SIMONA PREMAZZI
“LET ME BE FREE”
1. Rumination on Peace 09:31
2. Rumination on All Blues 08:14
“Premazzi, originally from Milan, Italy and now residing in New York City, got things underway with a magnificent solo virtuoso performance. Taking eloquent improvisational playing to another level as she rolled into Miles Davis’s classic “All Blues.” – Jazz in Buffalo concert review
Recorded live at Buffalo CMC Jazz Festival on July 26, 2018.
Recorded by Bill Sack at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center.
Mixed and mastered by Walter Fischbacher, Brooklyn, NY.
SIMONA PREMAZZI
“OUTSPOKEN”
Simona Premazzi piano
Dayna Stephens tenor and soprano saxophones
Joe Martin bass
Nasheet Waits drums
Guests
Jeremy Pelt trumpet on track 4
Sara Serpa vocals on track 5
2. Premaxity 8:35
3. Up On A. Hill 7:01
4. Peltlude 5:52
5. It Is Here 3:14
6. Digression 6:25
7. Blakonian Groove 4:42
8. Lush Life 3:36
9. Later Ago 7:13
10. Euterpe’s Dance (Duo) 2:01
Released July 14, 2017
All compositions by Simona Premazzi (ASCAP – EdnaMusic Publishing), except “Blakonian Groove” by Dayna Stephens (ASCAP), “Lush Life” by Billy Strayhorn (ASCAP), “It Is Here” lyrics from homonym Harold Pinter’s poem.
Recorded on April 7th, 2016 at Sear Sound Studios, New York City.
Recorded and mixed by James Farber at Sear Sound Studio.
Mastered by Nate Wood at Kerseboom Mastering.
SIMONA PREMAZZI
“THE LUCID DREAMER”
Musicians
Simona Premazzi piano
Melissa Aldana tenor saxophone on tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 10
Ameen Saleem bass
Jochen Rueckert drums
Greg Osby soprano saxophone on track 6, alto sax on track 7
Released October 25, 2013
02. One For Hunter S. 7:17
03. Illusions 6:41
04. Simona’s Moods 8:36
05. Nude In A Landscape 6:22
06. The Lucid Dreamer 6:56
07. Optics [Premazzi, Ricciardi] 5:39
08. Trinkle Tinkle [T. Monk] 5:17
09. Piano Invention #3 2:35
10. Free Fall [M. Aldana] 5.41
11. Illusions [Trio Version] 5:09
All compositions written by Simona Premazzi except for track 7 by Simona Premazzi and Alice Ricciardi, track 8 by Thelonious Monk, track 10 by Melissa Aldana. “Love Is Not All” poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. One For Hunter S. was composed in dedication to Hunter S. Thompson.
Recorded on December 16 and 17, 2012 by Tom Tedesco at Tedesco Studios, Paramus, N.J. Mixed and mastered on June 2013 by Liberty Ellman at 4DS Studios, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Cover Design by Riccardo Gola.
SIMONA PREMAZZI AND THE INTRUDERS “INSIDE IN”
Simona Premazzi piano, nord electro, spoken words and vocals [track 10]
Stacy Dillard tenor saxophone
Ryan Berg acoustic and electric bass
Rudy Royston drums
Baba Israel Mcee [track 6 and 10]
01 Jardin Le Sonn 7:11
02 Moving Is The Thing 8:21
03 Blue Moon [Rodgers-Hart] 8:46
04 The Words Not Said 4:29
05 Brazil [Ari Barroso] 6:58
06 Looking For An Exit 7:05
07 Exit Strategy 6:14
08 Humph 5:39
09 D.D.I.B. 6:05
10 Your Smell 4:21
Released July, 2010
Recorded at Michael Brorby studio, Brooklyn NY on October 29-30, 2008.
Mixed and mastered by Michael Perez-Cizneros.
