Artist: Leonardo Cesari Jazz Combo
Title: After A Long Night
Label: Funky Juice Records
Worldwide Distribution: Believe Digital
Format: Full Lenght 12 tracks
Release date: April/29/2026
Cat. Number: fu.ju. 901-120
File Under: Cinematic, OST, Funk, Soul-Jazz
After A Long Night
Project yourself into a sequence of pure adrenaline between scorching asphalt and neon lights: a visceral homage to the soundtracks and library soundtracks of the golden age of action cinema. This work blends the tension of the slums of cop films with the metropolitan darkness of thrillers, nodding to the sophisticated noir atmospheres of ’70s Hollywood films.The album’s beating heart lies in the scratchy horn arrangements, capable of cutting through the mix with sharp, syncopated funk riffs, supported by layers of shimmering percussion, dictating the relentless rhythm of the road. Cinematic chase strings are also present: tension-filled violins and cellos rise in pitch as the engines roar, creating a dynamic and enveloping orchestral experience. Each track is a fragment of found film, a perfect blend of analog groove, orchestral suspense, and pure retro-cool. Get ready to shift gears: crime has never sounded so elegant.
Leonardo Cesari is an Italian multi-instrumentalist – drummer, percussionist, pianist and keyboardist – as well as a producer, composer and arranger. Trained through both formal musical studies and hands-on experience in jazz, he has developed a personal language that blends tradition with contemporary research. A Modern Architect of Italian Groove. A versatile architect of rhythm, he merges the soul of a pianist with a drummer’s instinct into an avant-garde jazz aesthetic deeply rooted in his Italian heritage. A true guardian of the “Tricolore groove,” he has spent decades conducting a philological study of 1970s poliziottesco funk, distilling the urban energy of driving basslines and sharp brass stabs. His writing serves as a devoted tribute to the soundtracks of Italy’s golden age, surgically evoking the smoky atmospheres of classic noir, thriller, and spy cinema.Far from a mere exercise in nostalgia, he masterfully weaves modern textures and contemporary sonics into the orchestral fabric, refreshing the legacy of the great masters for the modern ear. Each arrangement transforms the suspense of the past into a vibrant, pulse-pounding vision where rigorous historical research meets the cutting edge of stylistic innovation. Founder of Tiromancino and KlezRoym, he has performed as drummer for Alex Britti and Sergio Cammariere. Throughout his career, he has composed and produced numerous works, including a hit released in Japan in 2003. His music moves across jazz, film scoring and electronic sound, with a strong cinematic approach.
This work also draws on unreleased material from recordings made by his father, Umberto Cesari, in the 1970s, creating a dialogue between memory and present-day creation.
- Composed and arranged by: Leonardo Cesari
- Leonardo Cesari: Leonardo Cesari – drums, percussion, piano, Fender Rhodes, synths, programming, arrangement
- Daniele Pozzovio – piano, Fender Rhodes
- Alfio Galigani – flute
- Aldo Cerilli – trumpet
- Executive and artistic producer: Leonardo Cesari
- (p) & © 2026 – Surabaya Music publ.
