Calibro 35 is a cinematic funk Italian band formed in 2007 in Milan. The band has released four albums and several movie soundtracks. Different songs from the band have been sampled into hip hop productions including Dr. Dre's "Compton and Jay Z's "Picasso Baby".
Biography
The band started in 2007 when Italian producer Tommaso Colliva and guitarist Massimo Martellotta invited Enrico Gabrielli, Luca Cavina and Fabio Rondanini to what was supposed to be a five days long one-off studio project re-recording obscure music from Italian exploitation movie soundtracks. First self titled "Calibro 35" album was released worldwide by Cinedelic Records in 2008. The album mostly contains re-works of 1970's soundtracks by genre's Maestros such as Ennio Morricone, Armando Trovajoli and Luis Bacalov but also first original compositions by the band. The unexpected critical acclaim the album received led the band to perform the project live too, touring Italy and Europe. Live concerts proved to be even more successful than the album with the band winning "Best Italian Tour" award at PIMI/MEI 2009. The same year the group embarked on its first tour in the United States. Calibro 35 played at HitWeek Festival in Los Angeles and at Nublu and Zebulon in New York City. They also performed on Jason Bentley's radio showMorning Becomes Eclectic on KCRW: one of the most important broadcasts of live music in the United States. In September they co-headlined closing event of Milan Film Festival with Australian band Jet. In February 2010 second album Ritornano quelli di... was released by Ghost Records in Europe and by Nublu Records in the United States. The album contains several original songs written and recorded as soundtrack for American documentary "Eurocrime". One of the songs from the album, "Uh Ah Brrr", has been used as ending titles music of Hollywood blockbuster movie Red starring Bruce Willis and John Malkovich. During the same year Calibro 35 recorded its first full length soundtrack for Italian/Spanish Production "SAID" at Ennio Morricone's studios in Rome. On June 8, 2010 they opened English rock band Muse concert at San Siro Stadium in Milan. In September, they won "Best Band 2010" at Keep On Music Awards. In October Calibro 35 played CMJ Festival in New York. Back in the US to play SXSW Festival in Austin in Spring 2011, the band decided to stop at Mission Sound and Brooklyn Recordings Studios in New York to record the third album. The album, titled "Any Resemblance To Real Persons Or Actual Facts Is Purely Coincidental", was released in February 2012 by Nublu Records in the US and by Tannen Records/Rough Trade Distribution in Europe. The title track of the album would be sampled by Dr. Dre for his Compton in 2015. In summer 2012 Calibro 35 opened for Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings in Bari. In March 2013 the band travelled to Brazil for Nublu Jazz Festival, sharing stage with The Headhunters, Roy Ayers and Robert Glasper's Experiment. On June 29 Calibro 35 opened again for Muse at Olympic Stadium in Turin. In October a new album, Traditori di tutti, was released worldwide by Record Kicks. For the first time the album contains only original music. After the album release the band embarked in another extensive tour playing in all major European cities. In 2014 Italian public national broadcasterRai Radio 1 commissioned all its jingles and library music to the band. Meanwhile, the band scored its second full length soundtrack for Italian Movie "Sogni di Gloria / Daydreaming", awarded as "Best Feature Movie" at Houston Film Fest and Rome Independent Film Fest. On 6th Nov. 2015 the 4th studio album, called S.P.A.C.E., was released, which is the soundtrack for a fictional science fiction film. On 2nd Feb. 2018 the 5th studio album, called Decade, was released.
Sampling
Several songs of the band have been sampled into modern style productions. Most notably "Ogni riferimento A Fatti Realmente Accaduti" has been sampled by Dr. Dre on "One Shot One Kill "; "Il Consigliori" has been sampled by Jay Z on "Picasso Baby", "Una Stanza Vuota" has been sampled by Child of Lov on "One Day "; "Eurocrime" has been sampled by Demigodz on "Summer of Sam".
