Photo by Stefano Chiodini

Italian Jazz Awards 2008 Nominees - Vote Michela Lombardi Vote on line

Elegant, delicate, intense. Michela Lombardi’s approach to jazz vocals refers deeply to a clean, refined, slightly vintage sound (think of Irene Kral, Carol Sloane, Anita O’Day, Gelen Merrill) which draws close a legacy of contemporary young artists with a similar poetic attitude like Karrin Allyson, Tierney Sutton, Stacey Kent, Jackie Allen, Sara Lazarus, Roberta Gambarini. She’s characterized by a deep love for jazz tradition, felt as alive and kicking, a vivid expressiveness sometimes bluesy and soulful (one of her favourite voices since her teens is Bonnie Raitt’s) and a talent in composing lyrics both for her own songs and vocalese. A storyteller bound to the literary quality of the songs she chooses to sing, she also has a fluent and confident scatting. Michela Lombardi studied with Michèle Hendricks, Norma Winstone, Barry Harris, Kenny Wheeler, Giacomo Gates, Shawnn Monteiro, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Tiziana Ghiglioni.

With her first quintet she recorded Small Day Tomorrow, released in 2004 on Philology label (owned by Paolo Piangiarelli). In 2006 with Riccardo Arrighini / Paolo Benedettini / Alessandro Minetto she records Starry Eyed Again (Chet On Our Minds), produced by Piangiarelli, and features as a guest (singer and lyricist) on two more Arrighini’s records.

In 2005 with her quartet and special guest Nico Gori she was invited to sing at Duc des Lombards jazzclub in Paris.

In October 2006 she was semifinalist at Brussels Young Jazz Singers Competition, a Bruxelles, with the trio Sabin Todorov / Sal La Rocca / Lionel Beuvens. She gets the “Special Mention” at Crest Jazz Vocal Concours (France, August 2007).

In the Top Jazz Polls 2004, 2006 e 2007 (on the magazine Musica Jazz) she’s mentioned among the Best New Talents by the expert of jazz vocality Luciano Federighi.

In March 2008 is released on MAP/Lush Tales label her new cd So April Hearted, with guest Nico Gori on clarinet and saxes. It contains mainly new songs.

She took part in festivals like Metastasio Jazz Festival and Valenza Jazz (both directed by Stefano Zenni, president of SidMA – Italian Sociaety for the Study of Afroamerican Music), Vivere Jazz Festival (directed by Stefano Bollani), Zola Jazz & Wine (directed by Antonio Ciacca, at the moment director of JALC – Jazz At Lincoln Center), Lucca Jazz Donna, Dean Benedetti Jazz Festival, Barga Jazz, Jazz at Teatro Lauro Rossi (Macerata, Italy).

She’s studying Jazz Composing And Arrangements at Conservatory “L. Cherubini” (Florence) with pianist Riccardo Fassi.

In February 2008 she got back in a recording studio to record – with the trio of great pianist Renato Sellani (with Massimo Moriconi on bass and Stefano Bagnoli on drums, and young crooner Matteo Brancaleoni on 2 tracks) – two “twin” cds in further tribute of the songs sung or played by Chet Baker, after the success of Starry Eyed Again, which obtained a beautiful review on Cadence Magazine (N.Y. – August 2007) and the cover of Jazz Magazine n° 63 (February 2008).

These two cds will soon be available on Philology label as Moonlight Becomes You – Thinking Of Chet VOL.1 and Still In My Heart – Thinking Of Chet VOL.2.