adEIdJ – Associazione delle Etichette Indipendenti di Jazz

Press Release

• PRESS RELEASE
Prodotto da Dodicilune, distribuito in Italia e all’estero da IRD e nei principali store online da BELIEVE DIGITAL, mercoledì 26 agosto 2026 esce “Kaleidoscope: Music for imaginary films“, il nuovo e ambizioso progetto discografico, su triplo CD, del compositore e polistrumentista Adriano Clemente. 

Un lavoro originale, sia nel concept dell’intera opera che nella scrittura e negli arrangiamenti, che raccoglie 38 composizioni scritte nell'arco di oltre cinquant'anni, offrendo una sintesi del percorso artistico di Adriano Clemente. Attraverso paesaggi sonori evocativi e "film immaginari", l'opera intreccia jazz, rock progressivo, avanguardia, minimalismo, musica afro-cubana e tradizione classica indiana, rendendo anche omaggio a figure fondamentali come Terry Riley, Igor Stravinsky e Frank Zappa. Un viaggio musicale libero da confini stilistici, in cui ogni composizione diventa un racconto aperto all'immaginazione dell'ascoltatore, per un totale di oltre 2 ore e mezzo di musica. 

L’esecuzione delle composizioni è affidata, come nei precedenti lavori discografici, alla “Akashmani Ensemble”, una nutrita formazione orchestrale contemporanea a vocazione jazzistica, che vede la partecipazione di numerosi artisti abituali e diversi ospiti d’eccezione: Adriano Clemente percussion, valve trombone, trombone, glockenspiel, oboe, darbuka, organ, venezuelan harp, pocket trumpet; Sergio Vitale trumpet; Massimo Pirone trombone, tuba; Daniele Tittarelli alto sax, soprano sax; Marco Guidolotti baritone sax, tenor sax, clarinet; Alessandra D’andrea flute, piccolo, alto flute; Lucio Perotti piano; Francesco Pierotti double bass; Gianluca Manfredonia marimba, vibraphone; Francesco De Rubeis drums; Bernardino Penazzi cello.

Gli ospiti: Arturo Stalteri piano; Massimiliano Filosi tenor sax, alto sax, flute; Claudio Graziano, trumpet; Giulio Scarpato double bass; Riccardo Cavalieri viola; Michele Lanzini cello; Gaetano Schipani oboe; Fabrizio Aiello clave, congas, timbales, cowbell, bongos, shekere, surdo; Aldo Milani baritone sax, tenor sax, flute; Piero Bronzi alto sax; Andrea Lagi trumpet, flugelhorn; Federico Manini trombone; Alberto Solari trombone; Felice Tazzini piano; Riccardo Butelli drums, percussion; Eduardo Silveira congas; Deivyis Rubalcaba timbales; Emilio Jimenez cuatro.

• PRESS RELEASE (English)
Produced by Dodicilune, distributed in Italy and abroad by IRD and in major online stores by BELIEVE DIGITAL, “Kaleidoscope: Music for imaginary films”, the new and ambitious album project on a triple CD by composer and multi-instrumentalist Adriano Clemente, is due for release on Wednesday 26 August 2026.

An original work, both in the concept of the entire album and in the composition and arrangements, it brings together 38 compositions written over a period of more than fifty years, offering a synthesis of Adriano Clemente’s artistic journey. Through evocative soundscapes and “imaginary films”, the work weaves together jazz, progressive rock, avant-garde, minimalism, Afro-Cuban music and the Indian classical tradition, whilst also paying tribute to key figures such as Terry Riley, Igor Stravinsky and Frank Zappa. A musical journey free from stylistic boundaries, in which each composition becomes a narrative open to the listener’s imagination, totalling over two and a half hours of music.

As with previous albums, the compositions are performed by the “Akashmani Ensemble”, a large contemporary orchestral ensemble with a jazz focus, featuring numerous regular performers and several special guests: Adriano Clemente percussion, valve trombone, trombone, glockenspiel, oboe, darbuka, organ, venezuelan harp, pocket trumpet; Sergio Vitale trumpet; Massimo Pirone trombone, tuba; Daniele Tittarelli alto sax, soprano sax; Marco Guidolotti baritone sax, tenor sax, clarinet; Alessandra D’andrea flute, piccolo, alto flute; Lucio Perotti piano; Francesco Pierotti double bass; Gianluca Manfredonia marimba, vibraphone; Francesco De Rubeis drums; Bernardino Penazzi cello.

Guests: Arturo Stalteri piano; Massimiliano Filosi tenor sax, alto sax, flute; Claudio Graziano, trumpet; Giulio Scarpato double bass; Riccardo Cavalieri viola; Michele Lanzini cello; Gaetano Schipani oboe; Fabrizio Aiello clave, congas, timbales, cowbell, bongos, shekere, surdo; Aldo Milani baritone sax, tenor sax, flute; Piero Bronzi alto sax; Andrea Lagi trumpet, flugelhorn; Federico Manini trombone; Alberto Solari trombone; Felice Tazzini piano; Riccardo Butelli drums, percussion; Eduardo Silveira congas; Deivyis Rubalcaba timbales; Emilio Jimenez cuatro.

