Ada Montellanico

Ada Montellanico, born around 1963 in Rome, Italy, is a jazz musician, singer, and composer. She received vocal training at Scuola di Musica Popolare di Testaccio from 1983 to 1985. Her breakthrough came in 1985, performing with Enrico Pieranunzi at the Four Roses Jazz Festival in Rome. She collaborated with various musicians, including Roberto Gatto and Fabrizio Sferra. In 1992/1993, she performed as a soprano with the Blue Note Ensemble led by Marcello Faneschi. She has worked with artists like Lee Konitz, Enrico Rava, Paul McCandless, and Fabrizio Bosso, participating in numerous European jazz festivals. Her notable albums include The Encounter (1993) with Jimmy Cobb Trio, Danza di una ninfa: Storie di Tenco (2005) with Enrico Pieranunzi, and Suono di Donna (2012). She has taught jazz singing at the Conservatorio Lorenzo Perosi. She founded MIDJ in 2014 and served as its president for four years.