Albenga Jazz Festival

Albenga Jazz Festival

After three years of limitations determined by Covid, this year the "Albenga Jazz Festival" organized by the association "Le Rapalline in Jazz APS" with the patronage of the Municipality of Albenga will return, for its evening highlights, in the splendid setting of Piazza San Michele.
The event will be held on 22, 23 and 24 August in the historic center of Albenga, with a preview on 1 August in the San Michele Cathedral.


In addition to the three evening concerts not to be missed also the afternoon events that for all three afternoons will bring the great emotions of Jazz music to Piazza Trincheri .


The Festival will also be anticipated by the Serassi organ music concert of the Cathedral of Maestro Andrea Verrando which will be held on August 1st at 9.30 pm in the Cathedral of San Michele in Albenga. The event is organized in collaboration with the Vallinmusica association and with the Festivalcontrario. Maestro Andrea Verrando is titular organist of the Music Chapel of the Diocese of Ventimiglia - Sanremo. Since 2008 he has been organist of the great Carrara organ of the Ventimiglia Cathedral of which he has held the position of titular organist since 2021. He is a teacher of the liturgical organ class of the Diocesan School of Sacred Music of the Diocese of Ventimiglia - Sanremo.

Program

Program

Monday 22nd August
• 6.00 pm in Piazza Trincheri the musicologist, teacher and writer Luca Bragalini will present the book by Giannino Balbis "Riccardo Zegna tells himself"; book whose publication was promoted by our Association. The author and Riccardo Zegna, a great pianist, composer, arranger and teacher, will be present. Music films and photographic images will be shown.

• 9.30 pm, in Piazza San Michele the concert of THE EUROPEAN SWING MACHINE feat ANTONIO HART will be held

Antonio Hart: alto sax
Olivier Hutman: plan
Aldo Zunino: double bass
Bernd Reiter: drums

Born in Baltimore in September 1968, Antonio Hart is considered one of the most important modern voices of the alto sax. Antonio has had a rich career full of collaborations, with names such as Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Holland, Terence Blanchard, Gerald Wilson and many more. His energetic and swinging playing, strongly anchored in tradition, but also full of exciting innovative aspects, makes him one of the most impressive saxophonists on the contemporary scene.
An exceptional European trio with established musicians from France, Italy and Austria will be joined by the European Swing Machine; really, a "swing machine"


Tuesday 23rd August
• 6 pm, Piazza Trincheri, concert by FOOL ARCANA

Cecilia Barra Caracciolo: voice
Riccardo Oliva: bass
Fabio Visocchi: keyboards
Gianluca Pellerito: drums
Riccardo Sala: tenor sax

Creative and dynamic group made up of young musicians, Fool Arcana mixes genres to push them beyond their limits, in the search for a unique and personal sound. In their repertoire neo soul and jazz meet contemporary R&B and funk, with just a touch of hip-hop.

• 9.30 pm, in Piazza San Michele, concert by PIETRO TONOLO, JORGE ROSSY, DARIO DEIDDA TRIO

Pietro Tonolo: saxophones
Dario Deidda: bass
Jorge Rossy: drums, vibes

The "pianoless" trio (sax, bass drums) is a not very common ensemble in the history of jazz which, however, has made contributions of the highest level; among the great saxophonists who attended this formation Sonny Rollins immediately comes to mind who since the 1950s has produced a series of masterpieces (just remember the "Freedom Suite" or "A Night at the Village Vanguard") but also Lee Konitz ( "Motion" with Elvin Jones on drums or the more recent "Three Guys" with Steve Swallow and Paul Motian).
Pietro Tonolo has also often expressed himself in trio (for example with Henri Texier and Aldo Romano or with Joe Chambers and Ira Coleman or Essiet Essiet).
Dario Deidda and Jorge Rossy are among the most requested musicians on the contemporary international scene, boasting illustrious collaborations with top level musicians.

Wednesday 24th August
• 6 pm, Piazza Trincheri, THE LUTHERY OF SANTO VRUNA
Giannino Balbis interviews Santo Vruna, luthier from Albenga, whose guitars have received important awards from international level instrumentalists.
The ENSEMBLE of GUITARS of the Conservatory of Nice will intervene under the direction of FLORIANE BEAUDREY

• 9.30 pm, in Piazza San Michele, ALMA SWING meets BIRELI LAGRENE

Lino Brotto: guitar
Mattia Martorano: violin
Andrea Boschetti: guitar
Beppe Pillotto: double bass
SPECIAL GUEST
Bireli Lagrene: guitar

In over fifteen years of activity, Alma Swing is today the reference reality of the hot jazz of the European tradition, in which the Parisian-American swing of the Thirties merges with a timeless folklore. With a retro silhouette and a traditional acoustic ensemble, the ensemble interprets music with personality whose topicality is incessantly confirmed by the internationally acclaimed artistic experience of Django Reinhardt. Today Alma Swing meets a guitar legend: Bireli Lagrene, born in Alsace in 1966 from a family of musicians, he surprises with his precocious talent. Multi-instrumentalist, the guitar definitely captures him after a period of research. In a short time Bireli builds a dazzling style, demonstrating incredible adaptability and a talent for improvisation that leads him to be among the greatest guitarists of all time.
At 55, after having investigated all the fronts of the modern guitar and collaborated with the best jazzmen in the world (including Jaco Pastorius, Stephane Grappelli, guitarists John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia, Al Di Meola, Larry Coryell) Biréli, all at the height of his career, he returns to the music from which it all began: with audacity, between virtuosity and depth, he finds himself playing Django's music, confirming himself as one of the greatest heirs of the master, while demonstrating that he has developed his own musical language free was refined.


The seminars

This year the Association Le Rapalline in Jazz APS has introduced an interesting novelty: the organization of seminars that will have high-level instrumentalists for teachers: Pietro Tonolo, sax, Dario Deidda, electric bass, Jorge Rossy, drums.
For information on the seminars, consult the Facebook page of the "Le Rapalline in Jazz" Association.