Nicola Caminiti to Release Debut Recording 'Vivid Tales of a Blurry Self-Portrait'

Italian-born, New York-based saxophonist Nicola Caminiti is proud to present Vivid Tales of a Blurry Self-Portrait, his debut album, featuring dynamic original compositions performed by a stellar quartet with pianist Lex Korten, bassist Ben Tiberio and drummer Miguel Russell. Playing alto and soprano saxes, Caminiti reveals a musical temperament at once fiery and sensitive, technically adept and emotionally engaged. His complex rhythmic and contrapuntal ideas and searing melodies both challenge and inspire.

“This album is a non-chronological narration of my journey in this world,” Caminiti declares. “Each track represents an encounter, a feeling, a tangible life experience. These songs are ‘vivid tales' that shaped, changed, dismantled and reconstructed my persona to be who I am today. I'm extremely grateful that Lex, Ben and Miguel are a part of it. They've been my pillars and guiding lights, alwaysinspiring me to become a better artist and person.”

The Latin Grammy-nominated Caminiti is a recipient of the prestigious 2024 Jazz Gallery Commission Residency, winner of the 2023 Herb Alpert ASCAP Jazz Composer Competition, the North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz Competition and the DownBeat College Award. He has performed internationally in top festivals and clubs, sharing the stage and/or recording with Pedrito Martinez, Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Dayna Stephens and many others.

On Vivid Tales, there is reflection on the uncertainties of living abroad with “Cloudy in(to) the Sky,” inspired by the clouds Caminiti has observed while traveling between the U.S. and Europe. Other songs evoke contrasting emotions, such as “Crowded Solitude,” or “City Lights (and deep darkness),” a song about how light dazzles and conceals, and how darkness stirs feelings of peace and meditation but also mystery and foreboding. Some pieces are inspired by gifted peers such as Adam O'Farrill (the subject of “Adam Arturo”) and the late pianist Marco Birro, honored and remembered with “Worlds of Equality (mb).” Others recall major turning points, such as “Farewell Too Soon” and “Eternal Return,” the two concluding pieces, which are part of a three-movement suite about having to say goodbye.

“Elliptical Biking” was written during the pandemic while Caminiti was stuck in Italy and unable to return to the States. “I was doing a lot of elliptical while locked down, but the real meaning of the title is that life events tend to be cyclical but not circular—I imagine them more like an ellipse or the orbit of a planet, closer and further from the center.”

Nicola Caminiti is a Borgani Saxophones and D'Addario Woodwinds artist. He partners with TT Mouthpieces and NS Ligatures.

Photo by Gulnara Khamatova