Donatella Montinaro - Uliveto (2024) [Hi-Res]

"Uliveto" is Donatella Montinaro's first album. It is a profound and elegant project featuring the American double bassist Joe Sanders on artistic production and an exceptional quartet composed of Domenico Sanna on piano, Giulio Scianatico on double bass, Cesare Mangiocavallo on drums and Gabriel Marciano on alto saxophone.

Donatella Montinaro is a young smooth jazz artist: her soft, silky voice traces refined melodies, creating a dreamlike, enveloping universe. Brought up on the notes of Carmen Mcrae, Cyrille Aimee, Cecile Mclorin Salvant, Betty Carter, Alice Ricciardi and Sarah Vaughan, she blends elements of jazz, blues and R&B, creating enchanting compositions supported by impeccable technique.

Born in Bari in 1996, she took up singing at an early age, discovering jazz thanks to her father's deep love for Coltrane. She graduated from the Conservatorio Niccolò Piccinni in Bari and continued her training at the Accademia Nazionale ‘Siena Jazz’, with big names on the international scene such as Greg Hutchinson, Joe Sanders, Yonathan Avishai, Logan Richardson, Diana Torto, Dena DeRose and David Linx. He participates in master classes and seminars and collaborates on recording projects by other artists, including ‘Soul Hunters’ by guitarist Alberto Parmegiani and ‘A Peaceful Place’ by Pippo D'Ambrosio. In 2022 he won the ‘Chicco Bettinardi’ National Competition and the following year he released ‘Still We Dream’, his first duo album with pianist Danilo Tarso.

Donatella Motinaro cultivates deep emotions in her heart, nourished by listening and inspirations that include classic albums such as Sarah Vaughan's ‘Sassy Swings the Tivoli’ and Coltrane's ‘Soultrane’, as well as contemporary gems including Immanuel Wilkins' “Omega” and Yebba's “Dawn”. In the wake of these sounds, she has sprouted “Uliveto”, her solo debut, to which she has infused her universe of intuition and sensitivity.

"Uliveto" is a dedication to his homeland, Apulia, using the language of jazz. It is a homage to landscapes, to roots, to the transmission of traditions: his family has owned an olive grove for 200 years, keeping alive the ancient custom of handing down the care of these plants from generation to generation, from mother to daughter. A tradition that deeply reflects the very essence of music, that of handing down its history, and making it one's own.

A journey of ten tracks in English, one episode in Italian and one in Portuguese, which starts from the concept of poetry to arrive at personal memory, from one's own emotional experiences to the work of great artists such as Djavan, Wayne Shorter and Domenico Modugno - three pearls of whom are presented here - while embracing original compositions that reflect the young artist's growth and evolution.

After years of listening, Donatella Montinaro is ready to share her perspective, going beyond the classical concept of Jazz, but, at the same time, remaining faithful to her core principle, to a predominantly acoustic sound, the result of a precise moment, shared and played together.

Donatella Montinaro, vocals
Domenico Sanna, piano, synthesizer (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9)
Gabriel Marciano, alto saxophone (tracks 2, 3, 4 ,5, 7, 8, 9)
Giulio Scianatico, double bass (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9)
Cesare Mangiocavallo, drums (tracks 1,2,3,4,5,7,9)
Joe Sanders, double bass (track 6)
Iacopo Teolis, trumpet (tracks4, 8)
Vittorio Esposito, Fender Rhodes (track 10)

Tracklist:
1-1. Donatella Montinaro - Flightnoon / The Echoing Green (04:06)
1-2. Donatella Montinaro - Captive Silence (03:25)
1-3. Donatella Montinaro - Inward Glass (02:22)
1-4. Donatella Montinaro - Agua (04:56)
1-5. Donatella Montinaro - In Time With The Rain (03:16)
1-6. Joe Sanders, Donatella Montinaro - The Sun Of May (Drì) (01:42)
1-7. Donatella Montinaro - Someplace Called Where (03:07)
1-8. Donatella Montinaro - Come Stai (03:48)
1-9. Donatella Montinaro - I Remember You (05:09)
1-10. Donatella Montinaro - Ghost Soul (02:33)