Nicola Conte Umoja feat. Zara McFarlane

(IT/UK)

The well-known Italian DJ, producer and musician comes to present the new album Let Your Light Shine On, the first recorded on the label of the legendary German jazz label MPS. The project was born out of a collaboration with the Italian trombonist Gianluca Petrella, with whom he created a sound that mixes influences from the dance floor like disco, acid jazz or house, with more or less exotic references like afro-jazz or retro soul. “We wanted jazz to meet world music. It wasn't about exploring trends, but expressing ourselves artistically in a free and genuine way. Almost everything on the album was recorded live and with a minimum of overdubs”, said Nicola Conte about this work, which was supported by the Scandinavian-American-Italian collective Spiritual Galaxy, which usually accompanies him live and is composed of people like aforementioned trombonist Gianluca Petrella, Swedish saxophonist Magnus Lindgren, Finnish drummer Teppo Mäkynen, pianist Petro Lusso, bassist Luca Alemanno, both Italians, London singer Bridgette Amofah or two rising stars of the younger generation of American jazz musicians , saxophonist Logan Richardson and trumpeter Theo Croker. The album, recorded between Bari and Johannesburg, also featured British singer Zara McFarlane, who will also be on the MED stage.