Sebi Tramontana
Born in 1960 in Rosolini, Sicily, Sebi Tramontana began studying the guitar as a child, then switched to sax playing in the S. Maltese groups and later to trombone. At the beginning of the 80s he moved to Rome and studied with G. Schiaffini at the “A. Casella” Conservatory in L’Aquila. In Rome he collaborated with M. Joseph, E. Colombo and M. Schiano and in 1986 he became a member of the New Talents Orchestra, performing at the Roccella Jonica Festival. In 1991 he moved to Munich, Germany. In 1993 he was awarded by the city of Munich his “Il Giorno del Santo”: composition for solo trombone, electronics and magnetic tape. He plays and records in duo with the German pianist G. Graewe and is also part of his quintet and orchestra. He plays and records with the German saxophonist and musicologist Ekkehard Jost, in duo with the saxophonist F. Gratkowski (“Instant Songs” Leo records) and with the XAXA quartet (S. Tramontana, M. Gustafsson, P. Wachsmann, P. Lovens) in Italy, Germany, France and Holland. During his career he has collaborated with many Italian and foreign musicians including P. Lovens, J. Leandre, C. Zingaro, K. Vandermark; he has been part of M. Gustafsson’s Nu Ensemble and J. Léandre’s European Quartet, with whom he continues to collaborate in other projects. In 1996 he was a guest of the Roman Free Jazz Group for their 30th anniversary. He has composed and performed music for dance, theatre and cinema. From 1991 to 2004 he was part of the Italian Instabile Orchestra playing in Europe, Japan, the United States and Canada. He participated in the Victoriaville Festival in Canada with M. Schiano, E. Parker, B. Guy and P. Lovens (“Social Security” Victo records). In 1999 he receives a scholarship from the City of Munich and stays for six weeks in Chicago, San Francisco and New York. In Chicago he performed in duo with G. Schiaffini at the Empty Bottle Festival (“Wind and slap” rudirecords) and in duo with J. Leandre at the Chicago Cultural Center (“It’s true” Leo records). He is in residence for three weeks at Empty Bottle with K. Vandermark, K. Kessler, F. L. Holm and T. Mulvenna. He plays with J. Baker, J. Bishop, M. Zerang, J. Corbett, T. Kapsalis and L. Mallozzi. Record the CD “Night People” a tribute to the trombonist D. Wells with F. L. Holm, J. Corbett, T. Kapsalis, K. Kessler and G. Gregorio. Record “Chicago Defenders” in duo with J. Bishop. Since the end of the nineties he has been performing in duo with P. Lovens and with the SUDO quartet together with J. Leandre, C. Zingaro and P. Lovens (“Sudo” nobusiness records). He plays and records in duo with the cellist Luca Tilli (“Down at the docks” Weinsist! records). He is part of Pipeline 8 by clarinetist and composer Giancarlo nino Locatelli (“Prayer” Weinsist! records).
Since 2017 he is part of the Quintet Moderne (H. Sjöstrom, T. Hauta Aho, P. Wachsmann, P. Lovens). He plays and records with the Portuguese cellist G. Rodrigues (“Han Jiae” inexhaustible editions).
In 2004 his drawings, together with works by P. W. Russel, H. Rammel, H. Bennink, P. Brötzmann and others, were exhibited in Chicago under the title Eye & Ear: Artwork by Musicians. Corbett Vs Dempsey Gallery.
He has exhibited in Amsterdam, Regensburg, Rome, Munich, Ruvo di Puglia, Warsaw and Novara.
Since 1993 he has taught at several Steinerian schools in Munich.
In 2012-2013 he holds a music improvisation course with students from the School of Music Therapy in Noto.
