About Us
Marisa Balistreri is a Madison, Wisconsin-based vocalist. A former professional Italian opera singer with an international career, Marisa currently collaborates with her songwriter-guitarist husband, Stefan Hall on original jazz tunes inspired by music from around the world. Marisa's group performs as a duo, trio or quartet and plays jazz standards, Latin jazz and originals in several languages. They play music to make people feel hopeful about humanity.
In the Madison Area, The Marisa Balistreri Quartet recently debuted at Festa Italia and played for a Jazz at Five fundraiser. Additionally, The Marisa Balistreri Trio has had a months-long residency at Cafe Coda, and have played as either a duo, trio or quartet at The Cave of the Mounds, Harmony Bar and Grill, North Street Cabaret, Pyramid Event Venue, The Red Rooster, The Rigby and many other venues. Marisa and Stefan have also played at the Weidner Center 6:30 Concert Series, Art Street and Blue Opus in Green Bay, DeJaVu and Gibson Music Hall in Appleton and the Bremen Cafe in Milwaukee with various jazz ensembles. The Marisa Balistreri Duo was recently featured on Neon Jazz, Live in the Lair on Max Inc, Radio and Channel 3000.
Marisa will release of her full album New Monsters July 14th with a release party at North Street Cabaret.
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Rádio Armazém says that "Hear Me" has "...a nice jazz groove, with neo soul and lo-fi touches that make everything feel light and natural. What really got me was the message: a plea for love and tolerance, delivered with gentleness." and Morning Café Jazz calls it "...a truly outstanding jazz production with exceptional musicianship and a beautifully crafted arrangement. The production as a whole feels highly professional and thoughtfully executed...This is genuinely a beautiful piece of work..."
"Moulin Rouge" is a direct invitation to dance and lose yourself in time without complications: the track features a lively jazz waltz with manouche influences that captivates with its elegant rhythm and the band's precise execution, with Marisa Balistreri dominating the vocals in a light and engaging way, while Stefan Hall on guitar, Jeff Weiss on bass, and Noah Brooks on drums create a solid and pulsating foundation. Rádio Armazém
"The song is the aural equivalent of a creamy dark chocolate with something mysterious at its center." - Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives.
"The song is a great treat for anyone who wants to understand how musical elements, such as the relaxing bossa nova groove, the bass groove and the percussive groove, can paint a vivid scene without saying a word… Rádio Armazém
"A former opera singer, Balistreri brings her theatrical experience to jazz, accompanied by a trio of excellence... The result is a lively piece… A debut that promises to leave its mark, brimming with passion and adventure." - Mario Ferraioli, Jazz in Family.