• BIO
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Adriano Clemente was born in Lecce in 1958 and grew up in Naples. Although he did not receive formal musical training in childhood, he began playing guitar and piano at an early age and composed his first songs in the early 1970s. In 1974, he started setting poems by William Blake to music, and later formed a band that performed in Naples and Rome between 1978 and 1980. In 1982, he began studying Indian classical music, focusing on the sarod and training in the khyal vocal style. In 1986, he collaborated with Costantino Albini on the soundtrack for the television film *Cinque Piccoli Indiani*, directed by Paolo Brunatto. In 1991, he further deepened his knowledge of Indian ragas through the study of the dhrupad vocal tradition with Ritwick Sanyal. In 1996, Amiata Records released the audio cassette *Akashmani: Across the Sky* (ARNR 2496), featuring minimalist compositions performed on Yamaha and Roland keyboards. In 2000, he began formal studies in piano and jazz harmony, and subsequently took up the saxophone. In the following years, he also studied trumpet and trombone. In 2011, he founded the Akashmani Jazz Ensemble, which performed at various venues until 2014. In April 2015, *The Mingus Suite*, his first extended work, was recorded in Rome by an Italian all-star ensemble. The CD was released in May 2016 (Dodicilune ED357) and received wide critical acclaim. In December 2015, he recorded a series of compositions in Havana with leading Cuban musicians, including pianist Leyanis Valdés, granddaughter of Bebo Valdés. The album *Havana Blue* was released in February 2017 (Fonosfere by Dodicilune FNF111). During a second trip to Havana in December 2016, he recorded *Cuban Fires*, conceived as a sequel to his first Latin jazz project. It was released in July 2018 (Fonosfere by Dodicilune FNF114). In the summer of 2021, he invited renowned tenor saxophonist David Murray and drummer Hamid Drake to participate in the recording of his large-scale composition *The Coltrane Suite*. The work was recorded in Rome in September and released as a double CD titled *The Coltrane Suite and Other Impressions* in May 2023 (Dodicilune ED542), receiving excellent reviews in Italy and internationally. Since 2024, he has been recording his compositions written in a post-minimalist and contemporary style, including music for strings which appears on the CD *The Gift: Music for Strings*, released in 2026 (Aulicus Classics, ALC 0166). His deep interest in diverse musical traditions is reflected in a compositional voice that moves fluidly across genres, transcending stylistic boundaries.

Track List

• TRACKLIST

DISC 1 Kaleidoscope
1. Kaleidoscope I
2. Airflight
3. Cospiti
4. Kaleidoscope II
5. Harmonics
6. Tic Toc
7. Entrance
8. Kaleidoscope III
9. Slow, Intense, Blueness
10. The Chase
11. Kaleidoscope IV
12. A Christmas Carol
13. Peach Blossoms
14. Kaleidoscope V

DISC 2 Akashmani
15. Maharaj Express
16. Journey Through The Summer (Intro)
17. Journey Through The Summer
18. Children’s Dance
19. Dolphins
20. On The Beach
21. A Toy
22. Roundabout
23. Reverie
24. Waves
25. Old Dreams (For Terry Riley)

DISC 3 Children Of Africa
26. Afro Brand
27. Deconstructing The Blues
28. Tapestry
29. Children Of Africa
30. El Gato
31. May Blossom
32. Arimacoa
33. Pictures Of La Habana
34. Algo Mas
35. El Barrio Chino
36. Calles De Noche
37. Solar
38. Ultimo Cuadro

• COMPOSITIONS BY
All compositions and arrangements by Adriano Clemente

Personnel

• PERSONNEL
Akashmani Ensemble:
Adriano Clemente percussion, valve trombone, trombone, glockenspiel, oboe, darbuka, organ, venezuelan harp, pocket trumpet; Sergio Vitale trumpet; Massimo Pirone trombone, tuba; Daniele Tittarelli alto sax, soprano sax; Marco Guidolotti baritone sax, tenor sax, clarinet; Alessandra D’andrea flute, piccolo, alto flute; Lucio Perotti piano; Francesco Pierotti double bass; Gianluca Manfredonia marimba, vibraphone; Francesco De Rubeis drums; Bernardino Penazzi cello.

guests:
Arturo Stalteri piano; Massimiliano Filosi tenor sax, alto sax, flute; Claudio Graziano, trumpet; Giulio Scarpato double bass; Riccardo Cavalieri viola; Michele Lanzini cello; Gaetano Schipani oboe; Fabrizio Aiello clave, congas, timbales, cowbell, bongos, shekere, surdo; Aldo Milani baritone sax, tenor sax, flute; Piero Bronzi alto sax; Andrea Lagi trumpet, flugelhorn; Federico Manini trombone; Alberto Solari trombone; Felice Tazzini piano; Riccardo Butelli drums, percussion; Eduardo Silveira congas; Deivyis Rubalcaba timbales; Emilio Jimenez cuatro.

Recording Data

• PRODUCTION DATA
Total time 154:51 STEREO DDD
? 2026 DODICILUNE (Italy)
© 2026 DODICILUNE (Italy)
www.dodicilunedischi.it
CD DODICILUNE DISCHI Ed620
8059772566209

• RECORDING DATA
Produced by Adriano Clemente and Maurizio Bizzochetti, Dodicilune. Recorded by Clive Simpson at Extrabeat Recording Studio, Rome, Italy, in May, June, and July 2024 (CD 1 & 2; CD 3: 1-5, 8-9). Recorded by Piero Lanza at Music Factory Studio, Grosseto, Italy, in October and November 2025 (CD 3: 6, 7, 10-13). Edited by Adriano Clemente and Piero Lanza (2024-2026). Mixed and mastered by Piero Lanza. Cover and booklet paintings by Zoe Sued.

• EXTRA NOTES
I wish to thank all the musicians who took part in these recordings, especially those who with great generosity put so much effort into navigating the complicated passages of the five *Kaleidoscopes*. Thanks to Clive Simpson for recording most of the compositions with diligent skill, and in particular to Piero Lanza, with whom I edited the tracks for nearly two years; without him, the music you are about to hear would not sound as it does today. Heartfelt thanks also to Maurizio Bizzochetti at Dodicilune, to my wife Dina for her endless support, to Zoe Sued for her beautiful paintings, and to everyone who contributed to the crowdfunding.