About Marcello Carelli
Drummer, composer, and arranger Marcello Carelli has played with Grammy award-winning musicians such as John Daversa and Brian Lynch in both small group and big band settings. He has also played with Russell Ferrante, Eric Reed, Dave Liebman, Ira Sullivan, Martin Bejerano, John Beasley, Walt Weiskopf, Andy Fusco, Wycliffe Gordon, Shelly Berg, and Troy Roberts. Marcello has also performed to sold-out crowds in Italy, Suriname, and the Netherlands in addition to giving masterclasses in those countries. He has performed at the Caramoor and Crescent City Jazz Festivals with his trio and quintet.
Carelli recently earned his master’s in jazz studies at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music. He was the teaching assistant for 2-time Grammy award-winning drummer and composer, Peter Erskine, and he played in the award-winning Thornton Jazz Orchestra directed by Bob Mintzer for two years. Marcello received his undergraduate degree in Studio Music and Jazz at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. Marcello was a Stamps Distinguished Ensemble Scholar there, having been chosen out of many applicants to play in a jazz quintet for four years with some of the finest young musicians in the country. At Frost, Carelli also played in the award-winning Frost Concert Jazz Band directed by John Daversa.
Marcello is a product of many great teachers including Peter Erskine, Dafnis Prieto, Roy McCurdy, and Will Kennedy. “His music is profound, it’s present, and it’s real,” said John Daversa, who worked closely with Carelli during his time at the Frost School of Music. Marcello is also an award-winning composer and arranger, as he released his very first album in February of this year entitled The Era which is comprised of almost all his original music. Two songs from the record received Downbeat Student Music awards for best composition and arrangement. Peter Erskine wrote that “this album is a compass…wait better yet, it is a sextant by which we can see and hear this young star’s ascent.”
When Carelli isn’t making music, he is broadcasting. Marcello was the host of the Frost School of Music’s weekly radio show The Frost Jazz Hour on WDNA 88.9FM. He also co-hosted a sports debating segment called “Head 2 Head” on the University of Miami’s Emmy award-winning TV show UMTV SportsDesk. He has interviewed Peter Erskine and Bob Mintzer at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Studios for his artist spotlight series.