With their vibrant and versatile take on piano driven contemporary jazz, the Ilario Ferrari Trio has been wowing audiences and critics alike with the lively compositions taken from their latest album Above The Clouds – released by Elsden Music.
On 18 January 2025, the band will bring a double celebration – of their album and four years as a trio – to Jazz Café POSK. To help mark the occasion, award winning trumpeter Henry Spencer will join the players for a few numbers. This is a not to be missed show for anyone who loves the piano trio format.
Bringing together Ilario Ferrari on piano and vocals, with Charlie Pyne on upright bass and vocals and drummer Katie Patterson – who adds further vocals – the band formed in 2020 at the height of lockdown. The three players found solace in their musical connection, which can only be seen as finding joy in a dark and challenging time.
Since the release of their 2021 debut Childhood Memories, the band has been fostering a sound all of their own. Blending a contemporary jazz aesthetic with everything from classical inflections and influences from Indian music to singer-songwriter elements and emotive and compelling vocal harmonies, they create a sound that is fluid and organic. While influences jump out at you, the outcome is much more than the sum of its parts – creating something distinctive and engaging.
Like so much in jazz, the piano trio format comes with the weight of expectation driven by past masters hanging over it. Ilario and the band dance gleefully over this, honouring the form but never doing anything but finding their own space.
It’s not surprising that following their debut, the Ilario Ferrari Trio attracted prestigious bookings internationally. They’ve delighted audiences everywhere from the London Jazz Festival to Germany’s Jazzahead and the Ecosuoni Festival in Italy.
Since the inception of the band, they have been about experimentation and the collective exploration of the varied influences the three musicians bring to the table. With Above The Clouds, they have deepened this approach, creating a set that splits between vocally driven cuts and instrumentals, that is as accessible as it is adventurous.
Above the Clouds is very much a trio record, showcasing both the instrumental skill and vocal ability of each member, but at the heart of it of course sits the piano playing of Ilario himself. From his dextrous and bright runs that are all over the Latin-inflected Morning Samba, to the gently lilting melody of Beyond the Horizon he demonstrates versatility and an ability to deliver genuine emotional impact through his playing. For sheer punch and virtuosity, the track Chai or Coffee has to be the album’s high point.
Drawing hope, connection and joy from a time of great challenge is something that many managed to do in the unprecedented time of the global lockdown. A challenging time for all, but with a particular complexion for performing artists who saw their work drying up. The formation of Ferrari’s Trio in this period is a testament to their spirit, and the defiant joy they achieved through playing together shines through their music.
This is live jazz, rooted in tradition but challenging preconceptions of what a piano trio can be. In the depths of winter, their warm and enchanting sound will be sure to lift spirits as part of this double celebration of their fourth anniversary and their triumphant album.
The Ilario Ferrari Trio plays Jazz Café POSK, 238-246 King Street London W6 0RF on 18 January 2025.
