Piazza della Badia is a natural open-air stage in the historic centre of Arezzo, with excellent acoustics that allow high-profile musical performances to be enjoyed.
The square will be the beating heart of the 22nd edition of the 2Arezzo Summer Jazz Festival’, with the event traditionally giving space to great Italian and foreign jazz musicians already established without, however, neglecting the growth and promotion of local talent.
The opening, on Monday 5 September, is entrusted to the JCA Quintet, with Laura Falcinelli as vocalist, Ivan Elefante on trumpet, Alessandro Cinelli on piano, Massimiliano Conticini on double bass and Andrea Croci on drums. This will be followed at 10.15 p.m. by a concert by the quartet of double bass player Francesco Ponticelli from Arezzo, accompanied by US saxophonist Dan Kinzelman, Enrico Zanisi on piano and Enrico Morello on drums, with a repertoire full of original compositions.
Tuesday 6 September in the first evening the Natia Quartet, made up of talented Umbrian musicians (Mauro Carboni on sax and flute, Massimo Pucciarini on piano, Luca Grassi on double bass and Mauro Giorgeschi on drums) with jazz arrangements of well-known songs by Italian singer-songwriters; at 10.15 p.m. the quintet of the very young and already established Grosseto double bass player Michelangelo Scandroglio, assisted by the well-known pianist Alessandro Lanzoni, Hermon Mehari on trumpet, Michele Tino on sax and Bernardo Guerra on drums.
Wednesday 7 September will be dedicated to two historical formations of Arezzo jazz and progressive music: at 9.15 p.m. the trio Jazz Mania with pianist Marco Pezzola, bassist Maurizio ‘Bozorius’ Bozzi and drummer Claudio Cuseri, who will pay homage to the great pianists Chick Corea and Lyle Mays; at 10.15 p.m. the exceptional reunion of the band Chicago Sweat & Tears, known in the 1990s at a European level for its repertoire focusing on the two American progressive bands, Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears: Claudio Matteini on guitar and lead vocals, Silvano Navini on keyboards, Roberto Buoncompagni on saxophone, Andrea Donnini on trumpet, Francesco Borri on trombone, Bozorius on bass and Giampiero Di Gorga on drums.
On the last evening of the festival, Thursday 8 September, at 9.15 p.m., the Aretine Jazzin’ology quartet will take the stage with Emanuele Caporali on sax, Enrico Orlando on piano, Roberto Grigiotti on electric bass and Marco Pierucci on drums. At 10.15 p.m., the quintet of the great Perugian saxophonist Alberto Mommi, with Andrea Donnini on trumpet, Gianni Cinelli on piano, Mauro ‘Bip’ Maurizi on double bass and Duccio Venturini on drums, will perform pieces by the great American jazz composers.
