Matteo Brancaleoni was born in 1981. Young artist with versatile and original personality: actor, singer, journalist, musician.
In 2006, he released his critic acclaimed debut album “Just Smile” with pianist Renato Sellani, featuring first rate Italian musicians guests like Gianni Basso, Franco Cerri, Fabrizio Bosso, Stefano Bagnoli, Massimo Moriconi.
By the time he was 16, he began singing and performing in jazz clubs around Northern Italy. Finalist for the IMUA "International Massimo Urbani Jazz Music Award" in 2006. His recordings were also featured in the Radio Festival of Italian Jazz Singers as one of the most talented young italian jazz vocalist.
His performances have also been heard on on Radio Palermo in Buenos Aires, RTSI (Swiss Radio) Broadway Las Vegas conducted by Giuliano Fournier, an Punto Radio FM from Pisa, Radio Jazz Portugal.
He studied at State Conservatory Of Cuneo Course of Jazz - Afro American Music, singin technique with Danila Satragno, and Berklee Summer School at Umbria Jazz Clinics with Donna McElroy.
He is currently attending his last year at Performing Arts University of Turin with theatre specialization. In 2002, he wass selected as singer and actor by PromoArt of Montecarlo and takes part in the cast of "Musical Dreams".
He has performed in Italy, USA, France, Australia, Switzerland: Bollate Jazz Fest, Saluzzo Jazz D.O.C., Umbria Jazz, National Museum of Motion Picture, International Book Fair Turin, Not Just Jazz Milano, Italian Jazz Songs Festival Sanremo, Massimo Urbani International Jazz Award, Musicamdo Jazz &Blues, Savona Jazz, New Orleans Cafè, Grand Visconti Hotel Milan, Hyatt Hotel Chicago. In 2002 he is invited by the President of ISA (Instrumen Society of America), to perform in the prestigious ballroom of the McCormick Center of Chicago.
He had, so far, the honour to perform with some great jazz artists: Franco Cerri (g), Renato Sellani (p),Fabrizio Bosso (tr), Stefano Bagnoli (dr), Gianni Basso (sax), Massimo Moriconi (b),Lino Patruno (g), Riccardo Zegna (p), Massimo Manzi (d), Claudio Filippini (p), Fulvio Albano (sax), Lino Patruno (g), Skip Hadden (dr), Aldo Zunino (b) Luca Velotti (s), Dino Cerruti (b), Jimmy Villotti (g), Pinuccio Calì (b), John Ramsey (dr), John Melnick (p).
As a journalist, he interviewed artists like Tony Bennett, Freddy Cole, Jane Monehit and Jamie Cullum. He also duetted with the Canadian pop star Michael Bublè for his Italian fan club website.
In 2002, he attends the Dramatic Art Academy "Sergio Tofano" of Turin, where he studies acting and diction and follows a course of television dubbing.
In 1996, he began to study at a drama school, under Director Leonardo Gazzola, at Milan Theater Laboratory. He remains, with this Group, for 5 years and he directs and acts in a number of theatre works like "The little Prince" of A. de Saint-Exupery, "Othello" of W. Shakspeare, "St. John's smile" of R. Cappuccio. In 2000 he plays, at Verga Theater in Milan, "Murder without reason" of E. Ionesco.
Official Discography:
Just Smile (Philology W 356.2) - Matteo Brancaleoni with Renato Sellani (2006) Un sanremese a Londra (Mellophonium Multimedia) – Le jazzy songs di Demo Bruzzone (2006) – Guest with Red Cat Dance Band on “Spring Time”
JazzReview.com
