This is my third album released by Stradivarius Records. The first record, "My Art of Gypsy Jazz" released in 2020, was followed by "Gypsy Jazz Style" in 2022. From my earliest compositions, I have wanted to emphasize a personal vision of the Gypsy style, combining it's stylistic features with a wide range of elements and skills I had studied and learned during my academic and creative journey. My proposal of music styles has been expanded with this new collection of unreleased songs using the touch and sound of the Manouche guitar in conjunction with the power of flamenco sound, the elegance of Vals Musette, passionate and energetic moments of intimate and contrasting atmospheres: "ALMA GYPSY"!!! Alma Gypsy In this arrangement my intent is to highlight the diverse "Gypsy" nuances of my "Soul". Gypsy Jazz and Gypsy music, from flamenco to 20th century Spanish classical composers, have greatly influenced my technical and musicmaking journey, both interpretatively and compositionally. The sounds of this piece are a blend of styles and techniques embraced by my area of expertise.
This album represents an innovative and renewed production path started in 2020 with my first album published by Stradivarius Music, with which a solid collaboration has been established. Already in the previous work, my aim was to immediately highlight in the title a personal vision of Jazz Manouche style, starting from its stylistic peculiarities, and adding “color” in a harmonic and stylistic combination with my experience. Despite maintaining the basic staff of guitars and bass, it was necessary to complete my compositions, depending on the need, with the valuable collaboration of many friends and musicians who, with enthusiasm have been involved. The desired sounds are more modern than the previous album. Each note is meaningful! At the root of this collection of unpublished works there is the “contamination” and “inclusion” of music styles that have occurred in the journey of my artistic life. The unmistakable touch and sound of the Manouche guitar and the sound, creative and emotional impacts that Django Reinhardt had on me, have inevitably influenced my vision and my path, in summary. -Pietro Lazazzara
Here We Are finds acclaimed jazz vocalist Lori Williams at the heart of a soulful, cross-continental collaboration with top-tier European jazz artists. Born out of friendships from the Poysdorf Summer Jazz Workshop, the album blends original songs and timeless standards with Brazilian grooves, romantic ballads, and classic swing. Williams' warm, expressive voice shines across each track whether delivering heartfelt lyrics or improvising with grace and nuance. Backed by a band that listens and responds as one, Here We Are is a celebration of connection, creativity, and the joy of making music together.
There are good reasons why the names of all those involved in this album are listed as equal partners. "Moving Times" is the result of real teamwork and is the first production of a newly formed group in which everyone acts on an equal footing. This is not self-evident, because singer Esther Kaiser and guitarist Axel Fischbacher represent two established big names in the German jazz scene, who have been independently leading their own bands for many years and have released a large number of their own albums. The two belong to different generations while bassist Genevieve O'Driscoll and drummer/vibraphonist Michael Knippschild represent another one. That means three generations, two women and two men, and it fits as if there were nothing more normal in the world.
In music, the new is only created by looking at tradition; the talent that comes with it only matures through mastery of the craft. The new album 'Purple Sky' by guitarist and composer Vlado Grizelj is a perfect example of how the balance of these two artistic driving forces can lead to a rousing result. His love of the funk and soul of the sixties and seventies is expressed very strongly.
