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Simona Premazzi

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 9.

Simona recently released her 3rd CD, “The Lucid Dreamer”, on the Inner Circle Music Label, featuring her latest ensemble comprised of tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, bassist Ameen Saleem, drummer Jochen Rueckert and special guest, the inimitable Greg Osby on Alto and Soprano Saxophone.

Simona Premazzi’s debut album, “Looking For An Exit”, a trio with Ari Hoenig and Joe Sanders, was listed among the best trio albums to come out between 2004 and 2008 by the prestigious Japanese magazine, Jazz Hihyo. Her highly acclaimed second album, “Inside In”, featured her band, “The Intruders” with Stacy Dillard on saxophone, bassist Ryan Berg and drummer Rudy Royston.

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 Jazz School Academy and CPM music school studying under the incomparable supervision of 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 a long 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.

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 a cross 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.

She has continued to hone her skills under the guidance of Fred Hersch, Jason Moran and Harry Whitaker, and has become a regular on the jazz club circuit.

She has performed, collaborated and/or recorded with: Greg Osby, Seamus Blake, Wayne Escoffery, Dayna Stephens, J. D. Allen, Logan Richardson, Grant Stewart, Stacy Dillard, Phil Stewart, Ari Hoenig, Jaleel Shaw, Jason Brown, Marco Panascia, Ameen Saleem, Joe Sanders, Quincy Davis, Rodney Green, E.J. Strickland, Justin Brown, Rudy Royston, Johnathan Blake and many more fine artists.

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Album Review

Simona Premazzi: Wave in Gravity

Read "Wave in Gravity" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Residente da quasi un decennio a New York, la pianista Simona Premazzi è ormai una presenza significativa nella scena musicale della Big Apple: dopo studi di perfezionamento con Fred Hersch e Jason Moran ha collaborato e/o inciso con figure di primo piano come Greg Osby, Ari Hoenig, Jeremy Pelt, Melissa Aldana, Rudy Royston, Dayna Stephens, pubblicando cinque album da leader. Quest'eccellente lavoro è il suo debutto in piano solo ed è stato registrato il 10 dicembre 2021, ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Simona Premazzi, Will Bernard, Beth Custer, Tania Giannouli & More

Read "Simona Premazzi, Will Bernard, Beth Custer, Tania Giannouli & More" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


A revelation of an album, Sky by Will Bernard and Beth Custer, opens a playlist which explores three piano jazz formats, solo, duo and trio, through a number of impressive recent releases. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Will Bernard, Beth Custer “Fence" Sky (Self-released) 0:16 Host talks 2:27 Yosef Gutman Levitt feat. Lionel Loueke “Soul Song" Soul Song (Soul Song) 3:27 Host talks 10:22 Jeff ...

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Album Review

Simona Premazzi: Wave In Gravity

Read "Wave In Gravity" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


What do we listen for in a solo piano project? Technical proficiency. Heart. Body. Soul. A vulnerability versus strength dynamic. The ability to surrender to the sounds, to take them where they want to go. In other words, we look for how well the artist articulates their humanity. Simona Premazzi displays all these attributes on her first solo piano outing Wave In Gravity. A native of Italy, now based in New York, Premazzi has played in ...

Album Review

Simona Premazzi: Outspoken

Read "Outspoken" reviewed by Neri Pollastri


Friulana, autorevole formazione classica (diploma al conservatorio di Udine) e jazzistica (è stata allieva tra gli altri di Franco D'Andrea e ha figurato nella big band di Enrico Intra, da quasi quindici anni la pianista e bandleader Simona Premazzi si è trasferita a New York, dove coltiva collaborazioni di tutto rispetto, insegna e realizza la sua musica. Con questo Outspoken è giunta al suo quarto CD, stavolta alla guida di un un quartetto in cui spicca la presenza di Nasheet ...

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Album Review

Simona Premazzi: Looking for an Exit

Read "Looking for an Exit" reviewed by J Hunter


If Looking for an Exit proves anything (aside from the fact that pianist Simona Premazzi is a force to be reckoned with), it's that a good education goes a long way.

When Premazzi wasn't playing in the Mingus septet at Milano's acclaimed Jazz School Academy, the northern Italy native was backing up stalwarts like Dave Leibman, Enrico Rava, and James Newton. She relocated to New York in 2004, but her education continued: While establishing herself on the club circuit, Premazzi ...

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"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: 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" [Ben Ratliff- The New York Times].

"Premazzi excels as both pianist and composer. Premazzi’s solos spin and dart, at times restarting mid- thought to follow a surprising, unexpected path. But her melodic spins never detract, they simply surprise. She’s inventive, but always swinging." [Ken Micallef - The New York City Jazz Record]

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Wave in Gravity

Self Published
2023

buy

Outspoken

Self Produced
2017

buy

The Lucid Dreamer

Inner Circle Music
2013

buy

Looking for an Exit

Self Produced
2007

buy

Prayer For Robert

From: Looking for an Exit
By Simona Premazzi

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