain, but performs regularly in solo and duo settings. The trio has performed in many venues including: Domaine, Detour Jazz Club, Williamsburg Jazz Festival, Rockwood Music Hall, Watercolor Cafe, Caffe Vivaldi, The Museum of American Folk Art, The Pierre Hotel, World Yacht, Bimhuis in Amsterdam and a multitude of other establishments.

Blanco has recently released a duo CD with guitarist Jeremy Wilms and contributes to the Munich-based Orkaan Orkestra led by composer and bassist Juergen Reiter.

In addition to performing music on a professional level, Blanco has directed several short films including: Missing You, 140 Decibels, Autumn, The Masterpiece (official selection New York International Film Festival), The Filth (official selection San Francisco Short Film Festival), ETR, and most recently, Bicycle (official selection Harlem International Film Festival). Blanco has also written the complete score for several of these films. He has served as writer, editor and cinematographer either altogether or in combinations on each of these films. He has been producer on all.

Blanco accredits his father as a major influence in bringing to the surface an array of emotional experiences stemming from creative masterpieces in music, cinema, art, writings, and philosophy that he would have otherwise not been exposed to as a young child.

From his childhood music has always been a driving force and ever present in his existence. After teaching himself for a few years Blanco privately studied piano before receiving a B.F.A. from Purchase Conservatory in New York. Blanco is the CoFounder of Insomnia Creations with Louis Cuffari and James Bartolozzi, and a contributing editor for ic magazine.

Blanco resides in New York City.

The Steve Blanco Trio's latest release, "Piano Warrior" is available from Art of Life Records at www.ArtOfLifeRecords.com