Salvator William Cracchiolo II was born in Long Beach, California, the son of two talented music teachers. His father, Sal Cracchiolo I, owned a music studio where he taught piano and played professional accordion. His mother, Edith, was his first trumpet teacher and started Sal on trumpet at the age of 12.
He played in concert, marching, and jazz bands in high school. By his junior and senior years, he was attending Cerritos College, playing in their jazz and concert bands. At age 15, he began working as a professional musician in nightclubs with various R&B and Latin bands and Buddy Miles.
In 1975, Sal began a long musical friendship with Poncho Sanchez, which ultimately led to 18 albums and 20 years of collaboration. In the 1980s, between working with Poncho, he was a member of the Pasadena City College Big Band under the direction of saxophonist Gary Foster. While in this band, Sal played with jazz greats such as Warren Marsh, Lee Konitz, and Peter Erskine.
In the late ’80s, Poncho began traveling internationally. Since then, Sal has toured 37 countries globally with Poncho and other acts. With Poncho, he performed and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Cal Tjader, Chick Corea, Stanley Turrentine, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Clare Fischer, Gary Foster, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Harris, Joey DeFrancesco, Dianne Reeves, Justo Almario, Andy Martin, Celia Cruz, and Pete Escovedo. He performed with these artists at the Monterey, Playboy, Concord, and Nice Jazz Festivals, among many others throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America, Thailand, and Japan.
He has also toured worldwide with artists such as Tom Jones, Vicki Carr, Harry Connick Jr., Brian Setzer, and Michael Bolton. Sal was a member of the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra for nine years and taught at the Colburn School of Music. In June 2010, he joined the prestigious Tower of Power band and remained with them for 10 years.
Sal also performs with his own sextet featuring his wife, Melanie Jackson, on vocals. In 2001, their album Fly was nominated for a Latin Grammy. From 2004 through 2006, Sal and Melanie’s sextet was sponsored by the California Arts Council. In 2002, they performed at the Du Maurier Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and in 2003, they were part of the warm-up for the Playboy Jazz Festival. A new CD was released in 2025 titled In The Family.
Sal has recorded with Michael Bublé, Gladys Knight, Joss Stone, Jamiroquai, Tito Puente, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Earth, Wind & Fire, Dr. John, Dr. Dre, and on various soundtracks for HBO.
He is a Yamaha artist and clinician, playing the Bobby Shew model Yamaha Z-Horn and Z-Flugelhorn. Sal is a member of BMI and the Jazz Education Network.