Latin GRAMMY winner and six-time GRAMMY nominee, Argentina-born and New York-based pianist, composer and bandleader Emilio Solla returns with Handmade, his 15th album, from his acclaimed Grammy-nominated nine-piece ensemble, La Inestable de Brooklyn, set for release on March 13, 2026, via Club del Disco. The record is a profound tribute to the human touch in music-making, blending tango, Latin American traditions, jazz, and classical influences in Solla’s signature forward-looking compositions.

Handmade is a celebration of craft, human connection, and the tactile art of music.

“Handmade is an apologia of the tactile,” states Solla. “We are moving further away from the act of grabbing a pencil to write music, a brush to paint, a book to read. I celebrate the lives of the artists, my peers, who spend endless hours in search of their own sound by playing, blowing, hitting. This is the life of the shoemaker, the farmer, the dancer, a midwife, an oarsman. We are what we do, and what we make.”

With Handmade, Solla reaffirms the power of human connection and the enduring value of music made by hand—an album to be heard, felt, and lived.

Featuring nine original compositions by Solla, the album opens with the Suite de los Abrazos (A Hugging Suite), a three-movement reflection on the pandemic:

1. “Milonga Mutante” – An edgy, twelve-tone-inspired opener evoking the chaos of emergency rooms during early 2020, featuring Mike Fahie’s incisive solo work.
2. “The Loss” – A deeply moving melody, highlighted by Edward Perez’s stunning bass solo.
3. “Bodegón Caníbal”– A playful and intricate finale with a remarkable tenor solo by Tim Armacost, fugato sections, and a vibrant joropo ride led by David Smith.

Other highlights include:

• “Joni Mitchell” – An homage to one of Solla’s favorite songwriters.
• “Bird Song” – A chacarera (Argentine folk dance) featuring violinist Sara Caswell as the “bird” character.
• “Miles Tango” – A nod to Argentine tango traditions, presented in a modern jazz tone.
• “Para el Agua” – Originally a solo piano piece, orchestrated for La Inestable, featuring an extended piano improvisation that highlights Solla’s improvisational skill and expressive language.

La Inestable de Brooklyn includes the following list of performers:

• Emilio Solla – Piano & Compositions
• Tim Armacost – Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
• Alejandro Avilés – Soprano & Alto Sax, Flute, Piccolo
• David Smith – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
• Mike Fahie – Trombone
• Sara Caswell – Violin
• Rodolfo Zanetti – Bandoneon
• Edward Perez – Bass
• Rogério Boccato – Drums & Percussion

Paquito D’Rivera on Emilio Solla:

“I feel that from the striking ‘Suite de los Abrazos’ that opens the project, to the exuberance of Viento y Sal and the warmth of Sofía Tosello’s voice that closes it, this album is, for my money, a perfect example of balance between Emilio’s Buenos Aires roots and the elegant jazz element that permeates it so organically…Handmade is an album worth listening to again and again. I loved every note of it!”

In 2023, Solla released Ritmo (Warner Classics), a bold symphonic project featuring Paquito D’Rivera along with his trio, earning three GRAMMY nominations. In this acclaimed album, Solla masterfully arranged twelve Chick Corea compositions for full orchestra, reaffirming his reputation as one of the most inventive voices in contemporary Latin jazz.

Emilio Solla has performed at some of the most iconic venues across Europe, Latin America, and the United States, collaborating with jazz and Latin legends including Paquito D’Rivera, Billy Hart, Arturo O’Farrill, Edmar Castañeda, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the WDR Big Band among many others. His artistry has consistently been recognized with GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY nominations, and his debut album with La Inestable de Brooklyn, Second Half, was a 2015 GRAMMY nominee for Best Jazz Album.