James Senese, saxophonist who launched Pino Daniele, dies at 80

James Senese, the saxophonist, singer, and composer who founded the legendary group Napoli Centrale and launched Pino Daniele's career, died on October 29, 2025, in Naples at age 80. Born Gaetano Senese on January 6, 1945, in the Miano district of Naples to an American father and Neapolitan mother, he faced racial prejudice due to his skin color. He discovered the saxophone, which became his life's instrument. In the 1960s, he played with The Showmen, a band led by Mario Musella, participating in the 1969 Sanremo Festival. In 1974, he co-founded Napoli Centrale with Franco Del Prete, pioneering the Neapolitan Power movement that blended jazz, blues, funk, and Neapolitan tradition. Senese gave a young Pino Daniele his first bass and a bass guitar, launching his career. Daniele later paid tribute with the album "Nero a Metà." Senese also acted in the film "No grazie il caffè mi rende nervoso" with Lello Arena and Massimo Troisi. His death comes one day after that of photographer Mimmo Jodice, marking the end of an experimental era in Naples.