DA VINCI PUBLISHINGFace The Music

Additional information

Artist(s)	Anais Drago, Beatrice Sberna, Chaaran Sartori, Davide Sartori, Federico Calcagno, Francesca Remigi, The Dolphians
Composer(s)	Eric Dolphy, Federico Calcagno
EAN Code	0746160919249
Edition	Da Vinci Jazz
Format	1 Cd
Genre	Chamber, Instrumental
Instrumentation	Alto Saxiphone, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Contralto clarinet, Drums, Percussions, Piccolo clarinet, soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Vibraphone, Violin, Voice
Period	Contemporary
Publication year	2025

Description

The time has come for us to face the music: to look in the mirror and confront the responsibility for our actions—or inactions. This music is born from the joy of playing together, but also from reﬂections on our times, which seem to be slowly forgetting fundamental values such as dialogue, peace, humanity, respect, and freedom.
Six years after the release of our ﬁrst album From Another Planet, dedicated to the music of Eric Dolphy, this new work marks a step forward in the interplay, composition, improvisation, and stylistic direction of my longest-standing and dearest group.
The pieces were written over an extended period, from 2020 to 2024. In recent years, we’ve expanded our sonic palette by incorporating elements of world music as well as hip-hop, as can be heard throughout the album—without ever abandoning our artistic roots: Eric Dolphy, and more broadly, the spirit of innovation found in the jazz avant-garde of the early 1960s.
I would like to warmly thank Anais, Francesca, Davide, and Beatrice, who joined us as guest artists and brought their invaluable contributions; and above all Gianluca, Luca, Andrea, Stefano G., and Stefano Z. for always being present and giving your very best since the beginning of this shared journey. A special thank you also to Alessandro for taking such great care of our sound in the studio.

Artist(s)

Led by acclaimed clarinetist and composer Federico Calcagno, the Italian sextet Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians brings a fresh and imaginative voice to contemporary jazz, blending tradition with innovation.
Formed in 2018, the group draws inspiration from multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy.
Their debut album From Another Planet (2019) reimagined Dolphy’s Out to Lunch with striking creativity, marking the start of an evolving journey into uncharted sonic territories.

Described by All About Jazz as “the new bishop of the best Italian and European jazz,” Calcagno has garnered prestigious accolades, including the 2020 Giorgio Gaslini International Award and recognition as New Talent in Musica Jazz's Top Jazz 2020.
Under his direction, The Dolphians have developed a unique repertoire of original works defined by collective energy, deep interaction, and fearless experimentation. Their music bridges the soulful resonance of the 1960s Blue Note era with contemporary influences such as post-bop, avant-garde, Balkan music, world music, and hip-hop.

Committed to expanding Dolphy’s artistic vision, the group embraces imagination, spirituality, and social awareness as essential elements of their music.
After six years of artistic growth, the group presents its new album, Face the Music, which represents a major evolution in the ensemble’s sound and creative direction since their debut.

The core lineup features Federico Calcagno on clarinets, Gianluca Zanello and Luca Ceribelli on saxophones, Andrea Mellace on vibraphone, Stefano Zambon on double bass and Stefano Grasso on drums.
For this project, the ensemble expands its sonic palette with the contribution of special guests: violinist Anais Drago, drummer Francesca Remigi, vocalist Beatrice Sberna, and rapper Chaaran (Davide Sartori).
Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians have performed on prominent stages across Italy and Europe, including the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, JazzMi, Teatro Grande di Brescia, and NOSPR in Katowice, leaving a powerful mark on the international jazz scene.

Gianluca Zanello: Alto Sax
Luca Ceribelli: Tenor and Soprano Sax
Andrea Mellace: Vibraphone
Stefano Zambon: Double Bass
Stefano Grasso: Drums and percussions

Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians
Led by acclaimed clarinetist and composer Federico Calcagno, the Italian sextet Federico Calcagno & The Dolphians brings a fresh and imaginative voice to contemporary jazz, blending tradition with innovation.
Formed in 2018, the group draws inspiration from multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy.
Their debut album From Another Planet (2019) reimagined Dolphy’s Out to Lunch with striking creativity, marking the start of an evolving journey into uncharted sonic territories.

Composer(s)

Eric Dolphy
(b Los Angeles, 20 June 1928; d Berlin, 29 June 1964). American jazz alto saxophonist, bass clarinettist and flautist. After studying music at Los Angeles City College, he played the alto saxophone in Roy Porter’s band (1948–50). He then served in the US Army for two years, after which he transferred to the US Naval School of Music (1952–3). He returned to Los Angeles and joined Chico Hamilton’s quintet early in 1958. In New York he worked with Charles Mingus’s group (1959–60) and also played freelance a great deal and recorded his first albums as a leader; but thereafter he ceased to work steadily, even as his fame grew. In mid-1961 he led a quintet with the trumpeter Booker Little. He played in Europe on his own and during a brief spell with John Coltrane (to March 1962), then in November 1962 joined John Lewis’s Orchestra U.S.A. He spent the rest of his short career working freelance with Mingus, Lewis and Coltrane, though he also recorded as a leader, including Out to Lunch (1964, BN). He died after a heart attack occasioned by diabetes.

Dolphy was a highly versatile African American musician who played jazz but also performed third-stream music by Gunther Schuller and pieces such as Edgard Varèse’s Density 21.5 at the Ojai (California) Music Festival in 1962. This close link to 20th-century art music influenced his fondness for dissonant harmonies in jazz. His startling intonation, especially on the alto saxophone, reflected the acknowledged influence of Ornette Coleman, as well as his love of African and Indian music; he also imitated bird calls. As a jazz improviser Dolphy was unrivalled in his ability to leap fluently between traditional and avant-garde idioms. An intense, passionate improviser, he constantly surprised his listeners with his rapid flow of ideas and his unexpected phrasing and intervals. Perhaps his greatest contribution was his exploration of the bass clarinet as a medium for jazz improvisation; What Love, on the album Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (1960, Cand.), includes bass clarinet ‘conversations’ with Mingus. A volume of transcriptions of his solos, Dolphy Series Limited (Washington DC, n.d.) has been published by Andrew White.