Felice Clemente

Bio

I was born in Milan on August 9, 1974. My passion for music grew naturally in a family environment where music was the air that we breathed, thanks to my grandfather, a clarinetist.

Under his guidance I started my journey with the clarinet, then I continued my studies at the Conservatory of Milan with Maestro Tessari. Soon I obtained my degree.

However, my classical studies had only opened a door for me, leading to the immense musical world that was to be my life. I discovered JAZZ and the saxophone! At that point I began my studies with the saxophonists Paolo Tomelleri, Pietro Tonolo and Tino Tracanna, and graduated with flying colours under the guidance of Maestro Tracanna.

Since then, I have never stopped, between masterclasses, teaching qualifications, recording records, and engaging in collaborations with amazing artists...

I could tell you all about it with plenty of details (although for those is best to refer to my "official biography"), but I would rather mention only one particular episode.

I remember it as if it was yesterday. It was May 10, 2001, the day I first met my idol, my inspiration, a musician that until that moment I had only had the chance to listen through his records: Sonny Rollins.

A man who together with a few other musicians has made the history of jazz. After listening to his music in a memorable concert at the Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia, a wonderful performance, so full of emotion, I was lucky enough to be able to talk to him for over an hour, and I was truly enchanted by this man, and his incredible passion. There and then, I felt like I completely understood what my path was going to be...jazz. Within a year, I recorded my first album, under my own name.

That day was the turning point in my career and my life.

Felice

Biography

Felice Clemente - saxophonist, clarinettist, composer, conductor, band-leader and teacher - has been defined by Enzo Siciliano (from the Italian newspaper Repubblica) "the best young Italian saxophonist" and by Cadence Magazine (USA) "a talent that is destined to make the history of jazz".

He features a remarkable record production, with 15 records as leader and co-leader and 16 as sideman, earning several mentions and features in the main Italian and International jazz specialised press. He ranked among the best saxophonists of the year in the TOP JAZZ 2015 referendum, held by the magazine "Musica Jazz" (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) and in the JAZZIT AWARDS by the magazine "Jazzit" (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). His albums "Nuvole di Carta" and "6:35 AM" received 4 stars from the renowned American magazine DOWNBEAT (November 2011 and June 2015).

He has collaborated with some of the best artists on the national and international scene, such as Gregory Hutchinson, Xavier Davis, Eliot Zigmund, Danny Grissett, Ugonna Ogekwo, Jimmy Greene, Quin-cy Davis, Asaf Sirkis, Yuri Goloubev, Ken Field, Mike Westbrook, Cyro Baptista, Stjepko Gut, Adam Rudolph, Michel Godard, Paolino Dalla Porta, Marco Tamburini, Massimo Morriconi, Paolo Birro, Tino Tracanna, Massimo Colombo, Massimo Manzi, Sandro Gibellini, Bebo Ferra, Stefano Di Battista, Andrea Dulbecco, Stefano Bagnoli, Achille Succi, Riccardo Fioravanti, Rudy Migliardi, Massimo Morganti, Antonio Faraò, Ellade Bandini, Roberto Cecchetto, Claudio Fasoli, Tullio De Pi-scopo, Sergio Orlandi, Bruno De Filippi, Daniele di Gregorio, Carlo Uboldi, Javier Pérez Forte, Francesco D'Auria, Montecarlo Night Orchestra and Nick The Nightfly conducted by Gabriele Comelio, and many others.

He carries out an extensive concert activity in Italy, through variuos projects: sax and clarinet solo, the Felice Clemente Quartet (with Massimo Colombo, Giulio Corini and Massimo Manzi) which sometimes expands into a quintet, thanks to the presence of Bebo Ferra, the Felice Clemente Trio (with Paolino Dalla Porta and Massimo Manzi) with guest artist Daniele di Gregorio, a duo with Javier Pérez Forte, another duo with Carlo Uboldi, the direction of his own big band "Mixiland Jazz Band".

The awards he earned from music critics have also led him to play in prestigious theatres and concert halls, both in Italy and abroad, as a soloist, in chamber groups and symphony orchestras, such as the Symphony Orchestra of Pesaro, the Symphony Orchestra of the "G.Verdi" Conservatory of Milan, the Villa-Lobos Orchestra of Paderno Dugnano, the Operà Ensemble of Milan. As a soloist clarinet, he took part in the final concert of the Festival Verdiano at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto (PR) in 2009. With Nuevos Aires, he has dedicated himself to the research and dissemination of the rhythms of the Folktangojazz of South America and has also collaborated with the Artchipel Orchestra conducted by Ferdinando Faraò.

Among the main jazz clubs and jazz festivals that have hosted Felice Clemente: the Blue Note in Milan (where he played 33 times), the Smalls Jazz club in New York, the Kitano Jazz club in New York, the Boston Jazz Festival, the Lily Pad jazz club in Boston, the Torino Jazz Festival, La Palma Club in Rome, Fano Jazz club, Stresa Seven in Jazz, the Jazz & Wine Cormons (GO), Val Tidone Festival, No Borders Italian Jazz Festival Gubbio, and many others.

