Koro Almost Brass

Koro Almost Brass is an original wind ensemble – four brass instruments and a saxophone – formed by some of the most interesting and accomplished Italian jazz musicians. All classically trained, they have collaborated with renowned artists such as Kenny Wheeler, Paolo Fresu, John Taylor, Bob Brookmeyer, and Enrico Rava, to name just a few.

Since its debut, Koro Almost Brass has performed in prestigious musical festivals both in Italy and abroad, including Cross Roads in Correggio and Jazz Rail at the Museu Nacional Ferroviário in Entroncamento, Portugal in 2023, Met Jazz in Prato, Ancona Jazz and Lonato Jazz in 2024, Torino Jazz Festival in 2025.

Supported by several Italian Cultural Institutes abroad, in 2023 the group participated in the project /zàt·te·ra/ (from port to port), which took them on a tour of masterclasses and concerts in Ancona (Spazio Musica), Sirolo (Teatro Cortesi), Valletta, Malta (Zpazju Kreattiv), and Lisbon, Portugal (Universidade Lusíada and Fundação Saramago).
The ensemble’s repertoire, always approached with refinement and attention to detail, is arranged by Cristiano Arcelli, saxophonist and founder of the group, and consists of two main projects: ‘Round Midnight, dedicated to the music of Thelonious Monk, and Lonely House. The Music of Kurt Weill, which will be premiered in Europe at the Teatro Juvarra in Turin in April 2025, during the Torino Jazz Festival.

Koro Almost Brass has released two albums on the Caligola Records label: Plays Monk (May 2025), a tribute to the music of Thelonious Monk, and Koro Kurt (January 2026), dedicated to Kurt Weill and featuring three original compositions by Stefano Bellon, Roberto Martinelli and Mauro Montalbetti. Koro Kurt was produced with the support of Nuovo IMAIE, which selected Koro Almost Brass among the winners of the “New Recording Productions 2024–2025” call.