Saturday 12 December 2026
Diana Torti: Fearless – UK album launch!
A special event marking the UK launch of Diana Torti’s new album Fearless, a work inspired bythe courage to express ourselves authentically, valuing our uniqueness and originality. The tracks’ themes, mostly rooted in nature, humanity, and the outside world, are imbued with hope and the certainty that anyone can “break the spell” and take flight: like a hawk transforming its limitations into driving force and vitality (The Hawk’s Hills); intimate landscapes reflecting our inner world and reclaiming the fullness of our connection with nature (Secret Places) and magical glimpses that have hosted revolutionary artistic creation despite cultural constraints (Montmartre Café).
The music draws inspiration from Mediterranean culture and beyond, blending jazz, classical, and contemporary influences; it features six original compositions by Sabino de Bari, a refreshing interpretation of Afro Blue, and showcases Diana Torti as both lyricist and interpreter. Besides the new tracks, some of the classic jazz standards that have inspired the artist's journey will be performed.
Line up:
Diana Torti - vocals
Sabino de Bari - classical guitar & electric guitar
Julie Walkington- double bass
Dave Ohm – drums
The band chemistry relies on a breathtaking blend of intuitive interplay, alternating dynamics energy with extreme delicacy and a rich palette of tone colours. Seamlessly bridging Italian and English jazz heritage, they make the live version of Fearless an enormously entertaining experience.
Diana Torti is an internationally acclaimed vocalist and improviser, who’s deeply personal and inspired vision brings artistry and authenticity to the forefront. Her music explores intimate, versatile, and intense sound worlds, where improvisation is embraced as an expressive possibility beyond stylistic boundaries. Following the critical success of her albums On a Cloud (named among the best vocal jazz releases of 2019 by TNYCJR and Jazz Views) and It’s All We Have (2023) - both recorded as a duo with composer and guitarist Sabino de Bari, Torti now with her quartet, presents Fearless as both lyricist and interpreter. An album that “fully reveal its intrepid impulses in its unwavering dedication to quietly beautiful music, played with care and devotion” (All About Jazz).
“An enthralling voice and phenomenal technique” - Jazz Views
“An imaginative improviser who responds easily to musical impulse in the moment” - The New York City Jazz Record
Sabino de Bari is an Italian composer, guitarist, and improviser based in London. He has released nine albums, spanning from solo projects to classical and jazz ensembles, and has collaborated as a guitarist with numerous artists. His artistic output draws from Western classical traditions, original jazz, and Mediterranean folklore, extending to orchestral writing that has received recognition in several composition competitions. His works have been performed and recorded by various artists across many countries. Sabino’s guitar palette explores the timbral nuances of classical/acoustic, 10-string, fretless, and electric guitars. He prioritises a natural timbre that enables him to express tonal nuances inspired by an orchestral approach, incorporating avant-garde as well as percussive techniques.
Julie Walkington (double bass) has been part of the London jazz scene for over 3 decades playing with musicians including Harry Beckett, Russ Henderson, Lol Coxhill, Veryan Weston, Alina Bzhezhinska and Geoff Eales. She recorded, performed and toured with Georgia Mancio, Tina May, Barb Jungr, Shireen Francis, Tammy Weis and regularly performs with London jazz choir ‘Take Twenty’ led by Ben Cox. She currently works with the piano led band FEW Trio, reworking pop songs from the 1960’s to current day. She has also been working on a joint project with trumpeter Jim Howard and sound engineer Greg Dowling featuring trumpet, gongs and electronics. In March 2025 they released their first album 'Beyond the Treeline’.
Dave Ohm (drums)is a leading player on the UK and international scene for 35 years, with credits including: Ian Shaw, Alan Broadbent, Liane Carroll, Benny Golson, Gregory Porter, Claire Martin, Karin Krog, Rebecca Parris and Anthony Strong. He has also fronted his own bands, and co-produced Georgia Mancio’s albums Trapeze (2008) and Silhouette (2010).
Video 1 (“The Hawk’s Hills” – Diana Torti): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0i9s6_Cbo4
Video 2 (“Montmartre Cafè” – Diana Torti): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF6H-w_uon8
