Germana Stella La Sorsa and guitarist Tom Ollendorff: After Hours

11th July 2025

Singer and storyteller Germana Stella La Sorsa and guitarist Tom Ollendorff present “After Hours” - out 11th July 2025

'Raw and striking vocals’ Jazz in Europe

‘The rising star of the six-string’ Music Paper Italy

Critically acclaimed Italian singer and storyteller Germana Stella La Sorsa is set to release a small but stunning collection of inspired arrangements of legendary songs and original compositions, collaborating with ‘rising star of the six-string’ Tom Ollendorff.

Recorded in February 2025, “After Hours” will be released on 33 Jazz Records and distributed by The Orchard on the 11th of July 2025. The record will be launched on Thursday 10th of July at The Vortex Jazz Club, London and the release will be anticipated by two singles: “Because” (Lennon-McCartney) on the 23 rd of May and “Procida” (Ollendorff-La Sorsa) on the 20th of June.

“After Hours” - consisting of 6 tunes - pays homage to well-known composers and songwriters from a wide spectrum including tunes by Brazilian composer Pixinguinha and The Beatles, along with originals from La Sorsa and Ollendorff.

Working together since 2022, the duo's artistic chemistry was beautifully showcased in their acoustic version of one of La Sorsa's compositions - “In Time and (S)Pace” released in July of the same year. Ollendorff's highly distinctive sound and virtuosic technique elegantly blends with La Sorsa’s ‘poetically interpretive singing’ and sophisticated vocal skills, and the result is breathtaking. This meeting of intertwined sonic minds, naturally led to the creation of new material inspired by their diverse infuences and musical palette.

La Sorsa says: “After the release of my latest work “Primary Colours”, I felt the need to return to the origins of my voice, focusing even more on my instrument rather than on new original compositions. Tom and I had already worked as a duo on one of the songs composed for my frst album “Vapour” and I knew he would be the ideal partner to give vent to my artistic need of returning to the essential. Thinking about “After Hours” - and even before working on the music with Tom - I could hear a simple sound and I knew I wanted to create something completely different from my previous albums.”

This new collaboration, envisioned as a celebration of the beauty of simplicity, is set to inspire audiences once again across the world.

'Her voice is powerful when required, but also capable of great variety and soulful subtlety’ - Jazz Journal

'La Sorsa’s raw and striking vocals are prominent in the musical mix, with her impressive scat moments driving the compositions forward.’ - Jazz in Europe

'Ambitiously conceived and perfectly realised. Tom Ollendorff is making his quiet way towards ubiquity’ - Jazzwise

'Young and sophisticated, he is the rising star of the six-string made in England. Ollendorff looks at the aesthetic between post bop, cool and modernism that makes harmonisations rather than virtuosity its strong point.’ - Music Paper Italy

Germana Stella La Sorsa

Italian singer Germana Stella La Sorsa moved to the UK from Puglia (Italy) in 2017 and quickly established herself on the London jazz scene. 'Nudging boundaries as she goes' (The Slow Music Movement) and exploring 'the crossroads of many musical components, including story, composition, genre and style as well as instrumentation and effect' (London Jazz News), La Sorsa released her debut album “Vapour” in 2021 on 33 Jazz Records. The singer melds her disparate infuences in her second studio album, “Primary Colours”, released in January 2024 - once again on 33 Jazz Records - with the support of Help Musicians. Following the success of “Vapour”, “Primary Colours” continues to ride the contemporary/avant-garde jazz wave, further exploring the boundaries of improvisation and sound experimentation, drawing upon modern sounds and grooves, from drum’n’bass to Latin music. The album features long-time collaborators Sam Leak on Hammond Organ, Jay Davis on drums, as well as Tom Ollendorff on guitar and special guest Tara Minton on harp.

Both eclectic and versatile, La Sorsa has performed in the most iconic London jazz venues and International Jazz Festivals including Ronnie Scott's, Cadogan Hall, The Spice of Life, Vortex Jazz Club, Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club, EFG London Jazz Festival, Al Bustan International Festival (Lebanon), Taranto Jazz Festival and Ceglie Jazz Open Festival (Italy).

La Sorsa started performing in Italy at an early age, working her way up through the Italian Jazz scene to ultimately perform at the side of one of the most infuential European jazz musicians: Franco Cerri (Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Lee Konitz, Gerry Mulligan, Django Reinhardt and many more).

Tom Ollendoff

Tom Ollendorff is fast becoming one of the best-known young guitarists to emerge on the international jazz scene. A graduate from the Royal Welsh College of Music in Cardiff, he was awarded the Yamaha Parliamentary Jazz Scholarship in 2016.

Tom's debut album “A Song For You” was released on Fresh Sound Records in May 2021 and received international acclaim and helped to launch an international touring career that has seen Tom perform at many of Europe’s best known Jazz clubs including Ronnie Scott’s, Sunset-Sunside, Jamboree, Jimmy Glass, Jazz-Hus Montmartre, Nardis, Budapest Jazz Club, Jazz in Bess, Jazz Club Ferrara as well as performances at notable venues and festivals including London Jazz Festival, Koa Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival and the One Day Jazz Festival.

His latest album “Open House” was released in May 2023 and sees a continuation of his work with his trio with long-term trio featuring Marc Michel on drums and Conor Chaplin on bass, with the addition of the critically acclaimed saxophonist Ben Wendel on four tracks. The recent release has received global recognition and has seen Tom continue to build his international reputation and following.

Alongside his work as a bandleader, Tom has been fortunate to work extensively as a sideman with a wide range of artists including Ari Hoenig, Bill McHenry, Geoff Simkins, Huw Warren, Tim Garland, Nitai Hershkovits and The Fresh Sound Ensemble.

Links www.germanalasorsa.com/