Orsolina28 Art Foundation is pleased to welcome the Stablemates Quartet for a residency dedicated to the development and presentation of Monk in Five, featuring guest trumpeter Cesare Mecca.
The Stablemates Quartet returns with a new project and a special guest: the piano of Thelonious Monk as the central inspiration of the work. The project focuses on Monk’s compositional universe, reinterpreted and adapted for a quintet setting.
The aim of the ensemble is to create an immersive experience: Monk’s rhythmic and harmonic complexity is here shaped through dynamic arrangements, capable of capturing the listener’s attention while remaining accessible to a non-specialist audience.
Alongside Monk’s classics, the program includes original compositions by the band, blending tradition with contemporary languages. The result is a performance driven by a tight rhythm and a compact sound, where the elegance of the quintet meets a modern and direct approach.
Stablemates Quartet
The Stablemates Quartet brings together young musicians active in the Italian and European jazz scene, united by a strong artistic identity and diverse musical backgrounds.
Saxophonist Mattia Basilico began playing at an early age and has since performed in numerous festivals across Europe, while also engaging in recording projects and theatrical productions.
Drummer Luca Guarino transitioned from rock to jazz studies at the Conservatory of Turin, building a career that includes performances in major European venues and collaborations with internationally renowned artists.
Double bassist Matteo Rossi combines classical and jazz training, performing in festivals and theatrical productions while developing a versatile and research-driven musical voice.
Pianist Nicolò Di Pasqua, trained between Italy and the Netherlands, is active across several European scenes and is recognized for his dynamic and evolving musical language.
Together, they form a cohesive ensemble that blends energy, creativity, and a contemporary perspective on the jazz tradition.
Cesare Mecca
Cesare Mecca (b. 1996) began studying trumpet at a young age and completed his classical training at the Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Turin, graduating at just eighteen.
Alongside his classical studies, he developed a strong interest in jazz, leading him to international experiences such as the Umbria Jazz Clinics—where he earned a scholarship to Berklee College of Music—and a study period at The Juilliard School in New York.
He later pursued a master’s degree in jazz trumpet at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he engaged with a vibrant international music scene. Today he performs both in Italy and abroad, collaborating with numerous artists and leading projects such as Icefire 4tet.