The 16th Barga Jazz Festival will be entirely dedicated to the career and compositions of one of the most important contemporary jazz figures, the saxophonist and composer, Lee Konitz.

Konitz is one of the very few alto saxophonists of his generation to find an alternative style to the dominant Charlie Parker model: an almost classical, vibratoless tone, a subtle but intense sense of swing, and improvisation with greater lengths of melodic line and evenness of tone, are the characteristics that have had the greatest influence on Cool. After the historical partnership with Miles Davis in Birth of the Cool, he has played at various times in Lennie Tristano’s groups with Warne Marsh.

As well as an extraordinary improviser, Konitz is also an original composer and as early as 1958 many of his pieces were collected by guitarist Billy Bauer.

Since the end of the 1960s he has spent much of his time in Europe, leading his own groups or taking part in projects with such top musicians as Bill Evans, Martial Solal, Michel Petrucciani, Red Mitchell, Paul Bley, Harold Danko and others: his presence has made a decisive contribution to raising the quality of jazz in Europe. In Rome, he recorded the historic Lp with Enrico Rava and Franco D’Andrea (Stereokonitz, RCA), and he has also played with Enrico Pieranunzi and Pietro Tonolo. His presence at Barga therefore seems to be the logical conclusion to an itinerary that has seen performances by all these musicians at the Festival.

Konitz will be present during the entire competition. He will open it with his Italian group and then as the guest of the Barga Jazz Big Band. The orchestra in section A of the competition will then play new arrangements of the Chicago saxophonist’s compositions or standards which have been interpreted by Konitz himself and which have influenced the history of jazz.

Francesco Martinelli