Alessandro Lanzoni

ALESSANDRO LANZONI TRIO
Alessandro Lanzoni, 22 year old Florentine pianist, is still amazingly young but already with many very important experiences to his credit: the prize of Best New Talent at Top Jazz 2013 of Musica Jazz (Alessandro received the award winning prize on January 2014 at Teatro Mancinelli, Orvieto during the customary night of Umbria Jazz Winter, dedicated to the winners of Top Jazz) and the “Best young soloist” of the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano competition in Paris.
In July 2014 at the Siena Jazz Festival he had the opportunity to perform alongside great American musicians such as Ambrose Akinmusire, Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier, Ben Street, Steven Bernstein e Miguel Zenon. In November 2014 Alessandro was in Spain (November 6th and 7th) for two concerts with the group of the American guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel.
In 2013 he released Dark Flavour (CAM JAZZ) , his second album as leader and first as member of the Trio together with Matteo Bortone (double bass) and Enrico Morello (drums).
His tour using the music from Dark Flavour, has given him the opportunity to perform in the most important Italian cities and in some transmissions on Radio 3. Their first album, “Dark Flavour” (CAM Jazz) already reveals a well-defined feature: a repertoire made up of mostly original tracks, a result of the composing talents of the leader, but even tracks of the best jazz traditions, chosen very carefully (Monk and Coltrane especially).
This is a group of young people where ”a joy for life and an awareness of their talents” (Federico Scoppio) live side by side with a relaxed and at the same time profound eye fixed on the future.
Alessandro Lanzoni (Piano)
Matteo Bortone (Double bass)
Enrico Morello ( Drums)
Released: 26 february 2013
“SELDOM” The second album of the trio, featuresspecial guest and world-renowned trumpeter Ralph Alessi. It will be released on November 18th 2014 by CAM JAZZ. The album is another highlight in the career of the 22 years old pianist that prooves a remarkable maturity both technical and expressive. In “SELDOM” Alessandro Lanzoni’s singular vision shines through. By focusing almost exclusively in his own compositions (he signs all the compositions of the album, except for one song of Matteo Bortone and three free improvisations in duo with Ralph Alessi), Alessandro develops and articulate more the structures, without sacrifying the melodic approach.
Multi-thematic pieces, shifted in several sections, going from relentless and unexpectable momentums to more floating and delicate atmospheres. Melody and rhythm of the primary themes drift through free improvisations, always without losing cohesive listening approach.
Young, friends, and united by a passion for jazz which has taken them to look for prestigious learning experiences. In fact, it was in the classrooms of Siena Jazz while attending a two year International Masters in Jazz that Alessandro, Enrico and Matteo met and immediately understood one another. This is how their Trio was born, in the light of a common experience which soon transformed itself into a will to build something beautiful and new together, with continuous research of fusion and interplay in mind.
Alessandro Lanzoni (Piano)
Matteo Bortone (Double bass)
Enrico Morello ( Drums)
Special guest: Ralph Alessi (trumpet)
Released: 18 November 2014
The award for “Top Jazz 2013” as best new talent of the year, decided by the most qualified Italian journalists on behalf of the Musica Jazz magazine, recognizes Alessandro Lanzoni as one of the great personalities of Italian jazz . With his impressive curriculum, having experiences of absolute prestige, Alessandro has for a number of years now come to the attention of the world of music.
Alessandro, already at a very early age, showed himself to also be a successful leader and he can by now be proud of important international experiences in Europe, Latin America, Israel and the USA, where he has received very gratifying reviews otherwise not so common for a foreign artist. (Ira Gitler, after having heard him in Piano Solo at the UN Building, stated from the heights of his seventy years’ of pure jazz history in his column for Jazzimprov. NY:” He shouldn’t be judged as a young musician. He is already exceptional and with every probability he will become even more so”).
The new album “Dark Flavour”, produced together with his Trio, recently released by Cam Jazz, has been received by critics as proof of artistic development, making the epithet of “enfant prodige” out of place. This “title” was acceptable when it referred to the initial period of a career which started at the early age of just 14, confirmed with the “Premio Massimo Urbani “(2006) and then reconfirmed with the “Primo Premio” dedicated to “Luca Flores” of Florence (2008), until being awarded the “Best Young Soloist” at the prestigious “Martial Solal” of Paris (2010) competition.
His training as a musician is the result of an intense journey, developing in two directions:
His “classical” studies, leading to his Diploma of Piano obtained in 2012, gaining the highest marks, namely Distinction and Honourable Mention at the Cherubini of Florence Conservatory with Giovanna Prestia as the music instructor. After this came a period of further jazz studies under the watchful eye of L. Pieri and M. Grossi, which was followed by summer courses of Siena Jazz and those of Berklee at Boston and the two-year course In Jam, also part of Siena Jazz, where he was able to take advantage of high level teaching by Masters of the caliber of Danilo Perez, Kenny Werner, Aaron Goldberg, Steve Kuhn, John Taylor, Franco D’Andrea, Stefano Battaglia, Danilo Rea.
Also, as proof of an unusual versatility as a musician, Alessandro took up the study of cello and composition which will lead to a specialist Degree in Composition and Jazz Arrangement at the Conservatory of Florence.
Visible from a very young age in the posters of the most important Italian music festivals (Umbria Jazz, Ravello Festival, Roma Casa del Jazz, Moncalieri Jazz, Roma Auditorium Parco della Musica, Metastasio Jazz , Dolomiti Ski Jazz, Umbria Jazz Winter, Finestra Jazz, Pescara Jazz Festival, Musicus Concentus, Ancona Jazz Summer Festival, Forma e Poesia nel Jazz (Cagliari), Festival Letterature di Roma, Sudtirol Jazz Festival Alto Adige, Bologna Jazz Festival, Padova Jazz Festival, Grey Cat Festival, Festival Pianistico di Trieste, Music Pool Network Sonoro, Estate Fiesolana, Novara Jazz, Festival Mundus, Etruria Jazz, Chianti Festival, Odio l’estate Festival -Roma Villa Carpegna-, Vicenza Jazz, Festival Crossroads....), his career has lead him to play side by side with the most prestigious musicians such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Lee Konitz, Aldo Romano, Roberto Gatto, Jeff Ballard, Larry Granadier, Ambrose Akinmusire, Aaron Goldberg, Miguel Zenon, Michael Blake, Barbara Casini, Ares Tavolazzi, Nico Gori, Walter Paoli, Lello Pareti, Cocco Cantini, Maria Pia De Vito, Fabrizio Bosso, Fabrizio Sferra, Gianni Basso, Renato Sellani, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Nick Myers and many more.
Alessandro Lanzoni
Abroad he has already been able to show his talent in Germany, Austria (Porgy and Bess Jazz Club-Wien), Israel (Haifa e Festival Internazionale di Eilat), Colombia, Panama Jazz Festival, the USA (Morgan Library Auditorium New York), France (Parigi-Sunset Sunside, Savoie Jazz Festival, Les Mans....), and recently in Spain, where he played Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Oviedo Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Marzio Conti.
Alessandro collaborates on a regular basis with Roberto Gatto, with whom he has recorded together with his Trio, the album Replay for the Auditorium Parco della Musica label (and in Otteto the album “Pure Imagination”, Albore), and with Aldo Romano who asked him to participate in his group “New Blood” (together with Michel Benita and Baptiste Herbin) so as to produce the “Connection” CD (Dreyfuss), and for a long series of concerts in the most important French Festivals.
