Winner of the “Massimo Urbani International Jazz Competition” & the “Vitavita Italian Young Talent”, Federico Milone is a Brussels based multi awarded Italian saxophonist, composer and educator.
Federico Milone began studying jazz in his hometown, Salerno, a seaside city in southern Italy, with saxophonists Jerry Popolo and Daniele Scannapieco. It was through listening to music in his city that he fell in love with jazz, later studying at the conservatories of Salerno, Ghent, and Brussels, where he graduated with honors and a special mention. He mastered his studies in Umbria Jazz during the International summer workshops where he won a Berklee College of Music scholarship.
From 2015 onwards, he collaborates with the Master drummer Tullio De Piscopo, participating in many tours and appearing on various famous Italian television shows.
He won the 1st prize at the Massimo Urbani International Jazz Competition ‘17 for Solo Artists (The presidents of the jury were Kurt Rosenwinkel and Fabrizio Bosso) and recorded his first album as a band leader called “Right Now” with the historic Italian jazz label Philology Records.
In 2018 he received the prestigious award Tomorrow’s Jazz by Veneto Jazz as one of the best young talents in Italy.
In 2020 he was selected for “AIR”, organized and financed by the Italian Jazz Association (MIDJ) and MIBACT (Italian Ministery of Culture Activity ) , a program which consisted in a one month artistic residency in Montréal (Canada) .
Thanks to this project, he had the opportunity to play his music at the Festival International de Jazz de Montrèal, in the Italian Istitute of Culture of Montrèal and Toronto
and in some of the most important clubs of the city ( Diese Onze Jazz Club, Upstairs Jazz Club, La Société jazz de Saint-Henri).
Since 2016, he has been leading his quartet, continuously seeking an authentic sound based on the composition of original pieces that bridge the origins of Southern Italy with the Northern Europe where he resides.
He has performed with his quartet at numerous festivals and clubs across Italy and Europe.
For several years, he has participated in the charity event “Il Jazz Italiano per le terre del sisma,” supporting the cities in central Italy affected by the earthquake.
He has also collaborated with the Italian Cultural Institute of Istanbul, representing Italian Jazz in Turkey. Additionally, the group opened two concerts during the Kenny Garrett Quartet Italian Tour 2017.
He recorded his latest album, Deux Moi, released by Filibusta Records on October 11, 2024. Deux Moi is an introspective work that seeks to narrate, through 11 original tracks, the emotions, joys, and sorrows viewed from two different perspectives of the same person.
The album was recorded at Jet Studio in Brussels with Emanuele Filippi on piano (Udine), Jasen Weaver on double bass (New Orleans), and Armando Luongo on drums. It was showcased during a tour in October across some of the most renowned clubs in Europe and Italy, featuring trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso for select performances in Italy. Deux Moi has been included by Jazzit magazine in the 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of 2024
In recent years, Federico Milone has performed at numerous prestigious jazz festivals and clubs, both as a soloist and with his quartet, including: Montrèal Jazz Festival (Canada); Toronto Jazz Festival (Canada); Rigas Ritmi Jazz Festival (Lettonia); Sounds Jazz Club (Belgio); JazzStation ( Belgio); Music Village (Belgio), Sunset Sunside Jazz Club ( Parigi); Diese Onze Jazz Club (Canada), UpstairsJazz Club (Canada), La Société jazz de Saint-Henri( Canada); Auditorium Parco della Musica (Roma); Umbria Jazz; Jazz italiano per le terre del sisma (L’Aquila); Macerata Jazz ; Fano Jazz Network (Fano); Jazzit Fest; Casa del Jazz (Roma); Locomotive Jazz Festival (Puglia); Jazz’About (Trento); Bologna Jazz Festival; Bravo Caffe; Il Moro Jazz Club (Cava); Istituto Di Cultura Di Istanbul; Istituto Di Cultura Di Montrèal; Istituto Di Cultura Di Toronto ect.
He has released four albums as a leader and co-leader and contributed to many others as a sideman.
Since 2019, he has been living in Brussels, where he maintains an active musical career both with his quartet and as a sideman in various European groups. He was also a trainee at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel as an assistant to Professor Jeroen Van Herzeele.
PRIZES
- Jazzit Awards 2024 Greatest Jazz Albums – (Deux Moi has been included by Jazzit magazine in the 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of 2024)
- Nexus 2025 (Cross-Border Mutual Mentorship for Emerging Jazz Musicians) Co-funded by the European Union
- Toots Thielemans Jazz Award 2022 ( Jasen Weaver quintet) Brussels
- A.I.R. artist residency 2019/20 – MIDJ/SIAE ( Festival International de Jazz de Montréal & Italian Cultural Istitute of Montréal ).
- Tomorrow’s Jazz 2018 prize – (Veneto Jazz)
- 1st place Massimo Urbani International Jazz Competition 2017
- Audience Award Massimo Urbani International Jazz Competition 2017
- VitaVita Prize “Italian Young Talent” 2017
- 3rd place at Bucharest Jazz Competition 2014
- Finalist at Barga Jazz Competition 2014
- 1st Place at “Campi Flegrei International Chamber Music Competition 2010”
