JAZZPROFILES lives in the music 1,572 Jazz Artists fully Profiled! Gianluca Petrella
Last updated October 1, 2026
Gianluca Petrella performing live at the Jazz Festival in Saalfelden, 2009 CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gianluca_Petrella_2.JPG (photo by Davide Leonardi)
Gianluca Petrella was born March 14, 1975 in Bari. The son of a trombonist, he was sitting in with his father's Dixieland band before he was a teenager, and started his professional career with saxophonist Roberto Ottaviano in 1993.
In 2001 he became a full-time member of Enrico Rava's quintet, already profiled on jazzprofiles.com, joining a band Rava has described as a kind of finishing school for Italian jazz musicians. Rava has called Petrella "the best trombone player today." That same year, Petrella won Italy's Django d'Or Award and Musica Jazz's critics poll for Best Young Talent, and in 2006 and 2007 DownBeat named him Best Emerging Artist in the trombone category.
Beyond Rava's band, he has worked with Joey Calderazzo, Greg Osby, Carla Bley, and Pat Metheny, and has recorded on ECM both under his own name and alongside Rava. His own leader catalog is extensive and stylistically restless, running from straight-ahead records like There's No Greater Love (2002) to electronic-leaning projects like his Cosmic Band and Indigo 4 work.
Petrella's playing spans conventional post-bop trombone work, shaped directly by his years in Enrico Rava's quintet, and a more electronic, genre-crossing direction on his own leader projects, reflecting a restlessness Rava himself has noted in his most celebrated alumni.
- Indigo 4 (2005) - Spotify - Indigo 4 Listen
- Wild Dance (2015) - a later leader album reflecting his more genre-crossing direction. Listen
Gianluca Petrella: Full Discography
Identity confirmed via Discogs artist ID 50616 ("Gianluca Petrella"). Related entities (Cosmic Band, Quartet, TuboLibre, Trio 70's) are his own named projects, not collisions.
Scope note: 40+ Main/leader entries on Discogs alone (2001-2018+); this file covers a selection.
SELECTED LEADER releases
| Album | Year | Label | Notes | Listen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Ray | 2001 | AUAND | Early leader album. | Spotify | not found |
| There's No Greater Love | 2002 | Philology | Duo & quartet, love songs. | not found | not found |
| Indigo 4 | 2005 | (self-released) | Spotify | not found | |
| Big Guns | 2008 | AUAND | Bandcamp | not found | |
| Wild Dance | 2015 | ECM Records | Enrico Rava (trumpet), Petrella (trombone), Francesco Diodati (guitar), Gabriele Evangelista (double bass), Enrico Morello (drums); billed to the Enrico Rava Quartet with Gianluca Petrella | Spotify | not found |
| Coming Tomorrow - Part One | 2009 | Spacebone Records | Credited to Gianluca Petrella Cosmic Band. Personnel includes Alfonso Santimone (Fender Rhodes, Korg MS-10, laptop electronics), Beppe Scardino (baritone saxophone), Giovanni Guidi (piano), Mirko Rubegni (trumpet); the Scardino credit was absent from this file until independently re-verified via the Discogs extraartists data during the Beppe Scardino build (2026-09-16). | not found | Discogs |
| Coming Tomorrow - Part Two | 2012 | Spacebone Records | Same Cosmic Band personnel as Part One, including Alfonso Santimone and Beppe Scardino (baritone saxophone). | Spotify | Discogs |
| Il Bidone | 2013 | Spacebone Records | A septet, not a duo: Beppe Scardino (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), Joe Rehmer (contrabass), Cristiano Calcagnile (drums), Giovanni Guidi (grand piano), Andrea Sartori (Sartofono, electronics), Gianluca Petrella (trombone, electronics), John De Leo (voice, effects), per Discogs extraartists. A Nino Rota film-score tribute, reviewed by All About Jazz. This row previously read "the only two credited musicians on the release" (Petrella and Scardino) - corrected during the Cristiano Calcagnile build (2026-09-21) after an independent Discogs extraartists pull surfaced the full personnel; see that build's cristiano-calcagnile_notes.md. |
not found | Discogs |
| Cosmic Renaissance | 2016 | (self-released) | Electronic-leaning project. | Bandcamp | not found |
| Frames of Crimson | 2017 | Via Veneto Jazz | Spotify | not found |
GUEST / SIDEMAN appearances
