This year's line-up at the world-famous Umbria Jazz Festival will include Sonny Rollins and Keith Jarrett, organizers have announced.
Unveiling the first details of the festival's 2007 edition, they said the event would feature the only Italian performance by legendary jazz tenor saxophonist Rollins.
American pianist and composer Jarrett will appear on stage alongside Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, with whom he made a string of recordings of classic pieces known as the Standards series.
The festival, which this year runs from July 6 to 15, will also feature two renowned duos: Brad Mehldau with Pat Metheney and George Benson with Al Jarreau.
Other top-name acts slated to appear at the event include soul pioneer Solomon Burke, the trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas, and Joe Lovano, a jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, flautist and drummer.
Organizers are still working on the line-up and the final program will be presented in Perugia at the end of April.
But ahead of July, Umbria Jazz will be making its own guest appearance at other jazz events around the world, promoting Italian names and publicizing the festival in international music circles.
It is taking two important Italian groups to the Tokyo Blue Note Festival, running from May 14 to 19: the Enrico Rava Quintet and a trio featuring pianist Stefano Bollani.
On June 21, it Bollani will appear in New York, where he will open an event at the Guggenheim Museum with a solo piano recital.
From June 26-30, Umbria Jazz will be at the legendary Birdland jazz club in Manhattan, with a homage to Charlie Parker featuring the heralded young Italian saxophonist Francesco Cafiso.
Umbria Jazz, which was founded in 1973 by Carlo Pagnotta, runs for a full ten days and is scattered around various locations in this medieval central Italian town.
Top-name artists usually appear at the open-air Santa Giuliana Arena, while two of Perugia's historic theatres host afternoon and evening concerts, one focusing on traditional jazz, the other on modern interpretations.
The festival includes a series of free open-air concerts geared towards young people and families.
Visitors can enjoy concerts across the town throughout the period of the festival: in theatres, on the streets, in restaurants, parks and clubs, as well as at the spectacular underground fortress of Rocca Paolina.
For further information visit the festival's website at: http://www.umbriajazz.com/canale.asp.
