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Marisa Balistreri

Marisa Balistreri is a Madison, Wisconsin-based vocalist. A former professional Italian opera singer with an international career, Marisa currently collaborates with her songwriter-guitarist husband, Stefan Hall on original jazz tunes inspired by music from around the world. Marisa's group performs as a duo, trio or quartet and plays jazz standards, Latin jazz and originals in several languages. They play music to make people feel hopeful about humanity.

In the Madison Area, The Marisa Balistreri Quartet recently played at Festa Italia and for a Jazz at Five fundraiser. Additionally, The Marisa Balistreri Trio has had a months-long residency at Cafe Coda, and have played as either a duo, trio or quartet at The Cave of the Mounds, Harmony Bar and Grill, North Street Cabaret, Pyramid Event Venue and many other great venues. Marisa and Stefan have also played at the Weidner Center 6:30 Concert Series, Art Street and Blue Opus in Green Bay, DeJaVu and Gibson Music Hall in Appleton and the Bremen Cafe in Milwaukee with various jazz ensembles. The Marisa Balistreri Duo was recently featured on Channel 3000, Neon Jazz, and Live in the Lair on Max Inc, Radio

Marisa released her album New Monsters this past summer and album tracks been played on radio stations all over the world and have been featured on numerous prominent Spotify playlists.

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“ ‘I Want to Believe’ —a rendition that showcases this vocalist's impressive training and exceptional vocal potential. She consistently captivates the listener through her powerful presence and an enthusiastic performance that is deeply felt and emotionally invested, all while demonstrating great professionalism.” - Bruno Polacci, AnimaJazz

"Marisa Balistreri, a vocalist of great technical skill who created the album New Monsters…"Hear Me,"…highlights the natural gifts of this singer—who clearly possesses a classical background—as she conveys her passion and expressive power, accompanied in a subtle yet distinct manner by her band, which consistently succeeds in showcasing the leader's qualities". - Bruno Pollacci, AnimaJazz

“ ‘I Want to Believe’ —a rendition that showcases this vocalist's impressive training and exceptional vocal potential. She consistently captivates the listener through her powerful presence and an enthusiastic performance that is deeply felt and emotionally invested, all while demonstrating great professionalism.” - Bruno Polacci, AnimaJazz

"Marisa Balistreri, a vocalist of great technical skill who created the album New Monsters…"Hear Me,"…highlights the natural gifts of this singer—who clearly possesses a classical background—as she conveys her passion and expressive power, accompanied in a subtle yet distinct manner by her band, which consistently succeeds in showcasing the leader's qualities". - Bruno Pollacci, AnimaJazz

[" ‘Hear Me’s' prodution] is tight, and the vocal delivery is absolutely stellar. It’s rare to hear a jazz piece that feels this polished without losing that necessary grit…The phrasing is sophisticated, and the whole arrangement sits in the pocket perfectly." - Mile Wood, Angapp Music

["Threads (þættir)" is] a truly beautiful and heartfelt piece. The composition is warm, intimate, and full of character, and the blend of jazz, folk, and bossa nova creates a very charming world-jazz atmosphere. The storytelling is touching as well; the lyrical theme about heritage, family threads, and Icelandic sagas adds a poetic depth that really stands out. Vocally, the performance is gorgeous — expressive, controlled, and delivered with a sincerity that fits the message perfectly. Production-wise, everything feels carefully crafted and sonically elegant." - Morning Café Jazz

“Moulin Rouge”…features a lively jazz waltz with manouche influences that captivates with its elegant rhythm and the band's precise execution, with Marisa Balistreri dominating the vocals in a light and engaging way, while Stefan Hall on guitar, Jeff Weiss on bass, and Noah Brooks on drums create a solid and pulsating foundation. The balance between energy and sophistication makes the song work for both classic jazz fans and those looking for something different and accessible. - Rádio Armazém

"Marisa Balistreri, Wisconsin-born, sang opera in Italy. Thus she has a rangy evocative voice, but no classical formality. Swing comes naturally to her, as you will hear. She’s written the lyrics to the cheerful “Curve Veloci” (“Fast Curves”); the melody was created by Balistreri’s husband, guitarist Stefan Hall. The song is the aural equivalent of a creamy dark chocolate with something mysterious at its center." - Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives