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Born in Rome, Massimo Nunzi is one of the most important figures on the contemporary Italian jazz scene. A musician, composer, and arranger, he works at the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone in the capital, where he leads musical projects and teaches young talents.
His artistic journey has led him to collaborate with major names in the music industry, create innovative works in Italy and abroad, and train generations of passionate and skilled musicians. As he himself states: “Jazz is not just a musical style, it’s a way of breathing, of communicating, of living”.
In recent years, Nunzi has led highly significant projects, such as the Jazz Campus Orchestra in Castelporziano, which was recently awarded by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. At the same time, he continues to develop original works and to share his unique approach to music with young people, emphasizing improvisation, collaboration, and mutual respect.
In this interview, Nunzi retraces his beginnings, his encounters with great masters, his relationships with students and parents, and his vision of jazz in the Italian music scene.
When did you start playing and what was your musical education like?
I started relatively late: I bought a piano at 23. Not for lack of resources, but because my family wasn’t used to cultivating an instrument at home. When you enter the conservatory, you immediately notice that many kids already have years of practice and instruments at their disposal.
The trumpet, then, was considered an orchestral instrument, and they rarely gave you space unless you were an extraordinary talent. So I had to make do on my own, carving out my own path with what I had available: a bit of jazz, a bit of rock, fragments of literature from the likes of Calvino or Flaiano… combining these elements to create a musical language all my own.
How important were teachers in your growth?
Fundamental. Like anyone, I had teachers who either opened your mind or closed it. I was fortunate to meet extraordinary people: Pietro Garinei and Italo Gomez, for example, recognized me immediately.
Garinei entrusted me with seven dates at the Sistina Theatre without even seeing me play in person. Gomez sensed that my work was innovative and creative and allowed me to create original works. Those encounters change your life, give you confidence, and open doors you’d never find on your own.