SIMONA PREMAZZI
“LOOKING FOR AN EXIT”
Simona Premazzi piano
Joe Sanders bass
Ari Hoenig drums
01. Smokersion 8:39
02. Autumn Leaves [Kosma – Mercer] 5:50
03. Four O’Clock 7:32
04. Just One Of Those Things [Cole Porter] 3:44
05. Ale’s Dog 5:10
06. Prayer For Robert 5:12
07. Junkie Paper Dragon 4:36
08. B.R.A.D. 5:33
09. But Not For Me [George Gershwin] 6:55
10. Looking For An Exit 4:30
Released January 1, 2007
All compositions by Simona Premazzi except as indicated.
SIMONA PREMAZZI
“SOUND SCAPE SS18”
Simona Premazzi piano
Clovis Nicolas bass
Jochen Rueckert drums
1. Soberlicious 4:58
2. Amrita 5:18
3. Light At Dawn 3:50
4. Mellow Reich 4:41
5. Secret Garden 5:44
6. Afternoon 4:45
7. No One Like You 6:55
8. Bizetziac 4:53
9. Sunday Mist 4:00
10. The False Goodbye 4:53
11. Sunset Waltz 4:06
Released January 1, 2020
Bandmates Clovis Nicolas on bass and Jochen Rueckert on drums contributed with their mastery to make this musical experience a special one.
Recorded on September 15, 2017 at Big Orange Sheep Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
Recorded by Christopher Benham sound engineer. Mixed and Mastered by Davide
Looking For An Exit
Sound Scape SS18
(Commissioned Album)
BUY: BANDCAMP
Tales, Musings and other Reveries
New Perspectives
(Featuring)
BUY: AMAZON | APPLE MUSIC
ALBUMS
WHAT’S
NEW
WHAT’S
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Biography
“Her composing style stays modern without ever being airless and swing-deficient, open without getting lost in harmony and sentimentality. And her soloing is special.” [Ben Ratliff – New York Times]
New York based pianist Simona Premazzi has developed an impressive body of work as a composer and bandleader. Originally from Italy, Premazzi hails from a small town in the outskirts of Milano, where she began playing piano at age 8 and a half. A gifted musician, Simona is a graduate of the conservatory of music in Udine. She followed up her studies in Milano, by enrolling in the International Academy of Jazz Music and CPM music school, studying with two of Italy’s formidable jazz masters, Massimo Colombo and Franco D’Andrea.
As a student she became a member of two of the Academy’s most interesting bands – the Mingus Fingers Septet, of course focusing on the music of Charles Mingus, followed by a four year stint with Enrico Intra’s Big Band, touring across Italy and playing along side internationally recognized musicians including Markus Stockhausen, David Raksin, Franco Cerri, James Newton, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Dave Liebman, Eddie Daniels, Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu and many others.
© Chirs Drukker Photography
at Birdland Jazz Club in New York
Since moving to New York in 2004, she has earned recognition for her improvisational work and skillful approach as a composer, with an unmistakable style and depth that comes across in every one of her compositions. She has shown herself to be an accomplished bandleader and much sought after collaborative partner on other artists’ musical projects. Premazzi performed in all major New York jazz venues including the historic and prestigious Village Vanguard, jazz festivals around the US and abroad. Highlights of her musical path include a few years collaboration with Greg Osby 4 and with Jeremy Pelt 5et, sharing international stages with jazz masters Victor Lewis, Billy Drummond, Ben Allison and others.
“Premazzi, a wickedly clever soloist with a very original viewpoint.” [Frank Alkier – DownBeat Magazine]
Among the many, she has performed, toured and/or recorded with: Jeremy Pelt, Greg Osby, Dayna Stephens, Mark Shim, Tineke Postma, Ben Monder, Melissa Aldana, Seamus Blake, Wayne Escoffery, J.D. Allen, Billy Drummond, Victor Lewis, Ari Hoenig, Nasheet Waits, and many more fine artists.
Simona has released several CDs as a leader. “Outspoken” (PRE) 2017, received stellar reviews by The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, the DownBeat Magazine gave it 4 stars and selected it among the best albums of 2017. “Outspoken” features her quartet with long time collaborator saxophonist Dayna Stephens, bassist Joe Martin, drummer Nasheet Waits, guest trumpeter and producer Jeremy Pelt and guest vocalist Sara Serpa.
