When Laura Campisi moved from Sicily to New York in 2011, Harlem became her first home in the city, and she quickly fell in love with its energy and multicultural spirit. After living in different neighborhoods over the years, she eventually landed farther uptown in the Bronx, where she now makes her home.

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The Uptown Project draws inspiration from this personal journey, expanding the idea of Uptown beyond Manhattan and across the Harlem River. Rooted in jazz, songwriting and improvisation, Campisi brings her Sicilian and Italian heritage into conversation with the music of her adopted city, exploring a repertoire that moves through the American Songbook, Mediterranean traditions and the sounds and cultures that have shaped Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

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Here, Uptown takes on a different meaning. Beyond the familiar image of wealth, social status and exclusivity, Campisi's Uptown is expansive, multicultural and constantly evolving — a meeting place between her two homes — Sicily and New York — and a celebration of different languages, musical traditions and communities. Through a multilingual and eclectic repertoire, The Uptown Project explores those encounters and the unexpected soundtrack that can emerge from them. The project can take different musical forms, from an intimate duo to a trio, quartet or larger ensemble, adapting to different venues and occasions while preserving its distinctive musical identity.