Born on August, 9 1974 in Milan.
He developed his passion for music in the family circle, under the guidance of his grandfather, who taught clarinet.
He continued to study clarinet at the Conservatorio G. Verdi in Milan, where he obtained a first-class degree with M° L. Tessari; afterwards, he attended the two year post-diploma training program.
At the same time, his discovery of jazz and the saxophone lead him to pursue its study with saxophonists Paolo Tomelleri, Pietro Tonolo and Tino Tracanna.
He obtained a first class degree in jazz music with M° Tino Tracanna at the Conservatorio G. Verdi in Milan.
In Milan, in 2001, he attended the Masterclass in jazz arrangement taught by Corrado Guarino and, in 2002, the jazz Masterclass taught by Dave Liebman and Massimo Colombo.
In 2005 he obtained the teacher certification for “classi di concorso 31 e 32 A”.
At 40, his recording activity can already claim 10 records as a leader and co-leader and 13 records as a sideman, plus a hectic concert activity.
AWARDS
As a clarinetist he came in first at the Concorso Internazionale di Musica “Premio Ispra” (Va) in 1991, the Concorso Nazionale di clarinetto “Vito di Lena” of Segni (Rm) in 1994, the Torneo Internazionale di Musica T.I.M. Erba (Co) in 1997.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FROM SPECIALIZED MAGAZINES
He has had many reviews and recognitions in Italian and foreign magazines specialized in record productions.
He has been described by Enzo Siciliano in Repubblica as “the best young Italian saxophonist”, and by Cadence magazine (USA) “a talent destined to make jazz history”.
He has been voted as one of the best saxophonists of the year in the referendum TOP JAZZ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 organized by the magazine "Musica Jazz", JAZZIT AWARD 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 organized by the magazine “Jazzit” magazine.
His CD "Nuvole di Carta" recently published by Crocevia di Suoni Records was reviewed with four stars on DOWNBEAT (USA) and on JAZZ JOURNAL (UK).
MUSIC COLLABORATIONS
In addition to his own usual musicians, he has collaborated with artists that are amongst the greatest on the national and international scene, such as Gregory Hutchinson, Xavier Davis, Eliot Zigmund, Danny Grissett, Ugonna Ogekwo, Jimmy Greene, Quincy Davis, Asaf Sirkis, Yuri Goloubev, Ken Field, Stjepko Gut, Paolino Dalla Porta, Marco Tamburini, Massimo Morriconi, Marco Brioschi, Paolo Birro, Tino Tracanna, Massimo Colombo, Massimo Manzi, Sandro Gibellini, Bebo Ferra, Pietro Condorelli, Stefano Di Battista, Andrea Dulbecco, Stefano Bagnoli, Riccardo Fioravanti, Ferdinando Faraò, Rudy Migliardi, Massimo Morganti, Geggè Munari, Antonio Faraò, Ellade Bandini, Giorgio Rosciglione, Antonio Zambrini, Pietro Lussu, Roberto Cecchetto, Claudio Fasoli, Carmelo Leotta, Guido Bombardieri, Tullio De Piscopo, Laura Fedele, Sergio Orlandi, Massimo Pintori, Bruno De Filippi, Luigi Martinale, Amalia Grè, Daniele di Gregorio, Alberto Mandarini, Carlo Uboldi, Giovanni Falzone, Stefano Bertoli, Javier Perez Forte, Francesco D’Auria, Montecarlo Night Orchestra e Nick The Nightfly.
ENSEMBLES AND PROJECTS
As of now he directs his own quartet (with Massimo Colombo, Giulio Corini and Massimo Manzi), which sometimes is expanded to a quintet with Bebo Ferra's presence.
He directs his own trio with Paolino Dalla Porta and Massimo Manzi.
He co-directs the duo with Javier Pérez Forte.
He co-directs the duo with Massimo Colombo.
ORCHESTRAS' COLLABORATIONS
The acknowledgements from musical critics lead him to a hectic concert activity in prestigious theaters and concert halls in Italy and abroad, as a solo artist as well as in camera ensembles and symphonic orchestras such as the Orchestra Sinfonica of Pesaro, the Orchestra Sinfonica del Conservatorio “G.Verdi” of Milan, the Orchestra Villa-Lobos of Paderno Dugnano, the Operà Ensemble of Milan, and to collaborate with the lyrical singers Daniela Dessì, Fabio Armigliato and Barbara Costa and the pianist-orchestra director Marco Boemi.
In 2009 he was a solo clarinetist at the finale concert of the Festival Verdiano at Teatro Verdi in Busseto (PR).
He collaborates with Nuevos Aires in researching and spreading Folktangojazz's rythms from South America.
He collaborates with Artchipel Orchestra directs Ferdinando Faraò.