| Year | Album | Artist / Billing | Label | Notes | Listen | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Memorie D'Italy | Paola Arnesano | Philology (W 1003.2) | Trombone, with Guido Di Leone (guitar, arrangements), Roberto Ottaviano (saxophone), Rocco Andriulli (trumpet) and Gianni Cazzola (drums); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. Recorded April 12-14, 1996. | not found | Discogs |
| 2005 | Radio 3 Sessions | Domino Quartet | AUAND | With Antonio Borghini (double bass), Sean Bergin (tenor sax, flute) and Hamid Drake (drums); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. | not found | Discogs |
| 2010 | Slaves | Gianluca Petrella TuboLibre | Spacebone Records (BONE 1002) | With Cristiano Calcagnile (drums, percussion, table guitar), Gabrio Baldacci (electric guitar, balalaika) and Mauro Ottolini (sousaphone); confirmed at the Discogs extraartists level. | not found | Discogs |
| 2004 | When You Go Yes Is Yes! | Cristina Zavalloni Open Quartet | Felmay | Trombone, with Antonio Borghini (bass) and Francesco Cusa (drums); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. | not found | Discogs |
| 2006 | Idea | Cristina Zavalloni | EGEA | Trombone, alongside Antonio Borghini (bass) and Gabriele Mirabassi (clarinet); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. | not found | Discogs |
| 2011 | Tribe | Enrico Rava Quintet | ECM Records | Trombone, with Enrico Rava (trumpet), Giovanni Guidi (piano), Gabriele Evangelista (double bass) and Fabrizio Sferra (drums); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. | Spotify | not found |
| 2019 | Autumn Colors Suite | Federico Bonifazi | SteepleChase LookOut | Trombone, with Emanuele Cisi (tenor sax), Giampaolo Casati (trumpet), Federico Bonifazi (piano), Gabriele Evangelista (bass) and Alfred Kramer (drums); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. | not found | not found |
| 2007 | Opening | Marco Bardoscia | Jazz Engine (JE8004) | Trombone, with Raffaele Casarano (alto/soprano sax), Dario Congedo (drums) and Alberto Parmegiani (guitar); confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level. Not previously listed in this table; added during the Marco Bardoscia build (folder 359). | not found | Discogs |
Full catalog at Discogs: Gianluca Petrella.
Mirko Signorile (piano) - leader of In Full Life (2003, Soul Note), on which Petrella guests on trombone, Discogs-confirmed. Already profiled on this project.
Massimo Pirone (tuba) - Discogs-confirmed fellow horn-section member on Roberto Gatto's Plays Rugantino (2000), on which Petrella plays trombone and Pirone plays tuba. Profiled on JazzProfiles.com.
Mauro Ottolini (trombone, sousaphone) - guests on sousaphone on Petrella's TuboLibre project Slaves (2010, Spacebone Records); Discogs-confirmed. Already profiled on this project.
Enrico Rava - trombonist in his quintet since 2001.
Alfonso Santimone (piano, keyboards) - the regular keyboardist in his Cosmic Band, on Fender Rhodes, Korg MS-10 and laptop electronics across both of the band's studio albums (2009, 2012).
Antonio Borghini (double bass) - fellow member of the Domino Quartet, credited alongside Petrella on Radio 3 Sessions (2005, AUAND).
Beppe Scardino (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet) - baritone sax on both Gianluca Petrella Cosmic Band studio albums (2009, 2012), and one of only two credited musicians, alongside Petrella, on the duo record Il Bidone (2013, Spacebone Records), a Nino Rota tribute.
Caterina Palazzi (double bass) - guest slot with her Caterina Palazzi 4tet at the Auditorium Parco della Musica's Jammin' Festival, Rome, September 15, 2011, independently confirmed via video documentation of the performance.
Cristina Zavalloni (voice) - trombone on two of her early recordings, When You Go Yes Is Yes! (2004, Cristina Zavalloni Open Quartet) and Idea (2006), both confirmed at the Discogs release-credit level.
Enrico Morello (drums) - drummer in the Enrico Rava Quartet on Wild Dance (2015, ECM), the album billed to the quartet with Petrella as guest trombonist; both also appear on Paolo Fresu's Around Tǔk (2016). Profiled separately on this site.
Fabrizio Puglisi (piano) - pianist in the Cristina Zavalloni Open Quartet on When You Go Yes Is Yes! (2004), where Petrella plays trombone; Petrella is also a guest on two tracks of Sento Doppio, Puglisi's 2017 duo record with vocalist John De Leo (Carosello). Discogs-verified.
