Bassist and composer Emiliano Lasansky is emerging as a distinctive new voice in contemporary jazz, blending a deep respect for tradition with a forward‑looking creative approach. Based in Los Angeles and originally from Iowa City, he has become a sought‑after performer across the West Coast and nationally, known for his warm sound, melodic clarity, and imaginative writing.

Lasansky’s recent honors include a 2025 Launchpad composition selection from the International Society of Jazz Composers and Arrangers, the 2024 Bridges Competition – David Baker Prize at the Ravinia Music Center, and a 2023 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award. His debut album, The Optimist (Outside In Music), drew strong critical attention and introduced his thoughtful, narrative‑driven compositional style.

Raised in a family of visual artists — including his grandfather, renowned printmaker Mauricio Lasansky — Emiliano developed an early appreciation for bold ideas and meticulous craft. That artistic lineage continues to shape his musical identity.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, he later participated in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2017 & 2018. After he finished his undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, Emiliano relocated to New York City where he began his career as a professional musician.

In 2018 Lasansky released Kin, a co-led record with musicians Daniel Dickinson and Connor Kent on the Outside in Music label. In 2019 Emiliano was awarded third prize in the Scott LaFaro Bass Competition at the International Society of Bassists conference.

He was selected by Herbie Hancock, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Herb Alpert to join the 13th class of the Herbie Hancock Institute in 2020. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2021, he has become an active presence in the city’s vibrant jazz community.

Lasansky tours widely as a performer, composer, and recording artist. His second album, Seedling, recorded in late 2025 with a planned release in 2026, showcases a new set of contemporary jazz works written for a quintet — marking an exciting next chapter in his artistic evolution.