Interviews

Turbojazz Revives the Spirit of Community and House Music on Memorabilia.

Following his acclaimed debut Whateverism, Italian producer Turbojazz returns with Memorabilia — a warm, soulful journey through the memories, people, and dancefloors that defined his musical identity. Rooted in house culture’s golden ethos and powered by a heavyweight cast of collaborators, the album celebrates the enduring force of music to bring people

Thanks for talking to us. Where are you this moment and how are you spending the day?

Hi Dream Chimney! I'm taking a break from the cities after a two-week Asian tour, and I'm currently in the lovely countryside of my hometown with my wife. The days here pass slowly: waking up with the first rays of sunshine, going for a jog, doing some work, cooking lunch, working on music, and spending time with friends and family.

Where were you born? Where are you based now?

I was born in a very small town south of the city of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: Verona and it's now 20 years since I moved to Milan to establish my music career, but I think I might move again soon.

What do you love most about where you are living? What keeps you where you are today?

Milan has been a great place for my personal growth. I studied art direction here and met many talented musicians, producers, and DJs, contributing to shaping the scene by promoting events and, of course, making a lot of music.

Even if I'll spend more time elsewhere, I think I'll always feel deeply connected to this city for its vibrant nightlife and the charm that made me fall in love with it at first sight.

If money was no object, and you could choose anywhere in the world to live, where would that be and why?

For sure I could spend part of the year in New York! I lived there for a few months at the beginning of 2010, and it was one of the most important experiences of my life.

That city, despite its controversies, always gives me a lot of inspiration. I’m in love with its authenticity, its sense of community, and the deep passion for different cultures and their traditional music.

How long have you been making music? What was your first step as a musician?

I started while I was in New York, attending an electronic music production course at the Dubspot Institute in Chelsea. What an era!

My first vinyl release came out just a few months later on No More Hits! a 12” with three disco edits. That’s how I began to understand how arrangements work, one of the most difficult things to manage at the beginning. Now it’s actually one of the things I’m best at, haha.

What came first DJing or production?

I started with the art of DJing, thanks to hip-hop culture, which literally changed my life the first time I saw graffiti and heard a beat.

Producing came naturally about 7-8 years later. My vinyl collection was growing, and so was my knowledge of music. That’s when I realized I was ready to give something back to music.

What kind of artists, DJs, genres were you into growing up?

I grew up listening to a lot of my father's music spacing from reggae to jazz and everything in between so my tastes are eclectic by nature.

Who are the artists that you follow right now?

I’m mostly digging back into forgotten records in my library, looking especially for Philly sound and reggae dub. The rest of the time I go through promos, searching for the next sound to catch.

What is the most recent record you purchased?

I had a great catch at Tower Records in Tokyo, finding a first pressing of the iconic Galaxy 2 Galaxy album. It’s a piece of music I had been wanting in my collection for a very long time.

If you could choose a few words to describe the vibe of Turbojazz, what would they be?

Soulful, uplifting, and groove-driven. Rooted in house music but always open to jazz, disco, and global influences.

Talk to us about the new album and the initial idea. When did you first approach this concept and what was your original intention?

The album is called Memorabilia and the idea behind it was to capture the feeling of the years I spent discovering music and dancing in clubs across the country and beyond. I wanted to translate those memories into a contemporary sound, keeping the spirit of soulful and deep house but giving it a fresh perspective. The concept started to take shape a couple of years ago when I realized that many of my musical references and emotions were connected to those early experiences on the dancefloor.

What was most important for you to convey through these tracks? Do you feel that you were able to accomplish all of your intentions?

The most important thing was emotion and authenticity. I wanted the tracks to feel warm, human and connected to the culture that inspired me to start DJing and producing music in the first place. For me house music has always been the perfect mix of my influences. I think the album manages to capture that feeling quite well. Of course there is always something you could improve, but overall I’m happy with the result.

What are you most proud of with this album?

Probably the collaborations. Working with artists like Robert Owens, Rona Ray, Cor.Ece and Javonntte brought different colors and personalities into the project. Each of them has a strong identity and history within the scene, and it was a real honor to create music together. Those collaborations gave the album a deeper and more soulful dimension.

What was the most challenging part of bringing the release together?

Coordination and time. When you work with many collaborators who live in different parts of the world it takes patience to align schedules, ideas and creative directions. At the same time I wanted the album to feel cohesive, so finding the right balance between different voices while keeping a clear identity for the project was probably the biggest challenge

There are so many other artists and musicians on this album. Give us a little insight into them.

They are artists I respect a lot and who represent different shades of the music I love. Robert Owens is obviously a legendary voice in house music. Rona Ray and Javonntte bring a strong soulful tradition, while Cor.Ece adds a beautiful and unique tone to the record. Each collaboration happened very naturally, usually starting from a musical idea that I felt could fit a specific voice.

Tell us a little about Last Forever Records?

Last Forever Records is my label and creative platform. I started it as a way to release music that reflects my vision of house music: soulful, groove-driven and open to different influences like jazz, disco and global sounds. Over time it also became a space to collaborate with other artists and support music that shares that same spirit.

What drives you to create music?

The same thing that pushed me to start DJing many years ago: the energy of music and the connection it creates between people. Music has always been a way for me to translate emotions and experiences into something that can be shared on a dancefloor or simply through listening. That exchange of energy is what keeps me inspired to continue creating.

What has been one of your favorite moments from the past year?

When i got married with my beautiful wife Bianca.

Where do you find the most inspiration when it comes to discovering new music?

The best thing about music is that it’s an endless journey. New music is released every day, so you can always find unlimited inspiration if you keep your ears open.

Is there anything that you would like to tell us about you?

That I’m grateful for the chance you gave me to speak about my beloved music.

What can we hope to see next from Tommy Turbojazz?

More music, more life, and endless nights dancing together somewhere in the world!

Check out the latest release from Turbojazz.