LUDOVICA BURTONE
Acclaimed violinist and composer Ludovica Burtone’s new album, Migration Tales, scheduled for release on April 18, 2025, is a musical tribute to the experiences of immigrant women. This project, a rich blend of original compositions and collaborations, was crafted to express the complex emotions, challenges, and triumphs of those navigating multiple cultures in search of belonging in a new home. The album was made possible through the generous support of the Café Royal Cultural Foundation and New Music USA, two organizations whose commitment to fostering innovative art played a pivotal role in bringing Burtone’s vision to life.
Burtone’s debut release as a bandleader, Sparks, offered an exploration of her compositions, marked by ambitious arrangements for a chamber jazz ensemble with a string quartet as a central feature. Migration Tales leverages those skills in arrangement and orchestration, this time focusing on a smaller jazz ensemble performing compositions that function primarily as vehicles for improvisation.
Joined by an outstanding ensemble—including Milena Casado (Spain) on flugelhorn, Julieta Eugenio (Argentina) on tenor saxophone, Marta Sánchez (Spain) on piano, Tyrone Allen II (USA) on bass, and Jongkuk Kim (South Korea) on drums—Burtone presents an insightful recording that showcases her mastery of jazz, classical, and world music idioms, beautifully capturing the stories that inspired the album. This diverse ensemble exemplifies the multicultural dialogue central to Migration Tales. Their collaboration reflects themes of adaptation, unity, and the quest for belonging, effectively capturing the narratives of immigrants across borders.
“I wanted to create music that reflects the incredible resilience of immigrant women, capturing both the beauty and the complexity of their journeys,” Burtone shares. “This project was deeply personal, inspired by the incredible women in New York City whose stories moved me and whose strength I wanted to celebrate. Working with this group of musicians—each bringing their own diverse cultural backgrounds—allowed us to shape a sound that feels as richly varied as the stories themselves.”
Each piece on the album explores a different facet of the immigrant experience, blending heartfelt lyricism with innovative arrangements. The opening track, “Sono Parole,” reflects Burtone’s belief in music’s power to bridge cultures, examining how language shapes our understanding of identity and community. “The Name” is dedicated to those who have changed their names to assimilate, with a contemplative melody that underscores the deep connection between language and self-identity. After the main theme, Burtone’s own vocals subtly weave into the ensemble, enhancing the piece’s introspective tone.
Burtone’s arrangement of Egberto Gismonti’s “Agua e Vinho” combines Brazilian, jazz, and classical influences to portray resilience in the face of loss, evolving from initial sorrow to a hopeful message of unity. The lush “Outside My Window” responds to systemic inequalities in the immigration process, with Casado, Eugenio, and Burtone engaging in a spirited improvised melodic dialogue. Finally, “Our Voices,” a collaboration with soundscape artist Cleo Reed, blends electronic textures, voices, and violin improvisations to symbolize the fluidity and adaptability that define the immigrant experience.
For Ludovica Burtone, Migration Tales is more than an album; it is the result of a year of profound transformation. Reflecting on 2023 as a time marked by intense personal challenges and growth, Burtone found inspiration in the emotional highs and lows of that journey. This project emerged from those tumultuous months, shaped by the people who supported her through it all. With deep gratitude, she acknowledges the friends and colleagues who offered encouragement, shared moments of laughter and tears, and stood by her side with unwavering support.
The album unifies a diverse array of influences, all while preserving Burtone’s core intent: to foster empathy and connection with the resilience and strength of immigrant women worldwide. Through these stories and sounds, Migration Tales invites listeners to explore the universal yet unique journeys of those who leave one home in search of another.
CURRENT RELEASE
LISTEN
PLACEMENTS
(coming soon)