Leonardo Genovese (born June 30, 1979) is an Argentine jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer based in the United States. He has played and recorded with The Mars Volta.
Life and career Genovese was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina, in 1979. He began playing the piano at the age of 5 or 6, but became more interested in playing around ten years later.
Genovese began studying music and accounting at the University of Rosario, but soon abandoned accountancy, and in 2001 he began studying at the Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 2003. His first album, Haiku II, was released the following year and was followed by Unlocked in 2008, but Genovese later talked them down, stating that they were "just a way to document where I was at the time". From 2005 he recorded and toured internationally with bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding.
A reviewer for The New York Times commented on Genovese's 2013 album, Seeds, that, "by refusing to privilege one historical style over another, he strengthens his claim as a polyglot".Chinen, Nate (August 12, 2013) "CDs From K. Michelle and Leo Genovese". The New York Times. Down Beat observed that Genovese's compositions for the album "share an exploratory nature, whether the new terrain in question is a marriage of electronic and acoustic sounds, an unlikely use of chromatic scaling or the successful juxtaposition of otherwise disparate ideas."Odell, Jennifer (October 2013) "Leo Genovese – Seeds". Down Beat. p. 67.
Wayne Shorter & Leo Genovese, soloist won a Grammy Award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for the Wayne Shorter composition "Endangered Species" for which Leo accompanied him on the album Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival. Genovese won the DownBeat Critics Award for Rising Star – Piano in 2023.
Discography An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader Year recordedTitleLabel Year releasedPersonnel/Notes2003Haikus IIFresh Sound New Talent2004With Nathan Blehar (tenor sax), Phil Grenadier (trumpet), Demian Cabaud (bass), Francisco Mela (drums)2007?Planet SafetySoul Note2007Trio, with Dave Zinno (bass), Bob Gullotti (drums)2008?UnlockedRopeadope2008Trio, with Justin Purtill (bass), Joe Hunt (drums); Genovese also plays wood flute2010SeedsPalmetto2013With Dan Blake (saxes), John Lockwood (bass), Bob Gullotti (drums); Sergio Miranda (percussion); Esperanza Spalding (vocals), George Garzone (sax), Ricardo Vogt (guitar), Francisco Mela (drums) added on some tracks2017?TrippeirosCarimbo Porta-Jazz2017Trio, with Demian Cabaud (bass), Francisco Mela (drums) 2017 Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival Candid 2022 Quartet, with Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding
As sideman Year recordedLeaderTitleLabel2007EsperanzaHeads Up2009Chamber Music SocietyHeads Up2011Radio Music SocietyHeads Up2011* and Cuban SafariTree of LifeHalf Note2012*The Elvin Jones ProjectSunnyside2013* and Elias MeisterOpen for BusinessEMPM2014* and André MatosPrimaveraInner Circle Music2014*Afrikan BluesSax On2015* CrescentJody Jazz & Jazz Hang Records2017*GolZoho2017* ReflectionsSelf Produced2020The Clouds Hill TapesClouds Hill2021 Songwrights Apothecary LabConcord2022The Mars VoltaThe Mars VoltaClouds Hill2022Jason PalmerCon AlmaSteepleChase2023The Mars VoltaQue Dios Te Maldiga Mi CorazónClouds Hill2023Back to the LandIntakt2024Esperanza SpaldingMilton + esperanzaConcord2025The Mars VoltaLucro Sucio; Los Ojos del VacíoClouds Hill2026The Mars VoltaLucro Sucio; Unfinished BusinessRodriguez Lopez Productions
References