Misterioso Quartet & Solar Storm Quintet - Jazz in the Valley

Misterioso Quartet

Simone Magioncalda – guitar
Zeno De Marco – piano
Andrea Amato – double bass
Lorenzo Pescio – drums
Alex Tempone – trumpet

The Misterioso Quartet was born from the shared passion of four young Genoese musicians for the music of Thelonious Monk, and from the desire to reinterpret and rearrange his eccentric compositions with an equally complex lineup, featuring the piano in the rhythm section and the solo guitar taking the lead.

The group’s style is deeply rooted in the bebop and hard bop tradition, with continuous references to more contemporary and experimental sounds.

Zeno De Marco

Born in Palermo, he attends the “Sandro Pertini” Music and Dance High School in Genoa. He combines classical piano studies with jazz piano, first as a self-taught musician, then studying privately with Dado Moroni, Riccardo Zegna and other jazz artists. In 2024 he won a $30,000 annual scholarship at the “Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics”.

He has been active on the Ligurian and Italian jazz scenes for several years, collaborating with top musicians such as Giampaolo Casati, Aldo Zunino, Rodolfo Cervetto, Stefano Riggi, Claudio Capurro and Carlo Atti. His main group, the “Misterioso Quartet”, which arranges and plays Thelonious Monk’s music, won first prize at the Uno Jazz Contest in Sanremo.

Andrea Amato

An Italian jazz double bassist, active for years on the national scene, he trained at the “N. Paganini” Conservatory in Genoa. He has taken part in numerous top-level masterclasses, including Siena Jazz, Umbria Jazz and Nuoro Jazz, winning prestigious scholarships, including a full one at the Berklee College of Music.

He has worked with great jazz artists such as Gianluca Petrella, Andrea Pozza and Emanuele Cisi. He has performed in prestigious venues and festivals in Italy and abroad, including the Casa del Jazz in Rome and the Berlin Conservatory. His concert activity is intense and varied, both as a soloist and in jazz ensembles.

Lorenzo Pescio

Ligurian jazz drummer, graduated with top marks from the “Niccolò Paganini” Conservatory in Genoa. Active in the Ligurian music scene, he plays in bands such as “Take the Quartet” and the “Misterioso Quartet”, performing regularly in concerts and jam sessions at festivals, clubs and jazz events.

He has attended important masterclasses such as Nuoro Jazz and Aosta Classica, furthering his drumming studies with some of Italy’s most respected musicians. He combines his performing career with teaching drums and percussion in music schools throughout the region.

Simone Magioncalda

Born in 2006, he is a young jazz guitarist. He began studying guitar at the age of 8 with Andrea Cocciardo and continued his education at the music high school in Genoa, focusing on classical guitar. He has studied with Alessio Menconi and, since 2023, with Bebo Ferra.

He took part in Nuoro Jazz 2023, where he was awarded a scholarship as best student. He has collaborated with musicians such as Rodolfo Cervetto, Dino Cerruti, Giampaolo Casati, Attilio Zanchi, Ellade Bandini and Ares Tavolazzi.

In 2024 he came second in the Chicco Bettinardi Competition. He is active in projects such as the sextet “Linea Generale” and the “Misterioso Quartet”, with which he has performed at Gezmataz, Alba Jazz and Aosta Classica.

Solar Storm Quintet – guest Humberto Amesquita

Andrea De Martini – saxophone
Matteo Vallicella – double bass
Michele Zanasi – guitar
Francesco Mascolo – drums
Dario Ponara – vibraphone
guest Humberto Amesquita – trombone

This project was born from the meeting between saxophonist Andrea De Martini from Sanremo and a remarkable quartet of jazz musicians from Veneto: Dario Ponara, Francesco Mascolo, Mattia Vallicelli, and Michele Zanasi. Four emerging young talents, all with honors degrees from the Conservatory of Vicenza, with experience in masterclasses led by renowned musicians such as Tom Harrell, Jeremy Pelt, Stefano Bagnoli, Bebo Ferra, and Aaron Parks, and performances in festivals and events across Italy. They have recently released a new CD.

SOLAR STORM offers a unique musical experience thanks to the inclusion of the vibraphone – a rare and warm-sounding instrument in jazz concerts. The repertoire explores compositions that highlight its distinctive sound, ranging from original works to film soundtracks, Italian and Brazilian songs, creating a rich and immersive atmosphere.

Special guest of the concert will be Humberto Amesquita, one of the most important jazz trombonists in Italy. The program includes original compositions by Andrea De Martini and Dario Ponara, along with pieces by Thelonious Monk.

Humberto Amesquita

Born in Lima, Peru in 1985, he was part of the Orquesta Juvenil de Musica Nueva, with whom he toured Europe in 2003 and recorded a CD for Radio France under the direction of Didier Lockwood. He studied at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory in Milan and attended the “International Jazz Master Program” at Siena Jazz, studying with some of the most prominent Italian and American jazz teachers.

He has performed in major jazz festivals across Europe and the Americas, and has collaborated with artists such as Eric Reed, Jeremy Pelt, Joe Magnarelli, WDR Big Band, Francesco Cafiso, Gianni Cazzola, Emanuele Cisi, Flavio Boltro, Enrico Intra, the Torino Jazz Orchestra, Montecarlo Nights Orchestra, Tullio De Piscopo, Franco Cerri, Dino Piana, Antonio Faraò and Rosario Giuliani.

In the Latin music scene, he is trombonist and musical director of the renowned salsa orchestra Mercadonegro.

The third edition of "Jazz in Valle" continues its musical journey in search of new sounds, offering the passionate audience – who have followed us since 2023 – outstanding concerts by top-level Italian ensembles. Three nights, four groups, the Oratory façade as the backdrop… let the 2025 edition begin!