The Umbria Jazz Festival kicks off this Friday with a line-up boasting top names from the worlds of US and Italian jazz.
Umbria Jazz, the largest European event of its kind, will host 250 concerts, starting off with a traditional street parade through the medieval centre of Perugia.
Topping the American-end of the bill, which this year spotlights traditional jazz artists, are the Keith Jarrett Trio, the Sonny Rollins Sextet and the Ornette Coleman Quintet.
The festival marks one of just two Italian dates for Jarrett and Coleman, while it will be Rollins' only performance in Italy this summer.
Equally keenly awaited is Pat Metheney, appearing with Brad Mehldau, and a duo performance by George Benson and Al Jarreau.
Singer Dionne Warwick is slated for a solo appearance, while Sly and the Family Stone will perform their only Italian concert at Umbria Jazz.
But as well as giants from the US jazz scene, the festival is this year promising more Italian greats than ever before.
Top of the list is Italy's most famous jazzman, trumpeter Enrico Rava.
Also scheduled are internationally renowned pianist Stefano Bollani and trumpeter Paolo Fresu.
Other names on the program include the piano duo Enrico Pieranunzi and Dado Moroni, pianist Renato Sellani with sax-player Gianni Basso, trumpeters Flavio Boltro and Fabrizio Bosso, saxophonists Rosario Giuliani and Francesco Cafiso, and piano phenomenon Giovanni Allevi.
The various concerts will be staged at nine different locations around the town, including the open-air Santa Giuliana Arena, public squares and gardens, theatres, monuments and even restaurants.
Although most of the top-name concerts require tickets, many of the festival's 250 events will be free.
For the first time this year, dedicated festival-goers will be able to continue celebrating into the early hours of the morning, with club nights featuring DJs and live gigs following on from the 20-odd concerts scheduled for each day.
Umbria Jazz, which was founded in 1973 by Carlo Pagnotta, runs for a full ten days and is scattered around various locations.
Top-name artists usually appear at the arena, while two of Perugia's historic theatres host afternoon and evening concerts, one focusing on traditional jazz, the other on modern interpretations.
For further information visit the festival's website at: http://www.umbriajazz.com/canale.asp.
