Un amore supremo, una specie di blu

7 October / 4 November

Among the guests: Andy Sheppard, Rita Marcotulli and Michel Benita, Valerio Corzani and Giorgio Li Calzi, Mauro Grossi, Roberto Dani, Adèle Viret

ParmaJazz Frontiere Festival, which opened in Parma on 12 September, carries its new edition through to 4 November under the evocative title Un amore supremo, una specie di blu (literally, A Supreme Love, a Kind of Blue), a not-so-veiled tribute to two milestones in jazz history – John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue – chosen by the artistic direction of Roberto Bonati to explore, once again, the encounter between transcendence and introspection that is among the themes the festival holds dear. At its heart, as ever, the alternation of new creations, educational moments and guests of great standing.

The programme continues on Wednesday 7 October at the University of Parma, where, on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition by Franco Furoncoli, the festival brings Kinetic Needs, the sound research of Luca Perciballi, between guitar and electronics: an electroacoustic performance that explores the performer’s body as the primary hub of musical generation.

On Saturday 10 October, again at the Casa della Musica, one of the season’s most anticipated trios arrives: Andy Sheppard on sax, Rita Marcotulli on piano and Michel Benita on double bass.

On Friday 16 October, at the Montanara Youth Centre, the outcome of the workshop led by Gabriele Fava and Francesco Baldini, on sax and drums, takes the stage. On Saturday 17 October, again at the Casa della Musica, comes Nica’s Dream: on stage Valerio Corzani, between guitar and narration, Giorgio Li Calzi on trumpet and Andrea Daddi on visuals. On Sunday 18 October, in the evocative setting of the Abbey of Valserena–CSAC, the Chironomic Orchestra returns, once again under the guidance of Roberto Bonati, in Mandàla o un tappeto per Morton (Mandala, or A Rug for Morton), a ParmaFrontiere production dedicated to Morton Feldman in the centenary of his birth.

On Saturday 24 October, at the Casa della Musica, the spotlight is on the workshop dedicated to the students of the Liceo Musicale “A. Bertolucci” of Parma (music high school), now in its eleventh edition and led by Emiliano Vernizzi. Immediately afterwards, again at the Casa della Musica, comes the solo piano of Mauro Grossi. On Sunday 25 October, at the Oratory of Rocca San Vitale in Sala Baganza, drummer and percussionist Roberto Dani presents a solo performance. On Saturday 31 October, with two performances, in the afternoon and in the evening (3:00 pm and 6:00 pm), at the Ridotto of the Teatro Regio, in collaboration with the Fondazione Teatro Regio, Cartoons! returns, the show created by Sabina Borelli, here as director and narrator.

Closing the season, on Wednesday 4 November, is the event dedicated to the Giorgio Gaslini International Award, with cellist Adèle Viret as its protagonist, leading a quartet alongside Oscar Viret on trumpet, Wajdi Riahi on piano and Pierre Hurty on drums.

The venues for this part of the programme include, besides the ever-present Casa della Musica, the University of Parma, the Montanara Youth Centre, the Abbey of Valserena–CSAC, the Oratory of Rocca San Vitale in Sala Baganza and the Ridotto of the Teatro Regio.

During the festival, two new releases on the ParmaFrontiere label will also be presented: Be a Candle in the Darkness by Roberto Bonati, a recording of the concert given at last year’s edition, and Dogma Mundi by the Pericopes.

Please note that the festival is made possible by the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Parma, Fondazione Cariparma, Fondazione Monte Parma, Fondazione Caterina Dallara and the Municipality of Sala Baganza. It also benefits from the collaboration of the Casa della Musica of Parma, the Complesso Monumentale della Pilotta, the Teatro Regio, the Abbey of Valserena–CSAC, the Liceo Bertolucci and the University of Parma, and from the support of Davines Group Spa. The festival is also a member of I-jazz, Europe Jazz Network and Jazz Takes the Green.