Instrumental Jazz from Vesuvio

Vesuvio is a musical project formed by musicians from across the globe and brought together through a mixture of circumstance, technology and creative vision. From a simple ensemble class at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the jazz-fusion quintet has developed into a flourishing endeavour based in collaboration, openness and emotional expression, now operating as a globally minded collective creating instrumental music that moves beyond the traditional frameworkds of jazz.

Vesuvio is made up of five musicians whose backgrounds reach across continents and cultures; guitarist Angelo Della Valle hails from Pompeii in Italy, saxophonist Coy Simmons comes from Decatur, Illinois, drummer Willem Jochems grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, pianist Hana Uwai is from Osaka, Japan and bassist Stefan Dresler originates from Graz, Austria. Together, they form a group defined as much by their diversity as by their shared creative purpose, offering an incredible collision of musical minds.

The band’s formation reflects the unusual circumstances of recent years, half of the members first encountered one another during the pandemic, meeting through Zoom while studying together while the remaining connections were made shortly afterward in person. What could have remained a temporary academic collaboration quickly bloomed into something far more personal and Vesuvio became a space where each musician could explore their identity freely, whether through musical ideas, personality or the humour that naturally arises when artists connect.

Since 2023, the group has centred its efforts on building a catalogue of sincere, collaborative compositions and the next year, they released their self-titled debut album, Vesuvio, a collection of original works that blend jazz vibes with cinematic atmosphere and melodic storytelling. Each member contributed original compositions to the record, resulting in a body of music that shifts naturally between moods, textures and stylistic influences, reflecting the different cultural and artistic backgrounds within the band. Lifted from the record is the track titled “Clementine,” an epic ten minute outing composed by bassist Stefan Dresler and recorded live in an intimate setting.

Stefan explained the intention behind the piece simply, “I wanted to create something the listener can hold on to and keep singing even after the song ends.” That philosophy shapes the entire track, with melodies designed to be accessible and direct, simple enough to linger in the listener’s memory while still carrying emotional impact. Set up by the elegant flicker of delicate piano tones, graceful runs of sweeping notes form a dreamy scene as the arrangement of soft sax lines, intricate guitar plucks and shimmering percussive brushes take the listener on an engrossing jazz voyage.

Warm bass notes, swaying rhythmic flow and dazzling melodic writing all combine to create a constantly developing musical experience that’s instilled with stunning musicianship and packed full of twists and turns. It’s an incredible display of both Stefan Dresler’s creativity and the band’s technical talent as well as their forward-thinking sound, resulting in an exceptional moment on their record that’s sure to charm listeners around the world for years to come.

Listen to Clementine below

More from Music

---

Editor Picks

---