“The Lucid Dreamer” (Inner Circle Music) 2013, highly reviewed on The New York Times by Ben Ratliff, features multi awarded tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, bassist Ameen Saleem, drummer Jochen Rueckert and special guest Greg Osby on alto and soprano saxophones. Her debut album, “Looking For An Exit” (PRE) 2007, a trio with Ari Hoenig on drums and Joe Sanders on bass, was listed among the best trio albums between 2004 and 2008 by the prestigious Japanese magazine, Jazz Hihyo. Her highly acclaimed second album “Inside In” (PRE) 2010, on which Simona expands her approach to also spoken words and keyboard sounds, features her band, “The Intruders” with Stacy Dillard on tenor saxophone, bassist Ryan Berg, drummer Rudy Royston and MC rapper Baba Israel. “The Intruders” at times expanded to a larger ensemble hosting in rotation other musicians as tenor saxophonists Wayne Escoffery and Dayna Stephens, and trumpeter Josh Evans.
“A fearless modernist composer and improviser with a deeply romantic lyricism at her core, Simona Premazzi is one of the most fascinating and creative pianists in New York today.” [Hot House Jazz Magazine]
at Disney Music Hall in Los Angeles
at Village Vanguard in New York
“She’s bringing a lot to the table. Her composing style stays modern without ever being airless and swing-deficient, open without getting lost in harmony and sentimentality; idea driven but not so much that the listener needs explanations. And her soloing is special: She’s picking up on a complex, heavily rhythmic and idiosyncratic tradition that goes back to stride piano and runs through Thelonious Monk and Andrew Hill. Her solos move in fits and starts, flowing and abrupt, always interesting.”
“Simona Premazzi has assembled a stellar quartet that portrays her music in the best possible light… Rather than using themes as springboards for improvisation, she probes them to get to their essence, leaving no stone unturned in the process.”
“Her touch is feathery and wildly charismatic. As is she. This is a woman who isn’t afraid to record one of her ballads (“Euterpe’s Dance”) twice on the same CD; once just with her bassist as an atmospheric duo and once in traditional trio format (piano/bass/drums).”
“Throughout the album, Premazzi’s solos are full of unexpected leaps and lines that never reach a typical conclusion. Direct influences are difficult to spot in her solos, which can border on experimental, and she also traverses bop, stride and swing. She doesn’t sound like any other pianist in New York today.”
“A distinctive pianist whose fairly free yet melodic and lyrical improvising style at times recalls Paul Bley, Premazzi often sounds as if she were thinking aloud at the piano. Her spontaneous music develops logically if unpredictably and keep’s one’s attention throughout.”
“She’s bringing a lot to the table. Her composing style stays modern without ever being airless and swing-deficient, open without getting lost in harmony and sentimentality; idea driven but not so much that the listener needs explanations. And her soloing is special: She’s picking up on a complex, heavily rhythmic and idiosyncratic tradition that goes back to stride piano and runs through Thelonious Monk and Andrew Hill. Her solos move in fits and starts, flowing and abrupt, always interesting.” Read more…
“Simona Premazzi has assembled a stellar quartet that portrays her music in the best possible light… Rather than using themes as springboards for improvisation, she probes them to get to their essence, leaving no stone unturned in the process.” Read more…
“Her touch is feathery and wildly charismatic. As is she. This is a woman who isn’t afraid to record one of her ballads (“Euterpe’s Dance”) twice on the same CD; once just with her bassist as an atmospheric duo and once in traditional trio format (piano/bass/drums).” Read more…
“Throughout the album, Premazzi’s solos are full of unexpected leaps and lines that never reach a typical conclusion. Direct influences are difficult to spot in her solos, which can border on experimental, and she also traverses bop, stride and swing. She doesn’t sound like any other pianist in New York today.” Read more…
“A distinctive pianist whose fairly free yet melodic and lyrical improvising style at times recalls Paul Bley, Premazzi often sounds as if she were thinking aloud at the piano. Her spontaneous music develops logically if unpredictably and keep’s one’s attention throughout.” Read more…
MUSIC CHARTS
PHOTOS
PORTRAITS
CONCERTS