Fabrizio Sferra (drums) - co-billed on Il Bagno Turco (2011, with bassist Paolino Dalla Porta), Sferra's drummer on Frames of Crimson (2017, Bebo Ferra's King Crimson tribute) and on Enrico Rava's Tribe (2011); Discogs-confirmed. Profiled on JazzProfiles.com.
Francesco Bigoni (tenor saxophone, clarinet) - member of Petrella's Cosmic Band from 2007 to 2014 (per his own biography); Discogs-confirmed on Coming Tomorrow - Part One (2009), Coming Tomorrow - Part Two (2012) and the Casa del Jazz release Jazzitaliano Live 2007, which Petrella directed.
Francesco Cusa (drums) - drummer beside Petrella on the Cristina Zavalloni Open Quartet's When You Go Yes Is Yes! (Felmay, 2004), with Antonio Borghini and Fabrizio Puglisi; Discogs-verified.
Francesco Diodati (guitar) - fellow member of the Enrico Rava Quartet on Wild Dance (2015, ECM) and co-billed with Petrella on Paolo Fresu's Heroes (2021, Tǔk Music); Discogs-confirmed. Profiled separately on this site.
Gabriele Evangelista (double bass) - bandmate in Rava's quintet on Tribe (2011) and in the quartet on Wild Dance (2015), where Petrella is guest; also on Federico Bonifazi's Autumn Colors Suite (2019).
Gaetano Partipilo (alto saxophone) - fellow member of The Jazz Convention on Up Up With The Jazz Convention (1998) and leader of Basic (2004, Soul Note), on which Petrella plays trombone; the two are also credited together on Mirko Signorile's In Full Life (2003), the Bruno Tommaso Orchestra's Steamboat Bill Jr. (2000), Nicola Conte's Rituals (2008) and Paolo Fresu's Around Tǔk (2016); Discogs-confirmed.
Giampaolo Casati (trumpet) - credited with Casati on Federico Bonifazi's Autumn Colors Suite (2019, SteepleChase LookOut), with Petrella on trombone. Profiled on JazzProfiles.com.
Giancarlo Schiaffini (trombone, tuba, euphonium) - credited together on Steamboat Bill Jr. (2000). Discogs-confirmed.
Giorgio Pacorig (piano, Fender Rhodes) - both are on the track "Dr. Honoris Causa" on U.T. Gandhi Plays Weather Report Music (40th Anniversary) (Artesuono, 2010), where Pacorig plays Fender Rhodes. Discogs-verified.
Giovanni Maier (double bass, cello) - credited alongside Gianluca Petrella on 3 releases, among them Certi Angoli Segreti (1998, Enrico Rava), Pow Wow (2003, Roberto Ottaviano), U.T.Gandhi Plays Weather Report Music (40th Anniversary) (2010, U.T.Gandhi).
Guido Di Leone (guitar, arrangements) - Di Leone plays guitar and arranges on Paola Arnesano's Memorie D'Italy (1996, Philology), on which Petrella plays trombone; Discogs-confirmed. Profiled separately on this site.
Jacopo Fagioli (piccolo trumpet) - credited alongside Petrella on TRIOROX and DJ Rocca's Moods (2024, Irma), with Fagioli on piccolo trumpet on track A3 and Petrella on trombone on A1; confirmed at the Discogs release level. Profiled separately on this site.
Marco Bardoscia (double bass) - Petrella plays trombone on Bardoscia's debut as a leader, Opening (2007, Jazz Engine), alongside Dario Congedo and Alberto Parmegiani; Discogs-confirmed. Profiled separately on this site.
Mirco Rubegni (trumpet) - fellow member of Petrella's Cosmic Renaissance project on all three of its releases (2016, 2022, 2023), and on Jazzitaliano Live 2007; Discogs-confirmed.
Pietro Lussu (piano) - fellow sideman on the Schema Sextet's Look Out (2000), Discogs-verified. Profiled on JazzProfiles.com.
Raffaele Casarano (alto/soprano saxophone) - fellow sideman on Marco Bardoscia's Opening (2007) and fellow performer on Paolo Fresu's Around Tuk (2016), both Discogs-confirmed. Already profiled on this project.
Roberto Cecchetto (guitar) - Discogs-confirmed co-billed artist on Rand-o-mania (2001) and fellow personnel on Paolino Dalla Porta's Urban Raga (2009) and the various-artists tribute Progressivamente - Omaggio Al Progressive Rock (2008). Profiled separately on this site.
Stefano Tamborrino (drums) - drummer on the live trio session Trio 70's (2016, Casa Del Jazz), with organist Michele Papadia; Discogs-confirmed.
