Articles by Neri Pollastri
Anaïs Drago: the Solo Violininst Who Doesn’t Want to Be a Soloist
by Neri Pollastri
Born in Biella in 1993, violinist, composer, improviser, and bandleader Anaïs Drago is one of the rising stars of Italian jazz. After winning the Italian magazine Musica Jazz poll as the best new talent in 2021 and dedicating significant time to solo performance, she has just released Relevé Live (Habitable Records, 2025), a trio album with Federico Calcagno and Max Trabucco. We caught up with her right after Minotauri, a solo violin concert at the Connetto Jazz Festival, in Poggibonsi, ...
Continue ReadingNeri Pollastri's Best Jazz Albums Of 2024
by Neri Pollastri
As the year has come to an end, it is interesting to look back, reflect on the music we have enjoyed the most, and share it with those who may have missed it. This year, I have noticed, with surprise and appreciation, an higher than usual number of remarkable albums. Many are listed below. I will leave it for readers to decide whether this is a sign of the high quality of recent releases or a decline in my critical ...
Continue ReadingDan Kinzelman: Stream of Consciousness
by Neri Pollastri
U.S. born saxophonist and clarinetist Dan Kinzelman first moved to Italy in 2005 and over the last decade has grown to become an ever-present figure in Italy's flowering underground jazz scene thanks to his central role in some of the country's most interesting and original projects: leader of Dan Kinzelman's Ghost, co-founder of collective trio Hobby Horse and its recent expansion into a sextet (Ghost Horse), he is also active as a sideman with projects like the Francesco Ponticelli Quartet ...
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