About

At 18, he began performing with Lostress, an acoustic jazz trio, playing at festivals and clubs across central Italy. Around the same time, he co-founded Deejazz, an eclectic collective blending jazz musicians, rappers, and DJs in a groundbreaking fusion of improvisation and urban sounds. During this period, he also collaborated with a wide range of musicians, particularly from the jazz scene in central Italy, and began gigging at festivals and clubs.

In 2010, Leonardo moved to Barcelona, where he earned a master’s degree in music production at Microfusa. Immersing himself in the city’s vibrant underground electronic scene, he adopted the artist name Leomode and began performing live alongside DJs, exploring hybrid performances that merged improvisation with house and techno in iconic clubs like Row14 and Macarena. Under the same alias, he later released a series of lo-fi-inspired beats infused with jazz and, at times, bossa nova influences.

Over the years, Leonardo has collaborated on diverse projects, including Nu Epoque, an electronic/neo-soul/afrofuturistic band founded with Mozambican singer and beatmaker Siwo and Angolan vocalist Monica Mussungo. The trio performed extensively at concerts and festivals across Barcelona and its surroundings, releasing their debut album, Zula, in 2017.

In 2020, Leonardo co-founded Art.eria with Argentine pianist and arranger Mariano Camarasa. The group features flutist Fernando Brox and a string quintet, creating a sound that merges jazz improvisation, electronic production, and cinematic atmospheres, enhanced by a visual show designed by A/V artist N0vatik. Their debut concert was recorded and broadcasted on RTVE Play (Spanish national television).

Since 2019, Leonardo has become one of the leading remote session pianists and producers on platforms like SoundBetter and AirGigs, online marketplaces connecting musicians and producers with artists worldwide. His versatility and technical expertise have made him a valuable collaborator for a wide range of international artists, from emerging talents to established names like Jess Glynne and Gorgon City. A sought-after collaborator for artists across genres and continents, this experience has enriched his artistic vision through exposure to diverse musical styles and creative approaches.

In recent years, Leonardo has embraced the most radical forms of free improvisation as a cornerstone of his artistry, exploring uncharted sonic territories and collaborating with experimental musicians in Barcelona’s vibrant underground scene. This exploration led him to record studio improvisations with various formations, including Jazz Doesn’t Like You (with guitarist Olivier Jambois) and Otrotrio (with bassist Mauro Battisti). He also founded La Otra Jam, a stable jam session and laboratory for improvised music, which has seen the participation of musicians from the experimental scene, including Josep Maria Balanya, Liba Villavecchia, El Pricto, Pablo Selnik, and many more.

“I feel that without improvisation, music loses its purpose, especially in live performances. I don’t want to go around merely repeating things that have already happened in a rehearsal room, in my studio, or even in my head—it would feel like reciting a poem from memory rather than engaging in a genuine dialogue with the audience and the other musicians. I need surprises; I need to be transported to places I don’t know while I’m playing. There’s already so much music out there where, from the moment it starts, you already know how it’s going to sound all the way through…

In my experience, nothing is more powerful than leaving space for creation in the moment. It can be risky, and you have to embrace chaos and imperfections, but the most interesting things, for me, can only emerge this way—even if just for a fleeting instant. You have to leave the door open for those things that can manifest in the moment and that no one could have planned. I think I live for those moments—music I could have never experienced otherwise, sounds that make stepping out of our physical and mental shelters truly worthwhile.”