In 2010, Federico Ferrandina and Stefano Torossi released Fabulous Sixties: Make Love Not War on Deneb Records, an album featuring fifteen original compositions, in addition to multiple versions, including “Woodstock Memorial,” “Blue Submarine,” “Oh Happy Gospel,” and “Jumping Stone.”

Federico Ferrandina and Stefano Torossi – Fabulous Sixties: Make Love Not War (2010) Deneb Records

Federico Ferrandina, a composer, guitarist, and arranger–who is also now conducting, joined composer-producer Torossi previously on their Guitarra: Acoustic – World Music – Folk album released by Primrose Music in 2009.

A video for Federico Ferrandina and Stefano Torossi’s “Make Love Not War” by Didi Franks was released at the beginning of 2014:

Fabulous Sixties: Make Love Not War features Alessandro Tibaldi on drums, Stefano Napoli on bass, Fabrizio Pieroni on piano and keyboards, and Giuseppe Russo on reeds. When asked recently about the inspiration for the album, Federico Ferrandina explains:

Stefano felt that in the Fabulous Sixties: Make Love Not War album, we needed to have a wide variety of 60s music. The album involved tributes of a sort to classic artists like The Rolling Stones and Carlos Santana (even if his music is mostly associated with the 70s).

Several tracks from Fabulous Sixties: Make Love Not War have been included in recent compilations including “Jumping Stone” and “Carlos Guitar (Instrumental)” on Just Let It Rock: 14 Top Classic Rock Songs (2014), a digital download from ExtraBall Records.

Various Artists – Just Let It Rock: 14 Top Classic Rock Songs (2014) ExtraBall Records

At the moment, it seems the video for the title track above is the only full song from this album online. However, 30-second preview clips for each song are available at believeband.com.

In 2009, Stefano Torossi first met Federico Ferrandina when attending some shows by songwriter-vocalist Chiara Moruccia in which Ferrandina was playing.

A video for Chiara Morucci’s “Il bacio dei pesci,” from her 2012 Qualcosa di Fondamenale album, featuring Federico Ferrandina, is on YouTube:

By the end of the year, Federico Ferrandina and Stefano Torossi had recorded and released their first album, Guitarra. The 2009 album of original compositions includes “Django Festival,” “Sun And Fun,” “Manouche Waltz,” “Sweet Tropics,” and “Paraguay,”

Federico Ferrandina and Stefano Torossi – Guitarra: Acoustic, World Music, Folk (2009) Primrose Music

The album also features “Mexican Mariachi,” an instrumental track that has been included in several compilations and was also used by director Jean-Marc Vallée for his film Dallas Buyers Club in 2013.

“Sun And Fun” was also included on the Bossa Pleasures: The Best of Samba & Bossa Nova Music (2014), a new compilation from ExtraBall Records.

Various Artists – Bossa Pleasures: The Best of Samba & Bossa Nova Music (2014) ExtraBall Records

“Spanish Melancholy” and “Gypsy Passion,” two more tracks taken from Federico Ferrandina and Stefano Torossi’s debut album, are on Guitars Go Classic: Modern Classical Compositions for Guitars (2014), another digital download from ExtraBall released in the summer of 2014.

Various Artists – Guitars Go Classic: Modern Classical Compositions For Guitars (2014) ExtraBall Records

The album has had tracks included on several additional albums in 2014 including “Bluegrass” on Country Nation: Best of American Country Music (2014), “Latin Milonga” and “Voice of Cuba” on Paso Latino: Dancing to Mambo, Salsa and Merengue (2014).

More From Federico Ferrandina

Federico Ferrandina

Federico Ferrandina’s songs and instrumental pieces have been used in independent and big budget movies and TV shows including several Polish programs and American productions such as USA Network’s Royal Pains in 2009, HBO’s Big Love and Lifetime’s Roseanne’s Nuts in 2010, and ABC’s Twisted in 2013.

Federico Ferrandina – Ask The Stars (2013) Deneb Records

An active recording artist, Federico has made more than a dozen albums including Ask The Stars (2013), What We Are (2012), Kiss & Pop (2012), and Green Horizon (2011). Click the photo to access his personal website.

“What We Are,” featuring Nicoletta Nardi on vocals, is on SoundCloud. Federico Ferrandina played and programmed each instrument on this original composition:

In 2012, Ferrandina recorded Kiss & Pop: Contemporary – Uplifting – Pop Rock, an album featuring Mia Schettino on vocals.

Federico Ferrandina – Kiss & Pop (2012) Deneb Records

Among the standout tracks this correspondent enjoys is “Wait.”

An audio file of “Wait,” featuring vocalist-composer-songwriter Mia Schettino, is on SoundCloud:

Federico Ferrandina has worked with a number of talented singers in the last several years, including several projects with vocalist Pilar. Currently, the two of them, along with vocalists Jasia Ries and Sara Jane Ceccerelli, are focused on getting the musical “You, Fascinating You,” ready for premiere in 2015. The musical, written by Ferrandina, is based on the book and lyrics of Germaine Shames.

“You, Fascinating You” a musical written by Federico Ferrandina opening in 2015

When asked recently about this project, Federico Ferrandina explained:

I just finished writing a musical drama with American writer Germaine Shames called “You, Fascinating You.” It examines the true story behind the famous Italian song “Tu, solamente tu” written by composer Pasquale Frustaci for Jewish-Hungarian dancer Margit Wolf, who was forced to leave Italy due to racist laws in Italy in 1938. It’s an amazing historical piece about love, war, dance, music, and a deep reflection on our mistakes.

An early peak at the overture and opening number from “You, Fascinating You,” a musical from the book and lyrics of Germaine Shames, with music by Federico Ferrandina and vocals by Jasia Ries, Sara Jane Ceccerelli, and Pilar, is on YouTube:

Between 2012 and 2014, Federico Ferrandina prepared a series of original orchestral arrangements featuring vocalist Pilar. Five of these live recordings were recently uploaded to YouTube:

Numerous performance clips and music videos of Federico Ferrandina are currently found online. One favorite of this correspondent made recently for an acoustic version of “Yellow” features Ferrandina and a new face on the music scene, singer-songwriter Jasmine Tommaso. The video by director Antonella Sabatino was filmed at Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo among other locations:

A sampler on YouTube showcases fifteen tracks of the music of guitarist-composer Fedrico Ferrandina, including six live performances:

• “Meant For You” with Nicoletta Nardi video by Didi Franks 2012
• “Paradigma” 2012
• “Milonga Sentimental” with Ana Karina Rossi live 2011
• “Passepartout” with Chiara Morucci album cut 2012
• Lady R Forrest backstage shoot 2013
• “More” with Pilar live 2011
• “Intermezzo n. 1” Mario Montore 2012
• “Say That You Will Again” with Mia Schettino album cut 2012
• “Crisalide” live 2009
• What We Are with Nicoletta Nardi album extracts 2012
• “Stains” with Mia Schettino video by Didi Franks 2012
• “Oblivion” with Marcela Szurkalo live 2012
• “Green Power” video by Didi Franks 2011
• The Haunted House live soundtrack 2008
• “Moon River” with Pilar live 2011