Michela Lombardi 4tet

"Michela is an outstanding singer, a terrific new talent. She sounds like a hip angel. She writes great lyrics too. Working with her was a revelation." (Phil Woods) Elegant, intense, delicate. So has been described Michela Lombardi’s approach to jazz. She’s characterized by a deep love for jazz tradition and by a vivid expressiveness sometimes bluesy and soulful. A storyteller bound to the literary value of the repertoire she chooses to sing. Ever since her debut on the jazz scene with the cd “Small Day Tomorrow” (Philology, 2004 – with Piero Frassi, Nino Pellegrini and Riccardo Jenna, the same 4tet she’ll be performing with in Florence on May 5th 2014), she’s mentioned every year among the “Best Musicians” in the TOP JAZZ POLLS on Musica Jazz magazine. She recorded nine cds as a leader – two of them feature legendary saxophone player Phil Woods – and she’s about to release a cd called “Madonna Mia! – The Madonna  Songbook” featuring Don Byron and Steven Bernstein, based on jazzy arrangements of pop-star Madonna’s hits.
Michela’s signature also appears close to Burt Bacharach’s below the title of a recent song written by the great American songwriter (“How The Heart Knows”) as she wrote the official Italian lyrics. She teaches Jazz at La Spezia Conservatory. She’s been performing in festivals both in Europe (especially at Duc Des Lombards, Paris, in 2005) and Israel (she sang at the Opera House in Tel for the Jazz season opening in 2009).
She was among the twelve finalists at Brussels International Young Jazz Singers Competition in 2006 and she received a Special Mention at Crest Jazz Vocal Concours (France) in 2007. As a composer, she won the Audience Prize at the Italian Competition for Female Jazz Composers "Note di Donna" at Piacenza Jazz Club in 2009.  She’s been playing for years with pianist Piero Frassi, who also recorded two cds with the great Lee Konitz, and with doublebass player Nino Pellegrini and drummer Riccardo Jenna, who both recorded with artists such as Paul McCandless and Tino Tracanna and have important experiences with the Orchestra Nazionale Giovanile di Jazz directed by Bruno Tommaso (whith whom they could play with musicians such as Peter Erskine, Palle Daniellson and John Taylor) and with Ensemble Theatrum directed by Stefano Battaglia.
Watch this video to hear some excerpts from one of her recordings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTJVlyeKyH4
Website: www.michelalombardi.it

Cupressus Jazz 4tet

During the cocktail party at Fortezza da Basso, in Florence, bass player Nino Pellegrini and drummer Riccardo Jenna (from Michela Lombardi 4tet) will also join Daniele Cei (accordion) and Piero Loiacono (sax), frontmen of “Cupressus Jazz” quartet. This ensemble has been together for more than 10 years now, melting jazz and popular/folk music from the Mediterranean area, with their project called “Jazz and Mediterranean Cultures” spanning from Arabian songs to Italian and Spanish melodies, latin grooves and swing feel, from Fabrizio De André’s tunes to classic evergreens, such as “Besame mucho”, “Petite fleur”, from kletzmer music to traditionals form the Balkan peninsula.