AMARO FREITAS – Piano Solo
Teatro Sant'AndreaFrom the slums of Recife in the north-east of Brazil to rising star of the jazz piano: Amaro Freitas, a rising star of Carioca and world jazz, has worked tirelessly to become the artist he is today, thanks to his extraordinary talent and determination. Gaining international attention for “an approach to the keyboard that is so unique as to be astonishing” (Down Beat), he won instant acclaim with his first two albums, Sangue Negro (2016) and Rasif (2018). The following album Sankofa (2021), expression of a spiritual quest among forgotten stories, ancient philosophies and inspirational figures from black Brazil, is his most extraordinary and sincere work to date.
DEAR UNCLE LENNIE
Il Circolino di Città AltaSOLD OUT Dear Uncle Lennie is the new project of pianist and composer Camille-Alban Spreng. Like in Japanese haikus, each of the band’s tracks represents an idea, an imaginary story, a furtive glimpse of a picturesque landscape. The short songs follow one after the other in a cross between jazz, folk and improvised music, creating a web of stories told not through the use of words, but through musical evocation and the listener’s imagination. The music is inspired by stories about the American War of Secession, by the very concept of storytelling, and by songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Patrick Watson and Sufjan Stevens.
DEAR UNCLE LENNIE
Il Circolino di Città AltaSOLD OUT Dear Uncle Lennie is the new project of pianist and composer Camille-Alban Spreng. Like in Japanese haikus, each of the band’s tracks represents an idea, an imaginary story, a furtive glimpse of a picturesque landscape. The short songs follow one after the other in a cross between jazz, folk and improvised music, creating a web of stories told not through the use of words, but through musical evocation and the listener’s imagination. The music is inspired by stories about the American War of Secession, by the very concept of storytelling, and by songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Patrick Watson and Sufjan Stevens.
MiXMONK: JOEY BARON, BRAM DE LOOZE, ROBIN VERHEYEN
Teatro SocialeMiXMONK: a curious name for a trio that is just as curious in its original instrumental formation. It all began in 2017 when Belgian saxophonist Robin Verheyen was asked to create ‘something’ to celebrate Thelonious Monk's centenary. From the initial duo with compatriot pianist Bram De Looze, that ‘something’ soon became a trio with the inclusion of one of the most dynamic drummers in decades: the American Joey Baron. And so MiXMONK became a fully-fledged band, with several tours, appearances at major festivals and a first album. Gradually, original compositions took over from Monk's ones. Joey Baron is one of the most versatile drummers in contemporary jazz, at ease in the most diverse contexts: from Bill Frisell to John Zorn, Tony Bennett to David Bowie, Enrico Pieranunzi to Fred Hersch, with whom he played at the Donizetti last year with Enrico Rava. Robin Verheyen has lived in New York since 2012. He is co-leader of TaxiWarse with Tom Barman and has collaborated with Gary Peacock, Billy Hart, Marc Copland and Ralph Alessi. Bram De Looze is a rising star of the jazz piano. A member of Stephane Gallands Kemet, leader of the Septic ensemble and his trio with Felix Henkelhausen and Eric McPherson, he has also recorded two solo piano albums, Piano e Forte and Colour Talk.
PANORCHESTRA Special guest JONATHAN FINLAYSON
Teatro SocialeIn its absolute debut, the Panorchestra is, together with the already time-tested Take Off, part of the “La città del jazz” (The City of Jazz) project that sees the Donizetti Theatre Foundation, with Bergamo Jazz, and the Teatro Grande Foundation of Brescia side by side on the occasion of “Bergamo Bresca Capitale italiana della Cultura 2023”. The brainchild of saxophonist Tino Tracanna, the Panorchestra features some of the best and most interesting soloists of various generations from the Milan - Bergamo - Brescia area. An ensemble made up of eclectic improvisers with a deep jazz imprinting who see music as an overall phenomenon without barriers and formal preconceptions. On this occasion, the Panorchestra benefits from the contribution, as a keyboardist and arranger, of Alfonso Santimone, a versatile protagonist of Italian jazz in recent decades. Special guest on this particular occasion is US-trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson.