Written by The Italian indie jazz scene sees a new initiative this month with the launch of Hemiola / Slow Foot Productions, a collaboration between two organizations anchored in both tradition and forward-thinking, artist-driven practice. Announced by Slow Foot Music—an independent, musician-run cultural association—and the long-standing Hemiola label, this new initiative aims to elevate both established and emerging voices while demonstrating the growing potential of artist driven collectives in current landscape.
Lucrezio de Seta
Hemiola / Slow Foot Productions serves as a bridge between the historic depth of Hemiola’s catalog—curated for over two decades by drummer and producer Lucrezio de Seta—and Slow Foot Music’s dynamic, multi-national roster of musicians. Included are Ligurian bassist Massimiliano Rolff, Campanian drummer Antonio Fusco, Ligurian pianist Fabio Vernizzi, Hong Kong vocalist Heidi Li, and Roman pianist Antonio Figura. These artists, representing a variety of musical influences and backgrounds, now join forces under a structure built for collaboration and mutual empowerment.
At its core, the new label is structured around collective resource sharing, granting artists a level of independence and operational control rarely seen in traditional label relationships. Slow Foot Music’s model has long emphasized self-management, self-production, and the proactive coordination of concerts and tours. By transitioning from an association focused on artist promotion and live booking into a fully-fledged label collaboration, the musicians gain collective leverage in recording, releasing music, and securing bookings on their own terms.
This collective approach is particularly relevant in the present jazz landscape. Artist collectives—whether in Italy, the UK, or wider Europe—are increasingly steping into roles once reserved for managers, record executives, and promoters. By banding together, musicians can shoulder the cost of high-quality recording studios, negotiate better bookings by presenting a package lineup to festivals and promoters, and manage releases with transparent, equitable revenue sharing. The efficiencies created by pooling contacts, studio time, logistical planning, and promotional resources often translate directly into greater artistic freedom and higher-quality outputs.
Massimiliano Rolff
Hemiola / Slow Foot Productions is committed to a catalogue focused on innovation—albums built around improvisation, original material, and creative reinterpretations of historic repertoire. With three new recordings scheduled for release in the next six months and an expanded catalogue now accessible via Bandcamp, the label is well positioned to amplify its artists’ reach both in Italy and across Europe’s festival and club circuits.
Reflecting on these developments, it’s clear that collectives such as Slow Foot Music are not simply filling gaps left by a retreating industry. Instead, they are actively shaping new pathways for how jazz is produced, booked, and encountered by audiences. The association’s founding values—autonomy, high artistic standards, and direct artist-to-audience communication—align closely with wider trends among European jazz collectives, many of which are redefining what sustainable careers in improvised music can look like.
Of course, the business side is never far from view. By acting collectively, artists can better manage contracts, ensure rights are respected, and invest in long-term partnership with like-minded labels. The result isn’t just a better deal for musicians, but a more vibrant, diverse, and resilient jazz ecosystem.
Given the number of conversations initiated on this very subject, and following a growing number of requests from readers and musicians alike, we will be launching a series of articles on the role, advantages, and mechanics of artist collectives in the modern jazz industry—in Italy, across Europe, and beyond. These forthcoming features will offer a deeper look at the economic, artistic, and logistical cases for collective action, showcasing examples where business, art, and community intersect.
Lake Jazz Orchestra
For now, the launch of Hemiola / Slow Foot Productions is a potent signal—reminding the international jazz community that collective action remains one of the music’s most innovative, effective, and ultimately rewarding tools for creating and sharing new work.
More information on the current releases can be found at the Bandcamp page.
Last modified: October 27, 2025
