Daniele Esposito

Daniele Esposito (born 1976 in Naples, Italy) began playing electric bass at age 13 and switched to double bass at 17. He studied the instrument with Aldo Vigorito, Furio di Castri and Gary Peacock, and has performed at numerous jazz festivals and toured Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Syria, Kosovo, Albania, Belgium and France.

Per Altri Motivi, released by Hypnote Records in 2024, is Esposito's first solo album and the repertoire at the centre of his solo live performance, with the greater part of the album composed by Esposito himself.

Rooted in modern jazz tradition, Per Altri Motivi reaches beyond it, opening onto other musical territories. It combines composed material with improvisation, with close attention to melody, rhythm, silence and timbre. His technical command of the instrument is exceptionally refined, but it never overshadows the music; melody, rhythm and improvisation remain at the centre of his playing, allowing each piece to articulate its own story with striking clarity.

Storytelling is central to Per Altri Motivi. From the first notes, melody, rhythm and improvisation work together to shape the narrative of each piece. Les yeux de ma mère and Ninna Nanna Per Delphine evoke meditation and nostalgia, their melodies lingering long after the last note has faded. Questo Buio Feroce, Tinguely’s Safari de la Mort Moscovite and This is Not A Love Song bring a stronger rhythmic drive, with groove and energy at the centre of the music. Across these different moods and forms, a contemporary lyricism emerges, giving each piece a distinct narrative character.

This gives the album and the live project a particular balance: a carefully shaped repertoire, a highly refined instrumental language, and enough openness for the music to respond to the space and the moment of each performance. His playing can become increasingly nuanced without turning into a virtuoso display for its own sake.

The eleven pieces of Per Altri Motivi form a coherent repertoire, but their stories remain open in performance. Esposito's playing leaves space for the music to respond to the room and to the attention of those listening. Its narrative, silences and changing intensity can breathe and evolve, creating an intimate atmosphere of considerable emotional depth, bringing the listener closer to his musical universe.