Paolo Jannacci: “Dad Enzo? My Gold Record. But now the applause is for me too”

Between memory, music, and teaching: the interview in La Repubblica and his role as a faculty member at CPM Music Institute in Milan

On Sunday, June 15, the “Milano Società” section of La Repubblica featured an in-depth interview with Paolo Jannacci—musician, composer, and faculty member at the CPM Music Institute—who opened up in a heartfelt dialogue about personal memories and his current artistic journey.
“Dad Enzo? He’s my gold record. But today the audience applauds me too,” headlines the article by Luigi Bolognini, painting a portrait of an artist who has transformed the legacy of a giant in Italian music into a unique, vibrant, and independent voice.

The son of the great Enzo Jannacci, Paolo has long established himself as a respected and multifaceted figure in the Italian music scene. A jazz pianist, accordionist, singer, soundtrack composer, and arranger, he has built a solid career that includes performing at the Sanremo Festival in 2020 and, more recently, a powerful and poetic appearance at the 2024 edition, alongside writer Stefano Massini.

But his present is not limited to the stage. Jannacci is also a tenured professor at the CPM Music Institute in Milan, one of Italy’s leading educational centers for modern music. Since 2006, he has been teaching Ensemble Music, sharing his experience, his style, and his vision of music as a deep, personal, and collective language with the next generation of musicians.

For Paolo Jannacci, teaching is a natural extension of his creative activity—a way to nurture talent and critical thinking, while passing on not just technique, but sensitivity, expressive freedom, and the ability to listen.

The Repubblica article highlights both his human and professional dimensions: ironic, thoughtful, and authentic. It gives us the image of an artist who has found his own place in time, honoring his roots while confidently walking his own path in the present.