Home » Jazz Musicians » Giancarlo Mazzu/Luciano Troja Duo

Giancarlo Mazzu/Luciano Troja Duo

Giancarlo and Luciano play together on the international jazz scene since 2002. Together they released a dozen of CDs. Their music is mainly based on the search for new forms and expressions, related to tradition with a solid jazz background, mixed with folk music, classical forms and free improvisation. They performed and toured together in several festivals and jazz-club in Europe and U.S.A.

Composers and players of creative music ensemble Mahanada Quartet, they toured in Europe and USA. With Mahanada they released three critically acclaimed CDs (Critic’s Choice Top Ten 2006, Cadence Jazz Magazine ; Best Albums Of 2006, All About Jazz Italy). With the quartet, they represented Italy at XI Athens Biennial of European Art 2003.   

Luciano and Giancarlo released in duo 'Seven Tales About Standards' (2006) and 'Seven Tales About Standards Vol.2' (2009), for SplascH Records label.  Both the CDs have received great reviews and awards internationally (“Top Ten CDs 2006” El Intruso Jazz Magazine, “Best Album of 2009” All About Jazz Italy, and mentions for the categories CD of the Year, Group of the Year, and Instrumentists of the Year, on Top Jazz Poll 2009 of Musica Jazz magazine).   

Together, they performed with several master of creative music as Barre Phillips, Globe Unity Orchestra, Karl Berger, Ingrid Sertso. Blaise Siwula, Michael Wimberly, Instant Composers Pool, Dave Burrell, Salvatore Bonafede, Rocco John Iacovone.

   In 2011 in New York City, they founded the improvised music trio "D'istante3" with the veteran saxophonist Blaise Siwula. Together they toured in USA playing in several venues (Shapeshifter Lab, New York University, ABC No-Rio, Spectrum, Downtown Music Gallery, among the others). They released the CDs "D'istante3" (2012, Slam, UK) and "Sometimes The Journey Is A Vision" (NoFrillsMusic.com, 2014).

In 2013 they released “Live at the Metropolitan Room NYC”, (Slam Productions, UK), getting internationally rave reviews, and a nomination for Live Performance Album Category at "The 13º Independent Music Awards" (USA). In trio, with the drummer Francesco Branciamore they recorded “Broad-Ways” (ACK,2017). In 2018 they released "Palermo Sketches" (Almendra 2018), with Blaise Siwula and Rocco John Iacovone. The CD has been included in the book “Il Giro del Mondo in (nuovi) 80 dischi” by italian jazz-writer Amedeo Furfaro, (CJC, 2019).

Giancarlo Mazzù is Coordinator of Jazz Department and Jazz Guitar teacher at the Conservatory «Cilea» of Reggio Calabria. He has performed extensively throughout Europe and and United States. His CDs has often topped polls of magazine such as Cadence and All About Jazz. Awarded as Guitarist of the Year for El Intruso Magazine (Argentina).

Tags

Giancarlo Mazzu/Luciano Troja Duo band/orchestra

Seven Tales About Standards Vol.2 (SplascH 2009)

"BEST ALBUMS OF 2009"
ALL ABOUT JAZZ, Italy
Aug.2009

"A work of rare elegance and intelligence, and dialogic fineness. A continuous pleasure for ears and mind"
Four Stars ****
-Neri Pollastri, ALL ABOUT JAZZ Italy
Aug.2009

"The duets between guitarist Mazzu and pianist Troja made me sit up straight in my chair. Inventive, probing, and winding lines are traded back and forth with lightness and wit. I would have thought that “Bye Bye Blackbird” had long since flown off, but this CD shows that there’s life in it. I was occasionally reminded of Jimmy Rowles and Joe Pass, but these players are outstandingly adventurous, intertwining yet never overriding one another.
This CD duet should be required listening for improvisers of all persuasions."
-Michael Steinman, CADENCE,
Oct/Nov/Dec 2009

Seven Tales About Standards Vol.2 (SplascH 2009)

"BEST ALBUMS OF 2009"
ALL ABOUT JAZZ, Italy
Aug.2009

"A work of rare elegance and intelligence, and dialogic fineness. A continuous pleasure for ears and mind"
Four Stars ****
-Neri Pollastri, ALL ABOUT JAZZ Italy
Aug.2009

"The whole is immersed in a sort of poetic chastity, and the spirit of the theme is never forced. And the game of trade and raises between the two musicians is very enjoyable"
-Giuseppe Piacentino, MUSICA JAZZ
Aug/Sept.2009

"The musical result is enchanting and mesmerizing, making this recording a must- hear-again selection of favorite melodies”.
-Dr.Roberta Zlokower, ROBERTA ON THE ARTS.com- USA
July 2009

“Two extraordinary musicians...both have approached the standards, which for most of people are untouchable and immaculate, with a surprisingly attractive and exquisite combination of respect and irony”
-Marcelo Morales, EL INTRUSO Jazz Magazine - ARGENTINA
July 2009

""The formula is winning: very close to a famous meeting between Jim Hall and Michel Petrucciani, with the complicity of Wayne Shorter, the legendary "Power of Three"... And here they are then still bring out something new, of unheard, from these useful canvas”
-Vincenzo Fugaldi, JAZZITALIA
June 2009

Seven Tales About Standards (SplascH 2006)

"Mazzù and Troja approach in these tunes is a delight …imagine Herb Ellis duetting with George Russell … like a Third Stream reworking of Undercurrent"
-Nate Dorward CADENCE-USA

"Mazzù throws in a bit of ragtime or Spanish guitar now and then, but he never clashes with Troja's jazz stylings. Despite having just two players, this CD is sometimes relaxed and sometimes fast paced. It is an interesting recording worth checking out"
-Dave Howell RAMBLES.NET A Cultural Arts Magazine -USA

"Troja and Mazzù have masterfully designed one-of-a-kind interpretations of popular standards"
-Dr.Roberta E. Zlowoker, ROBERTA ON THE ARTS.com-USA

"No se trata de dos virtuosos en tren de demostrar lo que pueden tocar. Se conocen, se complementan, se divierten...icomo yo! Impactante version!"
-Marcelo Morales EL INTRUSO Jazz Magazine - ARGENTINA

Show less

Primary Instrument

Band / ensemble / orchestra

Credentials/Background

In 2005 they together taught at the University Of Messina, at UniversiSonori, Laboratory For Improvised Music. Giancarlo Mazzù teaches also Jazz Guitar and Jazz Harmony in Trapani at Conservatory of Music “A. Scontrino”.