Press & Reviews

For their album Red Records, the brilliant Tommaso Perazzo and Marcello Cardillo (whom you’ll be able to discover in the next issue) brought in a true bass legend.

Thank you so much for being with us, Buster. We’re in Levanto, and I’d like to start by asking you about your collaboration with Tommaso Perazzo and Marcello Cardillo. I reviewed the record Red Records and I loved it: to me it’s one of the best of the year. What’s your opinion of the work you’re doing together?
I met Tommaso and Marcello at the Manhattan School of Music, where I teach. A few years ago they were my students for a semester, and both of them impressed me right away. They are wonderful musicians. I had a concert in Portugal—and I was happy to have them with me. It went really well. Since then, Tommaso has worked with me now and then, including during some private lessons with other students. Then Marcello wanted to record an album, I said yes. And here we are.

Have you had other interesting students?
I’ve had many interesting students, but Marcello and Tommaso really stand out. I really enjoy playing with them. After the record we started talking about the possibility of doing a tour in Italy this summer.

Do you like touring in Italy?
I love it! I accepted right away. We all wanted to come back, eat good food, play good music in these beautiful cities and regions. So we decided to do it. In fact, this is our first concert. I arrived just two days ago, in Milan.

How long have you been teaching?
I started teaching at the Manhattan School of Music in 2018. That same year I also accepted a position at The New School. Since then I’ve been teaching at both schools. Actually, I had already taught at The New School about 15 years ago, then I decided to return. It’s a stimulating and rewarding experience to work with students and discover new talents. It keeps hope alive. It keeps the spirit young and vibrant.

I also wanted to ask you about your conversion to Buddhism.
I converted to Buddhism in 1972, more than fifty years ago now.

Did it influence the way you play or the records you made afterward?
Chanting “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” influences every aspect of life. So, absolutely yes. It profoundly influenced the way I play as well.

Did that happen more or less around the same time as Herbie Hancock’s conversion?
Yes, Herbie began around the same time. Then Wayne Shorter too, Larry Coryell, Richard Davis, and many others. We all discovered the chant “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” and one of life’s great gifts. It radically transforms your existence and gives you the tools to be of real value to humanity. The goal is personal transformation and the happiness of others. You can’t feel safe in your house if the houses around you are on fire. So we do it for ourselves and for others.

You’ve played with extraordinary drummers in your career: Tony Williams, Billy Hart, Ben Riley, to name just a few. I wonder whether playing with drummers that energetic is more of a challenge or a reward for you.
There’s no reward without challenge. I’ve been fortunate to play with great drummers of yesterday and today. Marcello, for me, is one of the great ones of the future. The challenge and the reward continue.

I imagine you’ve been asked this a thousand times… but what’s it like playing with Miles Davis? You’re present only on the anthology Directions, if I’m not mistaken. How many rehearsals or concerts did you do with him?
It was a wonderful experience. Miles asked me to join the band permanently. But at that time I was already committed to Nancy Wilson, and I decided to honor that commitment. But playing with Miles marked my life forever.

Was it 1967?
Around then. Maybe even 1967.

Did he ask you to play electric bass too?
No, with Miles I played only double bass. His electric period came a couple of years later, so it has nothing to do with my story.

Let’s talk about Sphere. How did the band come about?
Sphere was born from a New Year’s concert that I did with Kenny Barron and Ben Riley. The three of us had played for five years as the rhythm section in Ron Carter’s quartet. When the band broke up, we continued as a trio. For that concert the club owner asked us to add a tenor saxophonist. We chose Charlie Rouse. We had so much fun that night that we started talking about the idea of becoming a quartet. Monk had just retired and was ill. So we thought about recording an album of his music. We did research to make sure the tunes were actually credited to Monk, discovering how much his name was associated with them. The idea was to give Monk a record as a sign of gratitude. But while we were in the studio—at Rudy Van Gelder’s, in Fort Lee, New Jersey—Monk died. We heard it on the radio on our way back to New York. So we called the album Four in One, like one of his tunes. Critics immediately labeled us a “tribute band,” but that was not our intention at all. To push back against that image, in the next five or six albums we included only one or two Monk tunes.

