Lulaworld 2026: Gianluca Occhipinti Album Release Concert

The debut release

7:00 PM - Doors open for dinner and drinks. Reserve a table at .

8:00 PM - Concert Begins - 2 sets with intermission

$20 EARLY BIRD, $25 ADVANCE, $35 AT THE DOOR

TICKETS ARE GENERAL ADMISSION AND DO NOT GUARANTEE SEATING.

Join us before the show to enjoy Lula's tropical inspired dinner and drinks menu. Dinner reservations availalbe at

Join us at Lula Lounge to ceebrate the 20th annual Lulaworld festival, marking two decades of local and international jazz, Latin, Braziian, soul and folk from around the globe and around the corner.

Gianluca Occhipinti is a Toronto-based pianist and composer whose work reflects a foundation in both classical and jazz traditions. Immersed in music from an early age, he has developed a distinctive voice shaped by a wide range of influences, mentors, and performance experiences.

Over the past seven years, Gianluca has studied with JUNO Award-winning pianist Jeremy Ledbetter, whose mentorship has been central to his development as a composer and improviser. He has also studied with Amanda Tosoff, Manuel Valera, and Hilario Durán, further deepening his musical language.

In recent years, Gianluca has focused on developing and presenting his original compositions across Toronto, collaborating and performing with internationally recognized artists including Felix Pastorius, Don Byron, Alex Dean, and Larnell Lewis.

Album: Dissolution

“Dissolution is about the breaking down of different aspects into one uniform artwork,” Gianluca explains. “From learning Beatles tunes with my dad, to playing bass in the orchestra, to studying Hermeto Pascoal with my teacher, or making beats with my friends.”

Blending genres and influences, the album moves fluidly across musical languages: “There’s jazz in the way we interact, there’s R&B in the groove, there’s gospel in the harmony, and there’s classical in the way the album flows.”

The project features an exceptional group of collaborators, including drummers Larnell Lewis and Jinu Isac (featured on the recording), with Marito Marques appearing on the release performance. Longtime collaborators Jacob Lee and Jamie Wells also contribute to the album’s creative direction, alongside Jordan Pelunsky, who helped workshop the material over the past year.

“My very first instrument was the drums, and that certainly shows here,” he notes. “These musicians have all elevated me and my music to the next level.”

Comprising 12 tracks plus a bonus track available on Bandcamp and CD, Dissolution is conceived as a live experience. “I’ve crafted the album with the intention of it being a live show,” Gianluca says. “This is where the music will be at its best.”

Follow Gianluca Occhipinti on Instagram and Facebook.

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Host or Publisher Lula Lounge / Lula Music & Arts Centre