Hitman Jazz presents Samui Jazz vol.5 with Simone Kopmajer featuring John di Martino. A debut of Simone Kopmajer fifth album: Didn’t You Say which is licensed to Venus Records, Japan. You will have an opportunity to meet John di Martino, the great pianist from New York who has performed and recorded with jazz notables such as Kenny Burrel, James Moody, and Pat Martino.

Profile of Simone Kopmajer
     Meet a fresh, young singer from Austria, whose US debut in the year 2000 was hailed as "captivating“. Jazz legend Ira Sullivan calls her “a great young talent” with a big future in Jazz.

     Simone, now 25 years old, grew up in a family of musicians and started to sing, in her father's band when she was 12. At the same time she studied piano, though singing remained her first love, as well as developed her fluent scatting techniques. Early on, she entered and won various talent contests and even made appearances on television in her native land, Austria. As a young performer, she twice toured the Netherlands with the “Euro Big Band” and later appeared in several International Jazz Festivals for more than 25 times.

Simone Kopmajer

     Influenced by some of the great American vocalists, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Jon Hendricks, Simone has developed into a true Jazz singer, a singer who uses a wide variety of rhythms and excels in her very individual style of scatting. Laurie Antonioli says that “Simone is an excellent musician, with soulful and hip improvising. She digs in and isn't afraid to take risks with the music”. Simone received her Masters Degree from the University for Music and dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria where she had the opportunity to work with such Jazz luminaries as Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan, Michele Hendricks, Jay Clayton and the New York Voices.

     In 2004, Simone Kopmajer became the one who has been starred by Venus Records in Japan, the record company who produces only the most premium quality records of well-known jazz artists. Her first records is Moonlight Serenade. She has made a great success by having more than 4 records with Venus Records with an age of 25 years old.

     This year 2009, Simone Kopmajer has a new album release: Didn’t You Say which is, in Asia, now available only in Thailand by Hitman Jazz and Japan. Her style is classified as distinctive as you might have seen from Norah Jones, Diana Krall, and Michael Buble, accompanying with a notable pianist from New York, John di Martino, who has performed with all-time-famous jazz artists such as Kenny Burrel, James Moody, Joe Lovano, David “Fat Head” Newman, Pat Martino and Paquito D'Rivera. He has received lots of applauds from K. Leander Williams, Time Out New York that he is one of the jazz scene's finest pianist.

Profile of John di Martino
     John di Martino, Pianist/ Composer/ Arranger, is a Venus recording artist.

     His latest CD's are “Jazz/ Mozart” and “Music Of The Night”.

     Noted for his versatility, John has performed and recorded with such notables as Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Joe Lovano, David “Fat Head” Newman, Pat Martino and Paquito D'Rivera.

     Mr. di Martino is a sought after musical director and has accompanied Jon Hendricks, Sylvia Symms,Diane Schurr and the late Billy Eckstine. John’s talents as arranger and pianist can be heard on recordings with Freddy Cole, Gloria Lynn and Grady Tate. John was a long time member of the late Ray Barretto’s “New World Spirit”, he is a featured pianist and arranger on several recordings including the grammy nominated CD “Contact”.

John di Martino

     Mr. di Martino enjoyed a long association with percussionist/ musicologist Bobby Sanabria. Their joint efforts include the grammy nominated CD “Live And In Clave”.

     John was born in Philadelphia in 1959. Since his student days with Lennie Tristano and Don Sebesky, John has performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Peoples Republic of China.