He has been featured several times as a guest on the radio channels RAI3 (Piazza Verdi, Primo Movimento shows), Radio RAI International, Radio Marconi, Radio Popolare and Radio Classica and he has been the artistic director of the Crocevia di Suoni Jazz Festival in Agrate Brianza (2005- 2008) and the Blué Jazz Club in Cernusco sul Naviglio (MI) (2013/2014). In 2007, he also founded his own record label, the Crocevia di Suoni Records. He has worked in theatre as co-arranger of the musical La principessa Neghitò for the Teatro delle Erbe in Milan (2001). He is also the author of several advertising jingles for Seat Pagine Gialle.

Complete discography

As Leader

  • Felice Clemente, “SOLO”, Crocevia di Suoni Records - March 2020, CDS018
  • Mixiland Jazz band dir. Felice Clemente, Play Records Company - September 2018
  • Felice Clemente & Carlo Uboldi duo "Introspective", Music Center records - May 2018, BA402
  • Felice Clemente Quartet, “Mino Legacy”, Crocevia di Suoni Records - February 2017 CDS016 (Felice Clemente, Fabio Nuzzolese, Giulio Corini, Massimo Manzi).
  • Felice Clemente & Javier Pérez Forte, “Evolución” – Crocevia di Suoni Records - February 2016, CDS014
  • Felice Clemente Trio, “6:35 AM”, Crocevia di Suoni Records CDS010 - January 2015 (Felice Clemente, Paolino Dalla Porta, Massimo Manzi, guest Daniele di Gregorio).
  • Felice Clemente & Javier Pérez Forte, “Aire Libre” – Crocevia di Suoni Records - March 2012, CDS007
  • Felice Clemente Quartet, “Nuvole di Carta”, Crocevia di Suoni Records - February 2011, CDS005 (Felice Clemente, Massimo Colombo, Giulio Corini, Massimo Manzi).
  • Massimo Colombo – Felice Clemente, “Doppia Traccia”, Crocevia di Suoni Records -November 2010, CDS003
  • Felice Clemente Quintet, “Blue of Mine” 2008, Crocevia di Suoni Records – 2008, CDS002 (Felice Clemente, Massimo Colombo, Bebo Ferra, Giulio Corini, Massimo Manzi, Tino Tracanna, Antonello Monni).
  • Felice Clemente & Javier Pérez Forte, “Escaleras”, Crocevia di Suoni Records - September 2007.
  • Felice Clemente Quartet, “Live” 2006, Picanto records - February 2007, PIC 005 (Felice Clemente, Xavier Davis, Valerio Della Fonte, Quincy Davis).
  • Felice Clemente Quartet, “Perfect World”, Picanto records - February 2006, PIC 002 (Felice Clemente, Danny Grissett, Valerio Della Fonte, Gregory Hutchinson).
  • Felice Clemente, “Inside Me”, Splasc(h) records - May 2004, CDH928.2 (F. Clemente, M. Brioschi, R. Migliardi, M.Colombo, V. Della Fonte, M.Manzi, L.Stefanuto)
  • Felice Clemente Quintet, “Way Out Sud”, Splasc(h) records – 2003, CDH786.2 (F. Clemente, G.Falzone, M.Colombo, V.Della Fonte, Tommy Bradascio).

As Sideman

  • Adalberto Ferrari QM “Music Unleashed” – Nadad record 003 - April 2016.
  • Ferdinando Faraò & Archipel Orchestra “Play Soft Machine” – Musica Jazz Magazine, September 2014
  • Dario Cellamaro Swingsuite 5et” - special guest Stjepko Gut “Omaggio a Clark Terry” - Jazzit Magazine, >July/August 2014.
  • Claudia Cantisani “Storie d’amore non troppo riuscite” - Crocevia di Suoni Records.
  • Andrea Bandel Ensemble with Felice Clemente “Eight finger” – Decam tdd-Edel - June 2013
  • Walter Marocchi Mala Hierba “Alisachni”, Working Bee record - May 2013
  • Ferdinando Faraò & Artchipel Orchestra feat. Phil Miller “Never Odd or Even”, Music center records - 2012
  • Compilation “Dodici note per un Mattone” Academy for the Arts and Professions, Monza and Brianza - 2009.
  • Opera Ensemble dir. Gerardo Colella Casa Musicale Eco - 2007
  • Compilation for Jazz Magazine, August 2007
  • Roberto Favilla Jr., “Oi Dialogoi”, Splasc(h) records - 2006
  • Marco Trifilio e Sergio Gimigliano, “Wishlist”, Picanto Records - 2006
  • Valerio Della Fonte, “Per un istante”, Splasc(h) records - 2005