Was the name “Sphere” chosen because it was Monk’s middle name?
No, not for that reason. We chose it because it represented the “all-around” concept we had for the group. We played tunes by Rouse, Barron, Riley, and me. Only afterward did we realize it was also Monk’s middle name. Sure, the connection with Monk helped: we were always called for his celebrations. But Sphere was a real band, with its own identity. One of the swingin’-est bands I’ve ever played in. We’d probably still be active if Charlie Rouse hadn’t passed away. Then Ben Riley went too. Time passes and brings changes. But I’m grateful for that experience.

When you were young, was there a musician you dreamed of playing with?
Everyone I’ve played with, really. I haven’t lacked anything.

Not even Charlie Parker, for example?
Well, Parker died in 1955 and I was born in 1942. I didn’t have time! And I never played with Coltrane either, even though I would have liked to a lot. But my great friend Jimmy Garrison—one of my favorite bassists—was very close to me. He was from Philly, I’m from Camden, we knew each other well.

Last question: do you think it’s harder for an Italian (or European) musician to make it in New York?
It’s hard to answer. Most of the great musicians in New York weren’t born there. They came from other places. So I don’t see why Italy or Europe should be an exception. If you’re good, you’re good—period.

Tommaso and Marcello have mixed feelings about this point…
But they’re doing it! They’re making it. That’s the answer. The only real difficulty is getting the visa, especially these days. But talent is everywhere. If you have talent and determination, you can make it anywhere.

Do you still need to live in New York to succeed nowadays?
New York is still a Mecca. Maybe it isn’t what it once was, but it remains a point of reference. That said, there are great musicians on the West Coast who never came to New York and still made it. Great musicians are everywhere in the world: some never leave their city, but they’re still extraordinary.

Thank you so much, Buster.
I think I’ve said everything!

Born in 1996, Tommaso Perazzo stands out on the Italian jazz scene as one of the most interesting and brilliant young pianists. The pianist from Angera has a background in important jazz studies in the Netherlands and the United States. In New York, he studied with Buster Williams, one of the most important double bass players on the international jazz scene. His studies and knowledge gave him the opportunity to bring the American double bass player to the recording studio, and together with Marcello Cardillo, they created Portrait of a Moment.

The album is beautiful, intense, and musically well-defined, as is characteristic of Red Records. Perazzo has a relaxed style, one of someone who is confident in his abilities, thoughtful, technically flawless, and flexible. Capable of improvising and harmonizing with originality, Marcello Cardillo is a drummer of substance, with a modern and intense sound. Like Perazzo, he has a background in Dutch and New York studies and high-level collaborations.

Buster Williams is the trade union of this group. He knows both musicians, and this is evident in their interaction on the album. The jazz they play, a modern and up-to-date mainstream, is rightfully part of the African-American canon. Melody and singability are integral to it. Portrait of a Moment contains eight songs, six originals and two standards.

A composition by Perazzo, "Back at the Right Spot!" opens the album. The intro is entrusted to Buster Williams. The drums take over later, followed by the piano, which develops the theme. It is a piece of measured dynamism, lively and swinging. "Alba sul Mare," also by Perazzo, possesses Latin moods, colors, and an underlying cheerfulness.

Cardillo debuts with his "Kind of Blues." As the title suggests, it's a lively blues with the double bass digging into the rhythm and the piano improvising over the drums' rhythmic underpinnings. Williams opens his "Christina" with another solo. It's a ballad of remarkable intensity and sweetness. Piano and drums prove they can match the master even in the slower tempos. "Where Giants Dwell" is another Buster Williams composition. It returns to a dynamism that feels traditional, played with extreme modernity.

"Footprints" and "Soul Leo" are the album's two standards. The interpretation is personal, lively, and full of inspiration. The three prove they are in tune and able to integrate their styles, providing a contemporary vision of two masterpieces. Perazzo closes with his "Ricordi Portrait Of A Moment." It's a thoughtful, melodic piece, in which dynamic peaks alternate with less virulent ones.

Among the many proposals coming out for Red Records there are not only the masters who made the label great in the times that were, but also new proposals personally selected by the patron Marco Pennisi.

This is the case of Portrait of a Moment, the photograph of a lucky moment, destined to mark a point of no return in the careers of two young emerging musicians: the pianist Tommaso Perazzo (born in 1996) and the drummer Marcello Cardillo (born in 1997). It is not the absolute debut of this band, but of their consecration at an international level, as witnessed by the presence of Buster Williams as an equal member of a trio that will make people talk about them.