PLACES, FESTIVALS AND SHOWS
Amongst the jazz clubs e jazz festivals that featured him as a guest: Blue note of Milan (where he has played several times), Smalls Jazz club di New York, Kitano Jazz club di New York, Consolato Generale Argentino di New York, Boston Jazz Festival, Lily Pad jazz club di Boston, La Palma club di Roma, Fano Jazz club, Padova jazz club, Terni in jazz fest, Classicum jazz di Roma, Borgo jazz Club di Genova, Ronciglione jazz festival Viterbo, Festival Internazionale della Basilicata “Gezziamoci” Matera, Grado Festival "Ospiti d'Autore", Ah-Um Jazz Festival Milano, Iseo Jazz Festival, “Il Ritmo delle Città” jazz Festival Milano, Open jazz Varese, Rassegna “Note Sotto l’Arco” Milano Crocevia di suoni Agrate B.za (MI), No Borders Italian Jazz Festival Gubbio, Brianza Open Festival Monza, Peperoncino jazz festival Diamante (CS), Cosenza jazz festival, Lario jazz & Blues festival, RAM festival Senigallia (AN) ……etc.
DISCOGRAPHY
Felice Clemente Trio
“ 6:35 AM “
Crocevia di Suoni Records
CDS010
gennaio 2015
(Felice Clemente, Paolino Dalla Porta, Massimo Manzi, guest Daniele di Gregorio).
Felice Clemente & Javier Pérez Forte
“Aire Libre”
Crocevia di Suoni Records
CDS007
marzo 2012
Felice Clemente Quartet
“Nuvole di Carta”
Crocevia di Suoni Records
febbraio 2011
CDS005
(Felice Clemente, Massimo Colombo, Giulio Corini, Massimo Manzi).
Massimo Colombo – Felice Clemente
“Doppia Traccia”
Crocevia di Suoni Records
CDS003
novembre 2010.
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 Perez Forte
“Escaleras”
Crocevia di Suoni records
settembre 2007.
Felice Clemente Quartet
“Live”
2006
Picanto records
febbraio 2007
PIC 005
(Felice Clemente, Xavier Davis, Valerio Della Fonte, Quincy Davis).
Felice Clemente Quartet
“Perfect World”
Picanto records
febbraio 2006
PIC 002
(Felice Clemente, Danny Grissett, Valerio Della Fonte, Gregory Hutchinson)
Felice Clemente
“Inside Me”
Splasc(h) records
maggio 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).
RECORDING COLLABORATIONS AS A SIDEMAN
- Ferdinando Faraò & Archipel Orchestra "Play Soft Machine" – Musica Jazz Magazine numero di settembre 2014
- Dario Cellamaro Swingsuite 5et" - special guest Stjepko Gut "Omaggio a Clark Terry" – Jazzit Magazine numero di luglio/agosto 2014.
- Claudia Cantisani “Storie d’amore non troppo riuscite” – Crocevia di Suoni Records CDS008 2014.
- Andrea Bandel Ensemble with Felice Clemente “Eight finger” - Decam tdd-Edel giugno 2013
- Walter Marocchi Mala Hierba “Alisachni” – Working Bee record maggio 2013
- Ferdinando Faraò & Archipel Orchestra featuring Phil Miller "Never Odd or Even" - Music center records 2012
- Compilation “dodici note per un mattone” Accademia delle arti e professioni di Monza e Brinza 2009.
- Opera Ensemble dir. Gerardo Colella Casa Musicale Eco 2007
- Compilation di Jazz Magazine n. agosto 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
- Oliviero Biella Accade pÖl das FolkClub Ethnosuoni 2004
RADIO
He has been a recurring guest of radio broadcasts of RAI3 (Piazza Verdi, Primo Movimento), Radio RAI International , Radio Marconi, Radio Popolare e Radio Classica.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Since 1999 he teaches music in middle schools in several schools.
From 1998 to 2008 he has been a saxophone teacher at Istituto Europeo Musicale (ISME) in Milan.
Since 2008 he teaches saxophone, harmony, ensemble music and music writing at CPM (Centro professione musica) in Milano.
Since 2009 he teaches clarinet and saxophone for the project “Orchestra giovanile Pepita” sponsored by the municipality of Milan.
Since 2006 he has created and is directing the Big Band Mixieland Jazz Band of Milano where he coordinates the classes and laboratories of improvisation and jazz pronunciation.
He has been promoting several projects to advance jazz culture, and since 2002 he holds seminars on jazz history for the municipalities of Agrate Brianza and Vimercate (MB).
In 2006 he held the Master class of saxophone for the association of Festival Internazionale della Basilicata “Gezziamoci” in Matera.
ARTISTIC DIRECTIONS
From 2005 to 2008 he was the founder and artistic director of Crocevia di suoni jazz festival of Agrate Brianza (MI).
In 2007 he created his own record label Crocevia di suoni records.
THEATER MUSIC
In 2001 he was the composer and co-arranger for the musical La principessa Neghitò for the Teatro delle Erbe in Milan.
TV THEME MUSIC
Author of commercial jingles for Seat Pagine Gialle.
WEBSITES
http://www.feliceclemente.com/
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