lvdf by lvdf

An international jazz supergroup consisting of members from the UK, Italy and New Zealand that have been described as “virtuosos” (The Guardian), “electric”(Okayplayer), and “absolutely crazy good” (Gilles Peterson), lvdf are set to share their debut, self-titled EP on Friday 15th August via Bridge The Gap. All bandleaders in their own right, the group is a collaboration between four artists at the forefront of their respective, boundary-pushing jazz scenes: saxophonist Alex Hitchcock, pianist and synth soundscaper Maria Chiara Argirò, double bassist Michelangelo Scandroglio and drummer Myele Manzanza.

Grounded in contemporary grooves and production aesthetics, the band’s debut EP blends jazz traditions with modern production and a rhythm-driven focus, balancing gorgeous melodies with complex, flowing polyrhythms and emotive soundscapes. Born out of a collaborative workshop in the coastal Tuscan town of Follonica and refined during sell-out performances at Ronnie Scott’s and appearances at London Jazz Festival and Bergamo Jazz Festival, ‘lvdf’ is an acronym for ‘La Via Del Ferro’. Italian for ‘The Iron Way’, this references ancient trade routes that connected the Italian iron industry to Europe and beyond. The band share:

“This metaphor of a road connecting a local industry to the wider world resonates deeply with us. Hailing from Italy, New Zealand, and the UK but residing in Paris, London, and New York, this music became a road that united us.”

Musically sitting somewhere between The Bad Plus, the solo music of Richard Spaven, various projects led by Tyshawn Sorey and the likes of Kaidi Tatham and Aaron Parks, the band are looking to create a ‘stance’ rather than a ‘style’, consolidating influences from across their spectrum of interests. Lead single ‘Silver’ opens the project, connecting to the metallic roots of the band name and blending raw acoustic sounds with electronic arpeggiated synth textures to create a gritty, yet refined, expansive arrangement. Next up, ‘Home’ seeks to conjure up images of the sweeping mountain ranges and untamed coastlines of drummer Myele Manzanza’s home country of New Zealand. He shares:

“At the time I was writing Home, I was listening to a lot of John Psathas and Douglas Lilburn—two of New Zealand’s most celebrated composers. In particular, Psathas’ Waiting for the Aeroplane and Lilburn’s Aotearoa Overture. Both were pieces I had first encountered in high school, and I think they subconsciously shaped much of my harmonic taste. They were also the first ‘classical’ works that truly resonated with me.”

‘Denzel’ offers a feature for bassist Michelangelo Scandroglio, with the band building intensity around his virtuosic expressions and a hypnotic chordal vamp. This sets up the explosive ‘Jorge’s Vision’ - a polyrhythmic whirlwind of a composition that pays tribute to trumpet player Jorge Vistel. Michelangelo shares: “What captivates me most about Jorge is his unwavering devotion to his musical path. There’s a kind of fearless honesty in the way he plays, a refusal to compromise his artistic voice even when it comes at a cost. This piece is a reflection of that spirit of holding onto a vision so tightly that it becomes part of who you are.”

Ending with an edit of a collective improvisation that takes the project back to its Tuscan workshop roots, ‘The Anchor’ contrasts Maria’s lopping piano, Roots-esque drums and Alex’s whirling, reverberating saxophone tones to create what Myele describes as “Something that could be as much at home at an avant-garde performance at Cafe Oto as it could be in a Madlib beat tape.”

An international jazz supergroup from the UK, Italy & NZ, lvdf features virtuosos Alex Hitchcock (sax), Maria Chiara Argirò (piano/synth), Michelangelo Scandroglio (bass) & Myele Manzanza (drums). Described as “electric” and “absolutely crazy good,” they release their self-titled debut EP on Aug 15 via Bridge The Gap.