Not always the presence of great guests brings the results hoped for from the artistic point of view, while in this case we are faced with a real musical success. While moving into the established territory of mainstream jazz, the three assemble a repertoire based on original pieces and a couple of standards (Footprints and Soul Leo) and interpret it with great freshness of ideas and unity of intent.

Perazzo in particular showcases all his vocabulary giving an inspired and vibrant performance, impeccably supported by Cardillo, also in a state of grace. All this is enhanced by the presence of Williams, an icon of Red Records and master of both during their studies in the Big Apple. Despite the hundreds (if not thousands) of recording sessions in which he participated, Williams adheres to the project with enthusiasm, giving a remarkable performance, far from routine.

After all, one of the fundamental lessons that Buster gives to his students is to “play with the heart, because the music does not come from the head but comes from the heart” and in Portrait of a Moment we perceive it very well throughout the record.

In the world of jazz, it is often seen that emerging musicians seek legitimacy through collaborations with internationally renowned artists, producing projects that sometimes lack genuine creative drive. However, there are exceptions to this rule — and Portrait Of A Moment is one of them.

The album features the legendary bassist Buster Williams alongside two outstanding young Italian musicians: Tommaso Perazzo on piano and Marcello Cardillo on drums. This collaboration is not just an attempt to merge distant musical experiences but represents a kind of musical symbiosis. Williams, a major figure in contemporary jazz, chose to join Perazzo and Cardillo, offering not only his experience but also a genuine sharing of artistic leadership.

The trio was formed from a long-standing friendship and deep mutual respect that began in 2015 at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. The idea to record Portrait Of A Moment came from Cardillo, who had the opportunity to use a recording studio in Brooklyn, involving Perazzo and Williams in a project that conveys the raw energy of a jam session. The day before the session, the musicians met to select the repertoire, creating a truly collaborative and spontaneous atmosphere among equals.

The album stands out not only for the quality of its compositions, which showcase the trio’s strong performance, but also for the emotional depth it manages to release. Perazzo contributes pieces such as "Back At The Right Spot"—inspired by his enthusiasm after one of Williams’s concerts—and the dreamy "Alba sul Mare".

Williams adds two gems from his personal collection: "Where Giants Dwell" and "Christina", the latter interpreted by Perazzo with a delicacy that borders on the immaterial. Cardillo, for his part, contributes the innovative "Kind of Blues", a reimagining of the traditional blues structure, while "Soul Leo" by Mulgrew Miller highlights the group’s rhythmic power and musical affinity. The album closes with "Footprints", a tribute to Wayne Shorter that shines in all its compositional strength.

The record is characterized by the freshness and immediacy typical of first takes. As Perazzo recalls, “Buster is a first-take musician — he favors the spontaneity of the first performance. Sometimes we recorded a tune multiple times, but in the end, we almost always chose the first take.”

Williams is clearly convinced that “music is not what comes from the head, but what comes from the heart.” This principle permeates every note of Portrait Of A Moment, making it not only a testament to the musicians’ technical skill but also a true dispenser of spontaneous emotion, free from mental or artificial constructs.

Ultimately, Portrait Of A Moment is the result of a youthful creative fire that deserves attention — not only for the prestige of Buster Williams but also for the vibrant interaction between different generations of musicians. It stands as an illuminating example of how jazz can be a universal language, capable of uniting artists from diverse backgrounds and generating a fruitful, articulate musical dialogue.

Born in 1996, Tommaso Perazzo is a very young pianist from Lombardy who already boasts numerous recordings and high-level collaborations. His playing shows a remarkable ability to move across different musical contexts — technically impeccable, never banal, with innovative intuition and interesting harmonic choices.

Joined by Neapolitan drummer Marcello Cardillo — a multi-award-winning musician — together they sign for Red Records the excellent Portrait of a Moment, bringing on board the legendary bassist Buster Williams, with whom Tommaso studied. Williams is one of the pillars of pianist Kenny Barron’s trio, which the Milanese label has documented on many albums, as well as in the historic formation with Charlie Rouse dedicated to the musical poetics of Thelonious Monk, Sphere.

