Saturday 18th January 2025
"Above the Clouds and Beyond”: Celebrating 4 Years of the Ilario Ferrari Trio!
Following their sold-out album launch in London, we’re thrilled to welcome the Ilario Ferrari Trio for their debut at Jazz Café POSK! This special evening celebrates both the release of their critically acclaimed second album, Above the Clouds, and their fourth anniversary as a band. As Tinnitist magazine noted, this is an "uplifting, thoughtful, and gorgeous new album”.
Pianist and vocalist Ilario Ferrari has developed a distinctive style that blends contemporary jazz with soulful vocals, and rich vocal harmonies, drawing on the sounds and spirit of his Southern Italian roots. His vision is brought to life by two exceptional collaborators, drummer Katie Patterson and double bassist Charlie Pyne—both rising stars in the UK jazz scene.
Since their debut in 2021, the trio has captivated audiences across the UK and Europe, the synergy between Ilario Charlie and Katie is a hallmark of every performance. For this event, they’ll be joined by special guest trumpeter Henry Spencer, described as "spectacular" by The Guardian, on select numbers, adding an extra layer of excitement to the evening.
Prepare for a memorable night of award-winning original music, and a few special surprises crafted exclusively for the Jazz Café POSK audience, where the trio’s chemistry shines as “one mind in three heads” (Jazz Journal)!
Line up
Ilario Ferrari - piano, vocals
Charlie Pyne - double bass, vocals
Katie Patterson - drums, vocals
Henry Spencer – special guest on trumpet
Ilario, Charlie, and Katie crossed paths through mutual friends towards the end of 2020. Amidst a world in lockdown, their friendship and musical synergy grew rapidly, culminating in a remarkable debut performance in 2021 at Lauderdale House in London. This event, live streamed across Europe, served as the catalyst for the Ilario Ferrari Trio's rise to public attention.
Their debut album, "Childhood Memories," was recognised as one of the standout jazz albums of 2021 by the Jazzists magazine. Praised for its very transparent quality, it has been defined as an instrumental masterpiece blending elements of experimental jazz, modern classical music and a touch of yogic inspiration, with clear influences from Ilario’s southern Italian heritage.
In the UK jazz scene, their presence grew, with notable appearances on radio shows such as Jazz FM, Jazz London Radio, and Jazz London Live. Their achievements included headlining the Watford Jazz Festival in 2022 and collaborating with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra on a world premiere composition by Ilario himself. Celebrating their second anniversary, they played to a sold-out crowd at the iconic Pizza Express Jazz Club in London. Subsequently, they graced the stage of several high-profile venues such as Kings Place in London and the Ecosuoni Festival in Italy.
Over the last year, the trio has been on a journey to craft a completely new sound. Both in their rehearsal room and outside of it, they discovered a shared love for singing (and cooking). Charlie and Ilario being lead singers and songwriters, this led them to organically evolve their sound into a unique fusion of contemporary jazz, original songwriting and vocal harmonies. A sound quite unheard in the panorama of jazz piano trios.
The trio showcased their upcoming album at the Crazy Coqs for the EFG London Jazz Festival in November 2023. Following this, they headed into the studio to record their new album. “Above The Clouds” showcased also in Germany at the Jazzahead Festival in April 2024, was released through Elsden Music label in the autumn, with great acclaim and praise from media worldwide (BBC radio 3, BBC London radio, Jazz FM, Jazz London Radio, All About Jazz and more...) and a sold out show in London at the World heartbeat. The trio will celebrate their fourth anniversary in January 2025 with a special concert at Jazz Café POSK. Their innovative approach promises to be a breath of fresh air in the jazz world and beyond.
"Uplifting, thoughtful, and a gorgeous new album” - Tinniest Magazine on Above the Clouds
“…They appear to be having a great time, and that happiness flows into their music…”
“Ferrari piano and vocals are on top form…” “Excellent drums and bass solos…” - All About Jazz (US) – Review by Neil Duggan on Above the Clouds
“...the empathy between the members of the trio seems like (cliche alert) as if there is one mind in three heads” - Barry Witherden on Jazz Journal
“Pianist Ilario Ferrari put together an unforgettable show with bassist Charlie Pyne and drummer Katie Patterson... a lineup that explored just about every dimension of musical performance...” - Dave Keech for Jazz Up Hitchin 2023
Video 1 (“Walking on the Yellow Line”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcwPCUPLLuc
