[4] From 1984 to 1986, while performing both as a leader and as a sideman[2] with Bob Berg, Steve Grossman and Lew Tabackin,[5] he was also the pianist of the Brass Group Big Band of Palermo,[2] playing with Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Pete Rugolo, Paul Jeffrey, Ernie Wilkins, Lester Bowie and Toshiko Akiyoshi.

[6] He continued his classical piano studies with Emanuel Zambelli at Berklee College and saxophone with Jerry Bergonzi, with whom he started a professional musical partnership which resulted in two tours in Australia [in 1987 and in 1988] and one in Italy [in 1988] .

Between 1989 and 1994 in New York he studied privately with Paul Bley, Dave Holland, Lee Konitz, Andy LaVerne, Hal Galper and Richie Beirach.

In 1990 he recorded his first album for the Japanese label Ken Music, Actor-Actress, leading a quartet featuring Joe Lovano, Cameron Brown and Adam Nussbaum.

[11] In 1991, for the same label, he recorded Plays, a second album made up of his own compositions, leading a trio with Marc Johnson and Paul Motian[11] with whom he toured Italy together with Joe Lovano in 1992.

He also takes part in concert-shows conceived by Franco Maresco, such as Tony's Dream– Tributo a Tony Scott and Jass – Ovvero quando il jazz parlava siciliano (inauguration of the Turin International Book Fair 2017 edition, together with Franco Maresco, Stefano Zenni, Gabriele Mirabassi and Alessandro Presti)[20] and Joe Lovano plays John Coltrane –Tributo a John Coltrane (1926-1967), (together with Joe Lovano, Pietro Ciancaglini and Marcello Pellitteri).

[21] In 2004 Bonafede released an album, Journey to Donnafugata, dedicated to the film The Leopard by Luchino Visconti made up of originals and revisited music of Nino Rota.