corto.alto

On Wednesday, 28 October 2026, corto.alto, the project of Scottish composer, producer and multi‑instrumentalist Liam Shortall, arrives at the Locomotiv Club in Bologna. Born into the Glasgow scene and after studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Shortall has developed a musical language that weaves contemporary jazz, electronics and club culture with nods to hip‑hop, soul and funk, without being confined to a single genre.

After his debut Bad With Names, which earned him a nomination for the 2024 Mercury Prize, he continued to explore the freer side of his production with 30/108, released in 2024: thirty tracks in thirty days, a synthesis of improvisation, instinct and sound design. On stage this research takes shape in a live set that alternates tight grooves and more cinematic passages: Shortall leads the band and moves effortlessly from bass and synth to trombone and effects, leaving space for interplay between horns and beats.

The set combines club energy with jazz writing, featuring pieces that evolve, deform and recombine live. It is a return to the collective origins of the project, entrusted to a crew of trusted musicians, where the arrangement remains fluid and improvisation is part of the narrative. Bologna is a stop on an international itinerary in constant motion, between new tracks and pieces already established in the repertoire.