Alessandro ‘Maestro’ Garofalo was born in Sicily and started to learn how to play guitar at the age of 10, to move on to piano at a later stage. At the age of 18 he began to play piano with local jazz bands until he moved to Bologna in the 80’s. In that city he approached reggae for the first time and met Sud Sound System, the most important Italian reggae band, with whom he started a collaboration that’s still going on today. In the meantime he got to work with different Artists like Parto Delle Nuvole Pesanti, Teresa De Sio, Edoardo Bennato. In the early 90’s ‘Maestro’ met Ohm Guru and started to collaborate with IRMA records. As composer, keyboard player and arranger he has worked on albums by DJ Rodriguez, Ohm Guru, Pastaboys, Black Mighty Orchestra, LTJ Xperience, Ninfa, plus an array of singles by various IRMA Artists. Alessandro Garofalo often referred to as the “Italian Jackie Mittoo”, he is the iconic keyboard player of the Sud Sound System & Bag a Riddim band. Maestro Garofolo has also contributed to many important reggae international projects including: Richie Stephens & The Ska Nation Band, Rankin Lele & Papa Leu, Adriatic Sound, Original Sicilian Style, Abramo Laye, Morelove Music and many more.