Tuesday, November 5th 2014, 7PM
Great Guild Hall

STEFANO DI BATTISTA JAZZ QUARTET (Italy)

For Stefano di Battista, music is about opening up. He’s got the notes, he’s got the tempo. And he’s definitely got the courage.

Stefano is overflowing with energy, sometimes intense, at others relaxed and mellow, like the waves of notes that spill from his saxophone. Since he discovered jazz at the age of 16, his performances and life have travelled at lightning speed: “Sometimes I feel like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.” He runs…. He runs to this or that appointment, repeating compulsively: “I’m going to be late!”

Awarded first prize at the Rome conservatory at the age of 21, the Italian saxophonist arrived in Paris in 1994 and, in no time at all, forged his reputation as a virtuoso. After working with the drummer and composer Aldo Romano, he became one of the star soloists of the ONJ (the National Jazz Orchestra) before joining the Michel Petrucciani Sextet. In 1997, Stefano formed his own group – a quintet – and released his first album, VOLARE. This led to a string of successful tours, a contract with the Blue Note label (1998), and the release of the brilliant STEFANO DI BATTISTA featuring John Coltrane’s legendary drummer Elvin Jones. Stefano was just 29 years old.

New encounters and experiments followed. Whether he was performing with Claude Nougaro or Michael Brecker, Stefano played with sublime sensitivity.