Exclusive Interview: The Lunar Balance of Jazz-Rock – A Deep Dive with DONELLI A.I. ENSEMBLE

In the rapidly shifting landscape of 2026, where the boundary between human intuition and digital innovation blurs, DONELLI A.I. ENSEMBLE has emerged with a monumental statement. Their 18-track odyssey, Primo Quarto, released on April 16, 2026, is more than just an album; it is a sonic cartography of our current era—marked by unrest, transformation, and the persistent quest for balance.

Named after the first quarter moon—that symbolic midpoint where light and shadow coexist in the afternoon sky—the album seamlessly bridges jazz-rock with world music. While the arrangements were polished and reshaped using Artificial Intelligence, the heartbeat of the project remains fiercely human, tackling themes from the scars of the pandemic to the timeless resilience of global icons like the Onna-bugeisha.

We sat down with the visionary behind the ensemble to discuss how they utilized technology as a mirror for human creativity and why, in an age of digital distraction, the “album” remains a sacred project.

Interview with DONELLI A.I. ENSEMBLE

The album’s title, Primo Quarto (First Quarter), refers to the first quarter of the moon, visible from noon to midnight, which balances light and darkness. In a world of “unrest,” how has this specific lunar phase guided the balance between the heavy themes of war and the hope of “growth” present in the music?

Massimo: During the first quarter of the moon, rituals belonging to different cultures are celebrated in different parts of the world. The purpose is to ask for protection, but not only that: it is a time of action, determination, and overcoming obstacles; thus, overcoming difficult times and sending out, as they say, good vibes, also thanks to music.

You’ve described Artificial Intelligence as a tool within the human creative process, rather than a substitute. If we were to consider the role of AI in the ensemble, does it act more as a rhythmic anchor, a sonic colorist, or a disruptive provocateur?

Massimo: I’d say all three. The important thing, indeed, is to use it as a tool, reworking your music and embracing its suggestions when they’re interesting. However, if used well, it can be directed rather than subjected to.

The song “Music Warriors” celebrates musicians who reject commercial compromises. In an era where algorithms often dictate what people listen to, how does using AI help you remain more independent and true to your jazz-rock roots?

Massimo: More than staying independent, I believe it helps you achieve a high-quality musical output. One’s identity, one’s choices, have to do with something uniquely human.

Your tracklist spans history, from the Japanese warriors of “Onna-bugeisha” to the legendary “Tatanka Yotanka.” What is the sonic thread that connects these different global icons of resistance to the modern “Resilient Music” you’re creating today?

Massimo: They are different figures who express important values, unfortunately in a context of suffering. In feudal Japan, the Onna bugheisha, women warriors, defended honor, home, and family. Sitting Bull, chief of the Hunkpapa Sioux, fought for the freedom of his people with strength and wisdom. His words still serve as a warning today: “When they have polluted the last river, cut down the last tree, harvested the last buffalo, caught the last fish, only then will they realize they cannot eat the money accumulated in their banks.” It couldn’t be more resilient…

“Danza di piazza” celebrates the return to social life after Covid. How did the transition from pandemic isolation to ensemble collaboration influence your approach to the arrangements for this album?

Massimo: With the enthusiasm of being able to live freely again. This also greatly influenced the desire to make music.

“Letter to a Soldier” addresses the harsh reality of conflict. How do you use the abstract nature of jazz-rock to convey the specific, visceral emotions of a letter home from the front?

Massimo: I think these emotions can be conveyed through different musical genres, like rock, folk, or others. I chose a song influenced by jazz-rock and even a little gospel because they’re part of my musical background.

“Forest City” suggests a fusion of nature and urbanity. This song reflects a utopian vision of a future world, and how did world music influences help you construct this particular soundscape?

Massimo: Yes, it’s a utopian vision that others have already translated into music. It reflects the fear of a modern society at risk of self-destruction, unlike those populations who have a deep connection with nature. It’s a theme I also developed in another song: “Il popolo degli uomini.”

Releasing 18 songs is an ambitious statement in the streaming era, dominated by singles. Did the breadth of this journey require the intervention of artificial intelligence to maintain a cohesive “framework” across so many different genres and stories?

Massimo: I’m still in the good old days when the release of an album by your favorite band was an eagerly awaited event. There were singles, of course, but the album was and is a work, a project, something important if it’s valuable. Artificial intelligence can help achieve consistency. Highly personalized prompts can be created, but everything, in any case, stems from the ideas and skills of those who use the technology.

This was the case with the advent of samplers and DAWs. The same thing is happening now with artificial intelligence, at least when used as a tool and not, as some do, simply typing a prompt to effortlessly produce music or having it write lyrics describing the subject matter.

Summary

Primo Quarto is a testament to the fact that technology, when guided by a steady human hand, can amplify rather than diminish the soul of an artist. By weaving together the complex histories of the Sioux and the Onna-bugeisha with modern jazz-rock sensibilities, DONELLI A.I. ENSEMBLE has created a resilient “framework” for a world in flux. Through 18 tracks of grit and grace, they remind us that the moon—much like music—serves as a constant reminder that growth often happens in the delicate balance between the light we seek and the darkness we must overcome.