Massimo Biolcati

21st century jazz is a global movement, and New York bassist Massimo Biolcati embodies the music’s creative reach. A first-call accompanist, producer, composer and bandleader, he is known as a founding member of Gilfema, the acclaimed collective trio with Hungarian drummer Ferenc Nemeth and West African guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke that recorded two albums for Obliqsound. The group also recorded three albums for Blue Note as the Lionel Loueke Trio, including Karibu featuring Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock.

Since moving to New York City in 2003, he has been thriving as a sideman working widely with Paquito D’Rivera, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Lizz Wright andLuciana Souza. As a leader he released Persona (2008, Obliqsound), an ambitious and critically hailed debut album of original compositions played by Loueke, pianist Peter Rende, and drummer Jeff Ballard, with vocal contributions by Lizz Wright and Gretchen Parlato. 

While touring the world and performing widely in New York, Biolcati also runs his own record label Sounderscore, a venture that is allowing him to release his own solo projects (Incontre – 2020, Momenta – 2022, On a Misty Night – 2023) in addition to producing albums by longtime friends and collaborators Lionel Louekeand Ferenc Nemeth.

Biolcati also runs iReal Pro, the music app he created in 2009 that has become an essential tool for musicians and music students. Since its inception, Biolcati has spent several years honing the code and developing the app’s features and capabilities.

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