After the first albums recorded with Philology (“Should I care”, “On the Snow” and “Poetical Lee” with the participation of Lee Konitz), the recent release of “Dark Flavour” for the CAM JAZZ label, recorded together with his Trio (Matteo Bortone double bass and Enrico Morello drums), has created interest on behalf of the Press and music critics. They have defined this production a “crystalline beauty” (Jacopo Cosi – L’Unità)in which “the pianist masters and controls the structures with creativity, he shapes the musical material and he forms it again following the fertile inspiration of his very own sensibility”.(Paola Parri . Pianosolo.it)
His activity is followed with attention by the Media: his partecipations in Rai radio programmes are frequent (“La stanza della musica”, “Piazza Verdi”, “Doctor Djembé”, Radio Tre “Radio3 Suite”, Radio Due “Rai Tunes”).
Lots of newspapers (Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, Il Tirreno, Il Resto del Carlino, La Nazione, L’Unità and so on) have dedicated him several articles and the eminent, specialized magazines (Jazzit, Musica Jazz, Jazz Magazine, the American “Jazz Times”, the French “Jazz Hot” and the German “Neuen Musik Zeitung”) have reviwed his recording production. The monthly “Jazz Magazine” dedicated him its cover and a long interview.
Enrico Morello
Born in Rome (Italy) in 1988, Enrico Morello began to play drums very early when he was 9 years old. He started learning and playing jazz music at “Scuola Popolare di Musica di Testaccio” (Rome) at the age of 13 and he continued his studies attending the summer workshops at “Siena Jazz” (Siena, Italy) in 2006 and 2008. That was the place where he was selected for the additional masterclasses with Enrico Rava and Gianluigi Trovesi.
During the two years later he attended a special course for professional musicians in Siena which is the “International Master Program” obtaining the highest awards and a full scholarship. At (In.Ja.M.) he could take drums lessons from the most prestigius jazz musicians in the world like: Eric Harland, John Riley, Jeff Ballard, Billy Hart, Ben Perowsky, Adam Nussbaum, Ferenc Nemeth, Billy Drummond and many others.
In 2010 he was selected to represent the “Siena jazz School”, with other five musicians, at The “Panama Jazz Festival” and also to play, with the same band, at the “Berklee College of Music” in Boston and at “New York University” in New York.
In the same year he received and important scholarship from “Siena Jazz” to represent Italy at the international meeting called I.A.S.J. (International association of schools of Jazz) in Sao Paulo (Brazil). Enrico’s talent was always appreciate in all the competitions that he took part, especially the “European Jazz Contest” (Atina Jazz) and the “Jimmy Wood Awards” (Tuscia in Jazz) where he won the first prize as “Best Drummer”.
In 2011 he played at “Bar on Fifth” (Setai Hotel) in Manhattan, NYC, for the “Italian Jazz Days” Festival. Enrico Morello is going on an intensive professional activity, earning, in recent years, a special place among the most interesting and talented Italian jazz musicians.
Actually he is working and touring with: Enrico Rava New Quartet, Alessandro Lanzoni trio, Alessandro lanzoni trio + Ralph Alessi, Andymusic, Francesco Ponticelli quartet, Francesco Diodati “Yellow Squeeds”, Enrico Bracco quintet
Discography as sideman:
- Uncle Ghost - I Mostri - Lhobo Music 2011
- Never Lie - Racing Jazz Quintet - Simpaty Record’s / TRJ Records 2011
- Our Portraits - Nicola Di Tommaso - Camilla Records 2013
- Little Lies - Alfredo Paixao - 2013
- Cheiro De Jardim - Nadia Cancila - 2013
- Dark Flavour - Alessandro Lanzoni - Cam Jazz 2013
- Ellipses - Francesco Ponticelli - Tuk Music 2014
- Heavy Dance - Andymusic - Auand 2014
Among his latest collaborations, Enrico played with Sheila Jordan, Danilo Perez, Ralph Alessi, John Taylor, Chris Crocco, Anita Wardel, Shane Endsley, Ameen Saleem, Joseph Lepore, Andy Farber, Michael Rosen, Fabrizio Bosso, Pietro Lussu, Giovanni Guidi, Fabio Zeppetella, Maurizio Giammarco, Gegè Telesforo, Antonio Ciacca, Dan Kinselman, Daniele Tittarelli, Gabriele Evangelista, Giovanni Falzone,Enrico Bracco, Massimo Faraò, Stefano Cantini, Enrico Zanisi, Francesco Lento, Gaetano Partipilo, Alberto Parmegiani, Domenico Sanna and many others.
