ILARIA CAPALBO
Stockholm-based Italian bassist and composer Ilaria Capalbo’s playing has been described as “bold, visionary, architectonic,” (Lira, SE) and her writing ”lush” (NoTreble, USA). Double bass, electric bass and electronics all add up to her sound palette.
Capalbo has been making an impression on the international jazz scene and captivating audiences across Europe. Aside from her quintet, which features some of the most fearless improvisers on the Swedish scene, she steadily collaborates with musicians coming from the world of classical music, pop and jazz. In every combination, her sound and expressive musicality is immediately recognizable.
She is an emotionally attuned composer with a special gift for storytelling. Her inspiration often comes from a reflection on human nature. Her music takes the listener along a journey and often connects to the audience on a deeply emotional level. Ilaria’s composition resume extends to dance and film and to many different constellations, from duo to large ensemble.
Following the international acclaim of her debut album Karthago, released in 2022 to rave reviews, Ilaria’s new work, entitled The Brightest Sun (June 12, 2026), is inspired by the transformative experience of new motherhood and has a more experimental sound that is influenced by rock + indie music as well as free jazz. A storyteller at heart, Ilaria’s new music moves through moments of chaos and of stillness, a delicately orchestrated cast of musicians giving it life and depth. Thomas Backman’s fiery energy meets Fredrik Nordström’s expressive, piercing playing on reeds to the forefront. Andreas Hourdakis’ iridescent guitar is an important part of the balance, while Henrik Jäderberg lays a powerful rhythmic foundation and Capalbo summons her powerful basslines, confirming the bass as the northern star of the quintet.
Ilaria’s band has been selected as part of the European Showcases at jazzahead! 2025 and performed at a full-seated Kulturzenrum Schlachthof on April 24, 2025 (live video below).
”It is always a joy to encounter for the first time a musician who sounds so fresh and original and whose music is such a delight. […] It bolsters one’s faith in the future of jazz.” — Chris May, All About Jazz (UK)
Location: Stockholm/Malmö, Sweden
LINEUP 2026:
Ilaria Capalbo: bass+compositions
Thomas Backman: alto sax, clarinets
Fredrik Nordström: tenor&baritone sax
Andreas Hourdakis: guitar
Henrik Jäderberg: drums
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live videos
The Brightest sun, 12/06/2026, Bluenord records (se)
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press
”There’s real substance behind every choice — the free improvisation, the indie and experimental rock textures, the constant tension between structure and freedom — and it holds your attention from the first bar to the last. Every track offers something new to listen for, and I found myself hearing fresh detail on repeated plays. This is a very strong follow-up to Karthago, and in some ways an even more compelling record. Highly recommended.”
— ANDREW READ, JAZZ IN EUROPE
”Lots of raw melodicism on this highly expressive session from Ilaria Capalbo, with the double bassist’s interactions with the bass clarinet of Thomas Backman as one of the major highlights.”
— DAVE SUMNER, BEST JAZZ ON BANDCAMP, JUNE 2026
“This is a record that asks something of the listener and repays it fully; each return uncovers detail the last pass missed, which is the surest measure of work built to last. At a compact thirty-seven minutes, it makes its case without a wasted gesture, and it confirms Capalbo as one of the most distinctive bandleaders at work anywhere on the European scene.”
— STEVE WILLIAMS, UKVIBE
“Ni som hört Fredrik Nordströms trumlösa Dolores-kvartett har redan lagt märke till basisten Ilaria Capalbos starka, visionärt arkitektoniska spel.”
— Magnus Östnäs, Lira (SE)
“En kompositör av samma slag som Duke Ellington och Charles Mingus, inte bara en skapare av enkla teman för att rama in solisterna”
— Gunnar Wiklund, Folkbladet (SE)
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