Portrait of a Moment consists of eight tracks — evenly split between originals by all the musicians and three fine standards: Wayne Shorter’s Footprints and Mulgrew Miller’s wonderful Soul Leo. The standards serve as a testing ground — the space where musicians measure themselves, revealing not only stylistic and technical mastery but also innovative ideas and interpretative depth.

This is an album that firmly plants its roots in tradition while remaining decidedly modern. Above all, in the improvisations, the musicians move beyond familiar boundaries, opening up new expressive territories.

Perazzo and Cardillo first met in the Netherlands, where they both studied, and today they live in New York, now part of the vibrant jazz scene of the Big Apple. An experience that has clearly shaped them — and it was precisely in New York, at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, that they recorded this album.

Naples, Amsterdam, and New York. Three cities that are connected like a common thread in the life of Marcello Cardillo, now a celebrity in the jazz world.

Your latest album was released in May: can you tell us what inspired it?
Yes, my latest album is called Portrait of a Moment and was released on May 30, 2025, by the historic Red Records label. The album is the result of a collaboration with pianist Tommaso Perazzo, a longtime friend of mine. The lineup is a piano trio, featuring the extraordinary participation of iconic double bassist Buster Williams, one of the most important figures in jazz history.

Portrait of a Moment was created with jazz icon Buster Williams: how did this collaboration come about?
The collaboration with Buster began during my studies at the Manhattan School of Music, where he teaches. My first contact occurred when I began accompanying bass players to his lessons; then, during my sophomore year, I joined his ensemble class. From there, our relationship strengthened, gradually moving from an academic to a professional context.

Can you tell us what it was like for you to work with an icon like him?
I learned so much from him; I wouldn't even know where to begin. If I had to sum up the most important lesson he taught me in a few words, I'd probably say to live (and play) fearlessly—"to be fearless." Buster, now 83, is not only a jazz legend but also a deeply spiritual person, having been a devout Buddhist practitioner since 1972.

You joined Buster's band "Something More" to take part in the Guimarães Jazz Festival: what was that experience like?
Yes, shortly after asking him to record the album, but even before we went into the studio, Buster asked both Tommaso and me to play at the Guimarães Jazz Festival in Portugal. The band's original drummer is the famous Lenny White. So you can imagine what an honor it was for me to receive that offer. That was perhaps the most important professional experience of my life so far.

What level is jazz in Europe compared to the United States?
I believe the level of jazz in Europe is extremely high. I don't believe much in the narrative that American musicians are by default stronger than European ones. That said, jazz is a music of African-American origin, and in my experience in New York, I've seen a concentration of top-notch musicians that I believe exists nowhere else in the world.

You also toured Italy with Buster: how was that?
Yes, in July 2025, we toured with Buster and Tommaso to promote the album "Portrait of a Moment." We visited several regions—Liguria, Tuscany, Marche, Puglia, and Calabria—playing at some of Italy's major festivals. Sharing stages, travels, and special moments with a legend like Buster was incredible.

From Naples to Amsterdam to New York: how have they influenced your development?
Naples is my city, where I was born and raised. It has shaped and inspired me profoundly. Amsterdam gave me the opportunity to interact every day with talented musicians from all over the world. New York represents the pinnacle of the music scene: it's the perfect place to grow artistically and find career opportunities.

What are your future plans?
In addition to continuing to grow musically and playing in increasingly challenging environments, I'd like to work on making an album as a leader. I'm already working on my music with a band made up of some of the strongest young musicians in New York.

"I don't play Neapolitan music, but I love its melody and I believe my origins have been fundamental to my career"

Marcello Cardillo is only 25 years old and already has three lives to tell. Musician, jazz player to be precise, drum virtuoso, he set out to conquer New York, which for jazz music is like Brazil for soccer.

Marcello's first musical life is the one lived from childhood to adolescence. He took up the sticks at the age of four, intrigued by his father's passion. At the same time as high school he attended the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples. At 18 he was attracted by international music. First Amsterdam, then New York.

"I started playing drums around 4 or 5 years old. I was very little. My father plays drums as a hobby, so when I was a kid, watching him play, I asked him to buy me a drum set."

"At the same time that I started high school, I started attending also the Conservatory of Naples San Pietro a Majella. I stayed for 5 years there, enrolled in the classical percussion department."

