Giraffe Matteo Paggi, Lorenzo Simoni, Masako Sakai, Jonathan Ho-Chin Kiat, Andrea Carta

• 1 Ham and Sun 07:28
• 2 Ricordo 07:09
• 3 Things That Build Concepts 09:11
• 4 Cantiere 05:28
• Total Runtime 29:16

Info for Giraffe

Matteo Paggi, trombone player alongside the international jazz icon Enrico Rava in the group "Fearless Five", and winner of the Top Jazz 2024 (IT) releases his project GIRAFFE.

The GIRAFFE, in the world of symbolism, symbolizes “foresight.” Having the head away from the heart, it is able to make decisions with detachment and coolness. In the band’s music, therefore, the mind is free to fly, to express itself with all the airiness that is its own; but at the same time, the fire of passion burns strong in the chest and finds no obstacle, it burns unceasingly. It is precisely with this concept that Matteo Paggi wrote the (original) compositions for the band.

GIRAFFE’s style manages to bind rationality and passion, creating an original aesthetic that draws a strong influence from pop, rock and melodic music, all within a jazz framework.

Winners of I-Jazz’s "Next Jazz Generation 2025."

Matteo Paggi, trombone
Jesse Schilderink, alto saxophone
Miran Noh, piano, keyboards
Jonathan Ho Chin Kiat, double bass
Andrea Carta, drums

Matteo Paggi
Polyhedral artist, versatile musician, he has been exploring different types of music, instruments and musical approaches since the beginning of his musical path.

Colors, voice, timbre, dynamics, the minutest details of sound and articulation: all of it is the subject of his continuous study and research of his artistic expression. Matteo's sensibilities reach into modern and contemporary jazz, traditional 1920s jazz, free and experimental improvisation, and electronic music.

He is classically trained, he graduated with top marks as an orchestral trombonist (in Italy) and then went on to complete a Master Degree in Trombone Jazz (in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam).​

He was named one of the 10 best students at the conservatory during his bachelor's degree in classical music (2016), won the Inner Wheel International Prize (2011), and perfected his skills in composition, chamber music and conducting at Stanford University and Marquette University in the USA in 2017.

In the same year he won the audition as principal trombonist in ONCI, the Italian National Orchestra of the Conservatories and, with his quartet “Bb Jazz Quartet”, he became official artist of the “Skyline Radio&Soul” radio.

At the "Massimo Urbani International Prize 2022" he won the 3rd Jury Prize, Critics' Prize and Audience Prize.​​​ ​

He moved to Amsterdam in 2019 where he started important collaborations with musicians from all over the world who had a decisive influence, and completed his studies in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. As his final research, he presented his new and innovative method of improvisation and instant composing. A method based on words that touches the three spheres of being a human: mental sphere, body sphere and spiritual sphere. From there, one of his leading projects was born: 'W O R D S'. The first album of the 'words' project is been released for the Berlin-based AUT Records label, in collaboration with the Marche-based NUGO - Collective.

Also in Amsterdam, Matteo started the project GIRAFFE. An original music quintet with pop, rock and jazz influences. The album will be released on the 7th May 2025 for the Jam/Unjam label.​​​ ​

Since 2024 he is been working with the theater company Oorkaan (Amsterdam) in the ‘In de Wijk’ project, performing the show ‘De dag dat papa viel’ directed by: Wieger Meulenbroek.

Together with Israeli saxophonist Aviv Noam, they perform a theatrical show of about 40 minutes in which they use their bodies and the surrounding space just like actors or mimes, but their instrument instead of their voice (playing original compositions, arrangements and free improvisations).​ ​

He is very active all around Europe with the early jazz group "The Fried Seven" (winner of the Kerel van Eerd Music Award 2021): they released the album "Late to the Party" with the American label "Rivermont".

‘FLECA', the first album of his trio “The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance” was released with Aut Records, expressing the rock soul of this very particular project. ​​

Among the artists he shared the stage with are: Enrico Rava, Joe Lovano, Tony Coleman, Yamandu Costa, Adam Rapa, Dianne Reeves, Peter Washington, Ethan Iverson, Dan Weiss, the Imperial Triumphant, Lewis Nash, Fabrizio Bosso, Giovanni Sollima, Don Farinacci, Veronica Swift. ​

Some of the most important stages he has graced include: Umbria Jazz, Jazzaldia, Chamber of the Italian Senate, Dresdner Philarmonie, GrachtenFestival, Auditorium Ennio Morricone, Controtempo Jazz&Wine, Jazz in Duketown, Bergamo Jazz, Bimhuis, De Doelen, Unerhoert Festival, Poppodium 013, North Sea Jazz, Paaspop Festival, Ziggo Dome, Blue Note Milano, Flux, Casa del Jazz, Pisa Jazz.

Matteo is currently active in the quintet of international jazz icon Enrico Rava (with the “Fearless Five”). He is active as an electronic music improviser (and trombonist) with the international project Morgenbarn (together with Tilo Weber [DE] and Maria Faust [EE]) and DIASILLA (together with fellow townsman sound designer Matteo Stella).

He is the inventor of the W O R D S (best jazz in Bandcamp Feb 2024) method of improvisation and instant composing from which his lead project is named, and he is leading GIRAFFE (winner of the I-Jazz 2025 prize) with whom he plays his original music.

In 2025 he won the Top Jazz 2024 in the "New Generation" category, and the "Fearless Five" of Enrico Rava won both the "Best Album" and "Best Band" of the year.

This album contains no booklet.