Articles by Angelo Leonardi
Ola Onabulé: A Tapestry of Soul, Jazz and Global Roots
by Angelo Leonardi
Singer-songwriter and producer Ola Onabulé shares insights into his life and work, spotlighting his eclectic collaboration with guitarist Nicolas Meier, which led to the release of Proof of Life (Self Produced, 2025). Both based in London, the British-Nigerian vocalist and Swiss guitarist discovered, during the isolation of the pandemic, a shared empathy in their diverse backgrounds and musical passions. The result is a striking sonic tapestry, where Onabulé's powerful voice--spanning soul, jazz, and African roots--intertwines with Nicolas' versatile ...
Continue ReadingAngelo Leonardi's Best Jazz Albums of 2024
by Angelo Leonardi
What follows is the list of the albums, both Italian and international, that I most appreciated and, above all, loved in 2024. These are the ones that enriched and inspired me the most, the ones I found myself returning to repeatedly. They are listed in alphabetical order, not by order of preference. In preparing this list it was difficult for me to separate “professional" assessment from personal enjoyment, but I have tried to prioritize the latter wherever possible.
Continue ReadingBen Allison: Creative Reworkings And New Inspirations
by Angelo Leonardi
We talk about “The Ben Allison Remastered Series 2004-2011" a project that led the New York bassist, composer, and educator to personally edit and remix some of the albums he had originally released on Palmetto Records. Through this painstaking work which started at the height of the pandemic, Ben Allison not only brought a new level of acoustic clarity and detail to those albums, but also unearthed a few gems not included on the originals. The interview also touches upon ...
Continue ReadingZach Brock: Jazz Violin's New Wave
by Angelo Leonardi
Best known for his work with Snarky Puppy, Zach Brock is among the most creative violinists of his generation. Zach Brock is bringing the violin back to center stage. Influenced by European masters of the seventies like Jean-Luc Ponty, Zbigniew Seifert, Didier Lockwood, Brock has widened his perspective from modern jazz to rock, finding a synthesis that connects classical precision with a strong melodic sense and remarkable improvisational skills. Brock has recorded and toured with the likes of Stanley Clarke ...
Continue ReadingLinda May Han Oh: Talent and Dedication
by Angelo Leonardi
Over the past decade, bassist Linda May Han Oh has been hailed as one of the most gifted bassists, bandleaders and composers of her generation. She is a virtuoso who can swing hard while keeping instrumental grace and precision, structuring her lines through a most free-flowing cascade of ideas. After completing her master's degree at the Manhattan School of Music in 2008, she recorded her debut album, Entry with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and drummer Obed Calvaire. In the following years ...
Continue ReadingFabian Almazan: Multilayered Vision
by Angelo Leonardi
For much of the past decade, Cuban-born pianist Fabian Almazan spent most of his time playing with Terence Blanchard who called him: “One of the great, young, new talent of his generation." Now 39 and based in New York City, Fabian earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and was voted “#1 Rising Piano Star" by the Downbeat Critics' Poll in 2014. Currently pianist in the Mark Guiliana quartet, Almazan is the owner ...
Continue ReadingBen Allison: Between Groove and Melody
by Angelo Leonardi
Bassist, bandleader, educator and composer, Ben Allison is one of the leading players of the world stage. During the past twenty years he has released twelve records and led various bands, performed on more than thirty albums, co-founded The Jazz Composers Collective, and served as its Artistic Director until its dissolution in 2005. In this conversation, Allison speaks about his album (Layers of The City, Sonic Camera Records 2017), his personal style, the birth of his own label, his long ...
Continue ReadingDafnis Prieto: Cross-Cultural Mix
by Angelo Leonardi
Dafnis Prieto is one of the leading drummers and composers of his generation. Forty-four years old and Cuban born, Prieto moved to New York City in 1999. The early 2000's found Prieto employed as a sideman by several prominent musicians, including Eddie Palmieri, Michel Camilo, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Dave Samuels and Arturo O'Farrill. In the following years Prieto also appeared in some avant-garde settings with Henry Threadgill and Steve Coleman. The young Cuban drummer transposes elements from his Afro-Cuban musical heritage ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii: the Gift of Music
by Angelo Leonardi
One of the most original and prolific voices in jazz today, Satoko Fujii is celebrating 2018, the year of her 60th birthday (which will fall on October 9th), by intensifying her already intense recording schedule. The Japanese pianist and composer will be releasing one CD a month featuring new works for some of her current groups, launching special projects and introducing new bands. All About jazz: Let's talk about your plan of releasing one CD a month until ...
Continue ReadingMark Guiliana: A Natural Progression of Research
by Angelo Leonardi
Mark Guiliana is a prominent figure among the new wave of drummer-leaders of his generation. The upcoming album Jersey is the second with his Jazz Quartet and marks his debut for Motema Music. All About Jazz met him last July, before his performance at the Malta Jazz Festival, to speak about his ability to seamlessly integrate acoustic and electronic music, his upcoming album and the current line-up of the Jazz Quartet featuring Fabian Almazan at the piano. All ...
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