F2: Remigi & Calcagno Duo (eng)

Bergamo Jazz Memories

Machine World – Live at Jazz Pills 2022

Sand Castle – Live at Jazz Pills 2022

F² LINE UP

Federico Calcagno: bass clarinet, electronics
Francesca Remigi: drums, electronics

F2 BIO

“Nuova Generazione Jazz 2021” and Top Jazz (Musica Jazz) winners Francesca Remigi and Federico Calcagno find themselves sharing the scene again by presenting a new anomalous and intriguing electro-acoustic duo.
Although bass clarinet and drums is not one of the most common line-ups, the fusion of such singular personalities and the intimacy that blossoms from it guide the listener into an oniric dimension where you can easily forget to be listening to those instruments.
The musicians’ creative need and the constant research of personal musical approaches generate an involving sonic experience, characterized by a wide variety of timbre and dynamic nuances. The duo focuses on how to make music in the present, through instant composing practices and the re-elaboration of original compositions. It gives room to different music influences and ranges from jazz to electronic and contemporary music.
The Duo performed for Bergamo Jazz Memories 2021, organized by Teatro Donizetti Foundation, for Il Jazz Italiano per le Terre del Sisma 2021 and Bergamo Jazz 2022 (Jazz Pills).

Federico Calcagno (1995) is a clarinet and bass clarinet player, creative jazz musician and composer from Milan, Italy, and currently active between Italy and The Netherlands.
“The new bishop of the best Italian Jazz” [A. Bazzurro, All About Jazz] has considered on of the most exciting clarinet players and creative musicians of the young generation.
As composer, Federico regularly writes music for his bands: Liquid Identities, Piranha, The Dolphians, Fade in Trio. His compositional style is a mixed between creative-expressive jazz and post modern classical music, with particular attention to the rhythmic aspect, influenced by classical Indian music from south of India (Carnatic Music) and African music.
As leader and co-leader, Federico has released three albums and one EP till now: From Another Planet (2019), Liquid Identities (2020), Urlo d’Ebano (2021), Piranha(2021).

Federico studied classical and jazz clarinet at Milan Conservatory, and in 2019 he graduated in Jazz Master in bass clarinet at Amsterdam Conservatory and attended the International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Canada), directed by Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey.
In the academic year 2020-2021 Federico was the teacher of the subject “Analysis and Application of Advanced Rhythm Techniques” at Conservatorio Vittadini, Pavia (Italy) and taught “Jazz Clarinet” at Cosenza Conservatorio as well.

Federico has been active between Amsterdam, Milan and Bruxelles. He’s the leader of the bands The Dolphians, Liquid Identities, and co-leader of Fade in Trioand Piranha. He regularly plays as sideman in the bands Noneto Disconcertante, Aviv Noam Quartet, Amsterdam Modern Orkest (AM.OK), Adrian Moncada Sextet, Francesca Remigi’s Archipelagos, and played with Tino Tracanna’s Double Cut and Giovanni Falzone’s Contemporary Orchestra. In 2019, he developed interests in the rhythms of Carnatic music and in the world of the Conduction as instant composition: with Stab Freeze Collective Federico found and developed common elements between “Butch” Morris’ Conduction, Walter Thompson’s Soundpainting and Frank Zappa’s way, demonstrating how a limited dictionary of gestures can be applied on a small orchestra with success.

Boston-based musician, Francesca Remigi is a polyhedric drummer, an inquisitive improviser and a visionary composer from Bergamo, Italy. Nuova Generazione Jazz 2021 (ItaliaJazz) and Top Jazz 2022 (Musica Jazz) winner, Francesca is known for her international collaborations in the avant-garde and free improv jazz scene featuring musicians such as Steve Lehman, Danilo Perez, Kris Davis, George Garzone, Val Jeanty, Immanuel Wilkins, Marion Hayden, Ellen Rowe, Sharel Cassity, Joachim Florent, Bruno Chevillon and many others, with appearances at EFG London Jazz Festival 2020, Panama Jazz Festival 2022, Vermont Jazz Festival 2021 and DC Jazz Festival 2021.

Francesca’s main project Archipélagos has performed in festivals and venues all over Europe (So What’s Next? Festival 2021, Bergamo Jazz Festival 2021, Ambria Jazz Festival 2021, Novara Jazz, Sile Jazz,…). It has won several jazz competitions such as Barga Jazz Contest 2021 and All You Have to do is Play 2019, and it was also one of the finalists of the Maastricht Jazz Awards 2020 and of the Gexto Jazz Competition 2022. Archipélagos’ first album Il Labirinto Dei Topi was published in 2021, “one of the most exciting debut albums I’ve heard in recent memory” according to Steve Lehman. Francesca’s second album The Human Web was released March 2022. In Linda May Han Oh’s words, “Francesca is a bold and vibrant musical force.The Human Web’s compositions are edgy, thoughtful, and played with a compelling fervor that insists that you come along for the ride. A ride that I can guarantee is well worth it.”

Berklee Global Jazz Institute alumna Francesca Remigi is one of the founders of the independent label “Habitable Records” and she’s also working for The Jazz Gallery in NYC. She has also participated in many different mentorship programs and artistic residencies, such as UmbriaJazz 2012, SienaJazz 2018, Banff Jazz Residency 2019 directed by Vijay Yier and Tyshawn Sorey, La Casa del Jazz Artistic Residency 2020, organized by MIDJ association, and “Mutual Mentorship for Musicians” (M3) program, run by vocalists Jen Shyu and Sara Serpa.