Cappellato earned his BFA in Jazz Performance at The New School University, and spent the better part of his twenties exploring a range of styles and techniques. In 2004, he formed the hip-hop group Brohemian along with Brooklyn MC Yah Supreme. The following year, he traveled to Senegal to record with Guinean percussionist and singer Salif Bangoura. Among his more recent endeavors are the 14-piece Tommaso Cappellato Orchestra, the spiritual jazz tribute group Astral Travel (which memorialises the late pianist, composer and arranger Harry Whitaker), and a drums-and-synths solo project, Aforemention. He also plays in cosmic jazz collective Upperground Orchestra, established in 2002 in Venice by Lebanese producer and CTM 2016 guest curator Rabih Beaini.

In 2015, Cappellato partnered with visionary Egyptian producer Maurice Louca and bassist Bashar Farran to combine shaabi with elements of experimental, electronic, rock and traditional Middle Eastern music. The trio kicked off a European tour in fall that same year.