Gambarini was born in Turin, Italy, where she attended jazz concerts, clubs, and festivals with her parents.

Her father played the saxophone, and she grew up hearing jazz in the house, and learning by listening to records.

A few weeks after her arrival in America, she entered the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition and came in third behind Teri Thornton and Jane Monheit.

[1] In 2004, she started touring with the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, performing with James Moody, John Lee, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath, Paquito d'Rivera, Mulgrew Miller, Claudio Roditi,Paquito D'Rivera, and Roy Hargrove.

She was the lead female singer in the 2013 performance of Dave Brubeck's "The Real Ambassadors" at Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC.