Mondays with Morgan: Emilio Solla – New Album ‘Handmade’

Key Takeaways

• Handmade released March 13, showcasing Solla's nine‑piece nonet.
• Album recorded at Brooklyn's Bunker, funded by Chamber Music America.
• Solla blends Latin roots with Duke Ellington‑style orchestration.
• Suite de los Abrazos reflects pandemic emotions through twelve‑tone structures.
• Emphasis on tactile composition counters digital‑first music trends.

Summary

Argentine‑born pianist and composer Emilio Solla released his new album Handmade on March 13 via Club del Disco. The record features his nine‑piece ensemble La Inestable de Brooklyn, recorded in May 2025 at Brooklyn’s The Bunker with support from a Chamber Music America grant. A Latin Grammy winner and six‑time Grammy nominee, Solla blends Latin motifs, twelve‑tone structures and Duke Ellington‑style orchestration across pieces like the pandemic‑inspired Suite de los Abrazos. The album is presented as an "apologia of the tactile," emphasizing hand‑written composition in an increasingly digital music world.

Pulse Analysis

Emilio Solla’s latest project, Handmade, arrives at a moment when jazz listeners crave both innovation and authenticity. By assembling a nine‑member nonet that includes saxophones, trumpet, trombone, violin, bandoneon and a rhythm section, Solla expands the tonal palette beyond typical quartet formats. This larger configuration allows him to explore intricate counterpoint and timbral contrasts reminiscent of Duke Ellington’s orchestral mindset, while still retaining the intimacy of chamber jazz. The album’s release on Club del Disco, a label known for curating forward‑thinking Latin‑influenced music, positions it for strong cross‑market appeal among both traditional jazz aficionados and world‑music enthusiasts.

Handmade’s compositional philosophy centers on the tactile act of writing music by hand, a stance that directly challenges the prevailing reliance on digital notation tools. Supported by a Chamber Music America grant, Solla spent months refining fragments into fully realized pieces, a process he likens to sculpting. The centerpiece, Suite de los Abrazos, weaves a narrative of pandemic isolation using a twelve‑tone framework, illustrating how disciplined craft can translate personal experience into universal sound. By integrating Latin rhythms, joropo passages, and fugato sections, the album demonstrates how cultural hybridity can coexist with rigorous compositional technique.

From a market perspective, Handmade taps into a growing appetite for music that feels handcrafted and emotionally resonant. As streaming algorithms favor high‑volume releases, Solla’s deliberate, slower‑paced production offers a counter‑trend that appeals to listeners seeking depth over quantity. The album’s critical positioning—highlighting Grammy accolades and a clear artistic statement—provides ample promotional angles for festivals, academic institutions, and niche streaming playlists. Ultimately, Handmade not only reinforces Solla’s reputation as a leading voice in contemporary jazz but also underscores the commercial viability of artisanal, composer‑driven projects in today’s digital soundscape.