Matteo Bortone
Double bass player/composer, Matteo Bortone is making a name for himself among the rising talents of the newest jazz generation, not only as an instrumentalist but also as a composer and bandleader.
Born in Otranto (South of Italy) in 1982, Matteo began to play classical piano, guitar and electric bass, before starting to play double bass.
After getting a degree in Economics and Tourism in Milan, he moved to Paris joining Paris National Conservatory (CNSMDP) where he earned his Master degree in 2011, under the watchful eyes of Riccardo Del Fra, Dré Pallemaerts, François Theberge, Glenn Ferris, Hervé Sellin and Patrick Moutal.
Matteo’s musical education is punctuated by some student awards, most notably, two scholarships endowed by SIENA JAZZ (2007 and 2008), the second allowing him to represent Italy at the 19th Edition of the IASJ (International Association of Schools of Jazz) in 2009, led by Dave Liebman.
He won the 1st prize at REZZO competition (Jazz in Vienne 2008) and “Trophées du Sunside” (Paris) with the band OXYD.
From 2009 Matteo leads his own french/italian quartet, TRAVELERS with french alto saxophone player Antonin-Tri Hoang, drummer Ariel Tessier and italian guitarist Francesco Diodati. With them, Matteo released his debut album in 2013 (“TRAVELERS” under Zone di Musica Label); the recording has been higly-welcomed by international press, receiving some important awards as “Révélation Jazzman” (revelation young new talent) and “Jazz découverte” in France as well as “Jazzit Likes it” in Italy. The album was also unanimously nominated among “one of the best jazz releases in 2013” by italian magazine JAZZIT.
Since 2013 Matteo has toured around Europe, North America and Asia and he can be heard as a member of italian rising star pianist Alessandro Lanzoni’s Trio, french piano player Christophe IMBS’ trio, ‘ABHRA’ quartet led by french saxophone player Julien Pontvianne, big ensembles such as ‘Big Friche’ led by Florent Brique and ‘OSIRIS’ by pianist Paul Anquez.
Matteo also grounded the performances of a wide range of artists such as Leon Parker (Inception Trio), Antonio Faraò, Sofia Ribeiro, Anne Ducros, Anne Paceo, Bebo Ferra, Tigran Hamasyan, Laurent Coq, Ben Wendel.
DISCOGRAPHY:
2014: Alessandro Lanzoni Trio feat. Ralph Alessi - “Seldom” (CAM Jazz);
2013: Matteo Bortone ‘TRAVELERS’ (Zone di Musica Rec.);
2013: Alessandro Lanzoni Trio - “Dark Flavour” (CAM Jazz);
2011: Bartolomeo Barenghi 7et - “Preludio e Saudade” (QUADRANT Rec.)
2011: Oxyd - “Oblivious” (JUSTE UNE TRACE rec.);
2011: Guilhem Flouzat “One way or another” feat. Ben Wendel, Tigran Hamasyan, (11h11 rec);
2010: Nicola Sergio Trio feat. Javier Girotto, Michael Rosen - “Symbols” (CHALLENGE REC.);
2010: Piero Delle Monache 6et - “Welcome”, (ALTOTENORE);
2009: Oxyd - “11h11” (JAZZ A VIENNE LABEL);
2009: Nicola Andrioli Paris 4et - “Pulsar”, (DODICILUNE DISCHI);
Contact
Maria Josée Galindo
[email protected]
+39 342 1815687 / +336 27573267