Pino Minafra was born July 21, 1951 in Ruvo di Puglia, in the southern region of Apulia. He sang in the church choir before starting trumpet in his hometown's brass band, then worked in a classical group. In 1980 he committed to jazz as a soloist, eventually becoming a composer and bandleader.

He is a founding member of the Italian Instabile Orchestra and has recorded with Gianluigi Trovesi, already profiled on jazzprofiles.com, along with Mario Schiano, Dutch drummer Han Bennink, Ernst Reijseger, Willem Breuker, and Michel Godard. An improvised trio with Reijseger and Bennink produced Noci..Strani Frutti (1991, Leo Records). His own ensembles released Colori (1986, Splasc(h)) and the well-received Sudori (1995, released in Canada on Victo).

With his first ensemble, Praxis, and later projects, Minafra built jazz concerts in southern Italy where contemporary jazz was even rarer than elsewhere in the country. He still lives and teaches in Ruvo.

Minafra's playing sits within free jazz and avant-garde improvisation, shaped by his work with Dutch free-improv figures Han Bennink and Ernst Reijseger and his role as a founding member of the collectively-driven Italian Instabile Orchestra.