No Trio for Cats

Active since: 2012

No Trio for Cats organically reinvents the language of the jazz piano trio, transforming mainstream sonorities through a compositional approach that reimagines the swing pulse to explore new sonic horizons. Active since 2012, the Roman trio—Andrea Saffirio (piano and composition), Andrea Colella (double bass) and Matteo Bultrini (drums)—is one of the most distinctive presences on the contemporary Italian jazz scene.

The group was born from the artistic meeting of three musicians united by a desire not to renounce jazz tradition, but to use it as a starting point for innovative sonic explorations. The close rapport developed over the years has allowed the trio to create a personal language that defies mainstream categories, organically integrating influences ranging from late-nineteenth-century symphonic music to elements of Black music—from Motown culture to hip-hop sonorities—without ever allowing these crossovers to become clichés or to overwhelm the project's jazz essence.

Khachatur Savzyan

Born: December 2, 1976

Khachatur Savzyan is a double bassist born in Yerevan, Armenia, where he studied and graduated from the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan.

Balancing two musical worlds, he has held positions in orchestras such as the Lebanese National Philharmonic (as principal), the Armenian National Symphonic Orchestra (as subprincipal) and the Armenian National State Opera Theatre, while being a key figure in the jazz communities of Yerevan and Beirut.

As one of the most sought-after double bassists in the region, he has recorded and performed with numerous jazz and classical artists and has also taught most of the double bassists currently active in the Lebanese music scene.

Living between Lebanon and Armenia, he is involved in a variety of diverse projects in both countries, spanning genres from classical and jazz to Armenian folk and free improvised music.

Georgia Weber

Ethan Philion

Ethan Philion is an award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader based in Chicago. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and DePaul University,  Philion has been praised by the Washington Post for his "well honed chops and astounding musicality” and his debut album, Meditations on Mingus, was commended as “a labor of conspicuous love and respect for a musical titan” by Downbeat Magazine. He has performed with an extensive list of jazz artists including Rufus Reid, Greg Ward, Dana Hall, Mark Feldman, Russ Johnson, Howard Levy, Ryan Cohan, Tito Carillo, Gary Bartz, Alfonso Ponticelli, Ernest Dawkins, Geof Bradfield, Dee Alexander, Mark Gross, Alyssa Allgood, Thaddeus Tooks, Victor Garcia, Mike Allemana, Mai Sugimoto, Paul Marinaro, and more.

Philion’s album Meditations on Mingus was released in 2022 and has garnered praise from publications including the Chicago Tribune, JAZZIZ, Jazzwise, WDCB, and more

Pietro Paris

Born: January 28, 1984

After earning a bachelor's degree in physics in 2005, he decided to devote himself completely to music.
He studied at the Francesco Morlacchi Conservatory of Perugia guided by Maestro Daniele Roccato for three years, after which he decided to turn his attention totally to jazz and improvisational music.

During this period he had an intense concert activity in ensembles such as the Terni Jazz Orchestra and Tetraphonic Project, performing in festivals such as Grey Cat Jazz Festival, Terni in Jazz, Summertime (Casa del Jazz), Gezziamoci a Matera, Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival alongside musicians such as Michael Rosen and Maurizio Giammarco.

Michael T. Geib

Born: February 11, 1985

Described as a “masterful” and “impressive” artist, double bassist Michael T. Geib defies musical boundaries. A true musical chameleon, he thrives in every artistic context and aspires to set a new standard of double bass playing in the twenty-first century. He has performed with countless notable artists, including but not limited to Benny Golson, Parry Karp, Linda Purl, Valerie Narjano, Jorja Fleezanis, Jamison Ross, Corrine Stillwell, Jodi Benson, 2CELLOS, David Benoit, Stefan Grasse, Kenny Garrett, Il Divo, Dave Douglas, Sharel Cassity, and Tess Remy-Schumacher. An in-demand recording artist with hundreds of credits to his name, he has performed on a multitude of projects for the Equilibrium, Naxos, Onyx Lane, Quam Audio, Sensory Overload, and Xolo Labels. 

Simon Read

Born: August 12, 1991

Simon is a London based jazz double bassist.

Simon studied jazz at Leeds College of Music from 2009-2012 under the tutelage of Garry Jackson, Zoltan Dekany and Dave Kane.

?After graduating, he lived and worked in Leeds leading an octet on a string of Jazz North funded dates.

?In 2015 he moved to London where he quickly integrated himself on the bustling and vibrant jazz scene.

?Simon enjoyed stints in the Adrian Cox Quartet and the Sam Leak Trio, touring and recording with both of these groups extensively.

Currently, he is involved with the Fraser Smith Quartet and the Matt Holborn Quartet

Jaromir Rusnak

Born: November 24, 1996

Jaromir Rusnak is a Polish double bassist, electric bassist, and composer born on November 24, 1996, in Krakow. Currently based in Milan, he is an artist whose work blends the lyricism of Slavic traditions with the expressive depth of jazz and contemporary music. 

He began his musical journey with piano at the age of eight and soon entered music school for accordion in Krakow. After a brief pause during his teenage years, he returned to music through classical double bass, which eventually led him to explore electric bass as well. This shift opened the door to Krakow’s vibrant rock and jazz scenes.

Dave Kaczorowski

Dave Kaczorowskihas performed and/or recorded with many exceptional musicians, most notably the legendary alto saxophonist Sonny Simmons; and with legendary trumpeter Herb Robertson, with whom he performed regularly for several years beginning in the late 2000's. He appears with Herb, and drummer Adrian Valosin on the 2013 critically acclaimed album, "Party Enders."

Tito Mangialajo Rantzer

Born: June 3, 1967

Tito Mangialajo Rantzer (born in Milano, Italy, on June 3rd, 1967) accomplished his studies with Franco Feruglio, Giorgio Azzolini, Furio Di Castri, Walter Booker, Dave Holland, Barre Phillips.

He collaborated with many italian jazz musicians, including Claudio Fasoli, Antonio Zambrini, Giovanni Falzone, Nexus, Francesca Ajmar, Michele Franzini, Dimitri Grechi Espinoza, Giovanni Venosta, Tino Tracanna, Giancarlo Locatelli, Massimo Minardi, Arrigo Cappelletti, Antonio Faraò, Ferdinando Faraò, Paolo Botti, Corrado Guarino, Giancarlo Tossani, Piero Delle Monache…