Born in Rimini (Italy) in 1976, Damiano started playing the Clarinet at the age of 11, entering immediately in the “Filarmonica G. Garibaldi” of La Maddalena (Sardinia, Italy).
Just one year later, he discovered his real vocation for alto Saxophone and participated in a 5 months internship, at the Conservatory of Livorno “P. Mascagni” under the guidance of Professor Federico Mondelci.
At the same time, Damiano followed private lessons with the Jazz musician Dimitri Grechi Espinosa.
Later, Damiano moved to London for a year where he attended private classes and studied the basics of the English language.
Continuing to devote much of his time further broadening and developing his expertise, in 1994 he attended the “Scuola Popolare di Musica di Testaccio” in Rome and the following year, the school “Birdland”.
Since 1996, he began his current and more intense professional activity as part of the group “Altroquando” which participates, among other many other venues, in the noted International Festival “FIMU” in France.
In 2001 Damiano won a scholarship at the workshop “Nuoro Jazz” directed by great trumpeter Paolo Fresu. In 2002, he participated in the group “Crossnotes” at the International Festival “Time in Jazz”, directed by Paolo Fresu. The following year, always in Nuoro Jazz “, he won a second scholarship, in which they reached the finals of the “Massimo Urbani national” prize. During these years he continued his professional education, attending various courses and master classes with Miroslav Vitous, Airto Moreira, Butch Morris, George Garzone, URI Caine, Bruno Tommaso and Tino Tracanna.
Since 1997 Damiano has been living between Tuscany and Sardinia, alternating his time between teaching and performing. Not to mention his continued interest and participation in numerous artistic collaborations with noted Jazz musicians such as: Funk Off, Fantomatik Orchestra, Paolo Fresu, Barbara Casini, Fabrizio Bosso, Riccardo Fassi, Pietro Condorelli, Marco Tamburini, Nico Gori, Paolo Corsi, Franco Santarnecchi, Duccio Bertini and many others.
In addition, he continues to perform in many festivals; among those: Arezzo summer jazz, Nuoro Jazz, JazzinSardegna, Jazz-e-Vento, F.I.M. U, Tra-monti Jazz, Taphros Jazz Festival, Multiculturita, ElbaJazz, Mediterraneo Jazz Festival, Piacenza Jazz fest, Umbria Jazz 07 – 11, Time in Jazz and others.
Damiano further collaborates with the Worldwide famous marching band “Funk off” and plays Alto sax in the “Rainbow jazz Orchestra” directed by M° Duccio Bertini with witch he recorded in a cd published in Spain and Japan:
Rainbow Jazz Orchestra
“A view on standards”
2014
In addition to performing in “Solo” and “Duet” with pianist Simone Graziano, he plays in two formations with his name: Damiano Niccolini “Trio” and “Quartet” and he plays with the Dutch pianist Colijn Buis in his “Colijn buis Italian Quartet” touring in Italy and Netherlands During the 2010-11.
Damiano collaborates with several djs and he likes to explore the potential of sinths and electronic sounds with the
Akai E.W.I. (Electric Wind Instrument).
Damiano also performs frequently with the pianist Luigi Campoccia in a very popular duet and over the years, in some theatrical and musical projects including his personal arrangements. This final collaboration eventually culminated in the making of the CD “Walking About Jazz” released in March 2009 with Marco Tamburini, Paolo Corsi and Rossano Gasperini.
From November 2014 to May 2015 Damiano as been playing in Taiwan
for a 6 mounts contract in the jazz club “Mirage” situated in the top floor of the Body Palace in Taichung City with a six piece band.
Also worth noting are Damiano’s collaborations and recordings with pop Artists like Simone Cristicchi, Erica Boschiero, Chris Wyatt Scott and others.
Currently, Damiano is working in Taiwan on French saxophone, trumpet and flugelhorn player Olivier Baron’s project called 4 Jazzmen witch includes touring in Taiwan, Japan, Italy and Spain during 2016 and plan to record an album in october.