"I applied, I sent the application and I got in the Conservatory of Amsterdam. I moved there when I was 18. It was very beautiful. It gave me the opportunity to enter a more international scene and to get to know talents from all over Europe, all over the world."

"At the Manhattan School of Music, I was blessed, they accepted me, I got also other scholarships. So I also had the luck of not paying the school, not even one cent."

"Pino Daniele had a great influence on me," he says, "but there is also another aspect of being Neapolitan that helps me: knowing how to sacrifice some things to achieve a goal."

How much do your origins matter in your job?
"And I'm very proud, very proud and very happy to be born there. You know, to be Neapolitan. Even though I don't play traditional music… anyway, appreciating a lot Neapolitan music, especially the melody... I'm a lover of Pino Daniele. He was very inspirational to me."

Conquering the world through music: raise your hand if you have never had this dream. Marcello Cardillo: Neapolitan, at 26 years old he has already had incredible experiences with music.

Marcello began playing drums at the age of five, following in the footsteps of his father, a drummer as a hobbyist; at 12 he began working with his first teacher, Maurizio Saggiomo, to whom he says he is enormously grateful. "I am very lucky to have parents who have always supported me in my musical career," he tells Il Mattino.

He has collected at a very young age international awards such as the 2010 All Stars award from the Berklee School in Boston at the age of 13 and a scholarship to the Drummers Collective in New York the following year.

"When I was 14 years old, I started collaborating with established professionals in the Neapolitan music scene. In particular I remember the various collaborations with pianist Bruno Persico, guitarist Antonio Onorato, saxophonist Stefano Giuliano."

"When I was 18 I moved to Holland to study at the Amsterdam Conservatory, and there I had the opportunity to play with some of the world's leading musicians such as Vince Mendoza, John Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Bob Mintzer."

Later, moving to New York City for his second master's degree at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, he further expanded his professional experiences by playing with the likes of Christian McBride, Stacy Dillard, Logan Richardson, Fabrizio Bosso and others.

"One of the aspects I love most about my work is traveling. Every place has different customs and traditions and fascinating cultures. In Brazil, I was fascinated not only by the place, the food, the colors, but also by how the musical tradition of the place is still so alive today in people's daily lives."

The globetrotting drummer has not forgotten his roots: "It would be a dream to be able to do my craft in my hometown, but I don't think I would be able to maintain my current lifestyle living in Naples. There are not the opportunities that there are here in New York to play top-notch jazz every day and make a living from music the way I would like to."

From Naples to the conquest of New York, via Amsterdam. Music in his blood, drums in his DNA.

How did your passion for drums begin?
In my family we have always breathed music thanks to my father, who has been playing drums as a hobby since he was 12 years old. At home there is a soundproof room with instruments, and from an early age I was intrigued.

What about jazz?
For me, music was never about genres, thanks to my father's extensive music collection that ranged from funk to rock, reggae to Brazilian, Cuban and jazz music. Since the age of 12, I have participated in numerous summer jazz seminars around Italy.

Why did you choose to train artistically in Amsterdam?
A friend was attending the Amsterdam Conservatory and strongly recommended it. I was fortunate to have supportive parents who were always able to think outside the box and help me aim high. As soon as I finished high school, at the age of 18, I left Naples and moved to Amsterdam.

From Amsterdam to New York, what differences did you face?
The first time I went to study in New York was from January to June 2019 when I did an exchange from the Amsterdam Conservatory to the New School in New York. There I had the opportunity to study with legends like Reggie Workman, Buster Williams, Charles Tolliver, Andrew Cyrille.

You have collaborated with many world-renowned artists. What "imprint" have they left on you?
Each artist has a different aura, with a different approach to music. Playing with great artists has been a great lesson in professionalism and humility. It is a wonderful feeling to play with the greats; it is a very intimate experience.

What do you think about Italian music and jazz?
As for jazz, I think there are many top-notch musicians in Italy, and there are also numerous festivals. Perhaps the main problem is the lack of an organized scene, a cultural center, a concentration of venues, musicians and opportunities where the talent of Italian jazz musicians can express themselves and develop, as happens in New York.

Would you go back to live in Naples?
I don't know if I would return to live in Naples, certainly not in the next few years. I feel I still have so much to learn here in New York, and then I can make a meaningful contribution to my city.