Battista Lena

Born in Viareggio son of art criticism and feminist Carla Lonzi. He lived in Milan until 1973. Battista Lena started his guitar and musical studies at an early age with teachers like John Ackermann and Eddy Palermo, then Barney Kessel, Attila Zoller e Gary Burton. He began in 1985 his collaboration with Italian drummer Roberto Gatto, and a few years later with trumpet player Enrico Rava and then Palle Danielsson e Jon Christensen, Daniel and Richard Galliano. In 1997 he directed the project "Banda Sonora" with the Banda B.Somma of Chianciano Terme and Enrico Rava, Gabriele Mirabassi, Gianni Coscia, Enzo Pietropaoli, Marcello Di Leonardo, recording for the French label Label Bleu and winning many European awards (Choc de Musique, Teleramà) in addition to the Unesco Prize for the movie "La strana storia di Banda Sonora" directed by Francesca Archibugi and presented at the 54th Mostra del Cinema di Venezia. He also composed and interpreted other works such as "Mille Corde" with Paolo Fresu, Gabriele Mirabassi, Gianni Coscia, Enzo Pietropaoli, Marcello Di Leonardo and the "Orchestra a Plettro Senese" presented at Umbria Jazz Festival in 2000. Another relevant production of his is the double cd "I Cosmonauti Russi", featuring among the others Laura Betti, Gian Maria Testa, Enrico Rava, Rokia Traoré, Arthur H, Gabriele Mirabassi, Luciano Biondini, Enzo Pietropaoli e Roberto Gatto and a 20 pieces Wind orchestra, presented in 2002 at the Regio Teatro di Torino and published by Label Blue. In 2008 the Koln Wdr Big Band (German Radio Big Band that worked with Quincy Jones, Gary Burton, Vince Mendoza etc.) recorded a tribute to his music. He has intensively worked on theater and cinema, writing and performing filmscores for some of the major contemporary Italian Movie directors such as Francesca Archibugi, Paolo Virzì, Alex de la Iglesia, Claudio Bigagli and Giuseppe Piccioni. He taught Jazz Guitar and Composition and Film Scoring at NYU Florence Music Program from 2008 to 2012.