Simona Premazzi "Outspoken"

"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" [Ben Ratliff - New York Times].

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 Saxophones.

"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]

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.

"Like spontaneous combustion, Simona Premazzi set the music aflame on her debut recording Looking For An Exit. She has sheer talent and also a certain presence that makes her a standout. Premazzi's playing can be forceful, delicate, humorous, or dramatic, and sometimes all within the same composition. A promising and exciting new female pianist - composer. Bravissimo" [Mark F. Turner].

Simona Premazzi
...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.
"A talented composer with a knack for creating pieces with tricky yet pretty themes, often with odd or unpredictable rhythmic figures and time signatures, that still retain a string of beauty that always runs through. Simona Premazzi is one of the more exciting and poignant pianists on the current New York scene" [Gary Heimbauer - Jazz Inside magazine]

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: Jeremy Pelt, Greg Osby, Seamus Blake, Wayne Escoffery, Dayna Stephens, Melissa Aldana, 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.