Torino Jazz Festival 2026

By Ferruccio Martinotti

TJF 2026 (Aprile 25th-May 2nd)

April 25th, Liberation Day, is a national holiday particularly felt in Turin, a city that was the heart of the partisan resistance to Nazi-Fascism. In these times of right-wing resurgence infecting our lives almost everywhere, it is even more meaningful to celebrate it. For the jazz addicted, the date coincides with the start of the Torino Jazz Festival, now in its 14th edition: in addition to the concerts’ schedule, lectures and films celebrate the centenary of the births of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Below is a synopsis of what we saw.

Photo: Acid Rain Production

Interviews excerpts: La Stampa

FABRIZIO BOSSO “ABOUT TEN” - April 25 (Teatro Colosseo)

The great trumpet virtuoso pays homage to Ellington and Gillespie with his group (Julian Oliver Mazzariello on piano, Jacopo Ferrazza on double bass, and Nicola Angelucci on drums) expanded to include six young talents (Stefano Bergamaschi, Andrea Priola on trumpets, Didier Yon on trombone, Lorenzo Simoni on alto saxophone, Sophia Tomelleri on tenor saxophone, and Andrea Iurianello on baritone saxophone) for refined and swinging arrangements that bring a fresh take on the great classics and an intriguing interpretation of his own songs. Our main courses in the Festival’s menu are different, but it's gonna be a marathon, better to start off calmly and then, as Ken Vandermark teaches us, it's a good and healthy habit to take a dose of Duke whenever we can.

MARC RIBOT HURRY RED TELEPHONE - April 26 (Hiroshima Mon Amour) 

After last fall's intimate concert at the Folk Club in support of Map of a Blue City, Marc Ribot returns to the city with his new group/project Hurry Red Telephone and, as expected, the sold-out venue is hit by a magnitude 9 tsunami. If it was well known that Chad Taylor is one of the drummers writing the history of nowadays drumming, less predictable and totally jaw-dropping was the metronomic, telluric fury of double bassist Sebastian Steinberg (anyone here remember Soul Coughing?). Orderly and precise, even too entangled in the score, Briggan Krauss's alto contribution alternates in a crazy, hyper-noise-saturated piece with the second guitar, reminiscent of the most ferocious Bill Orcutt. Marc described the group to us like this: “It was a trio with Chad Taylor and Henry Grimes that has created some of the best improvisations I’ve ever been involved in. I’ve wanted to continue collaborating with Chad ever since Henry passed away. And with this band, I’ve finally found the right lineup. Sebastian Steinberg was my favorite in the late ’80s and early ’90s, before he moved to Los Angeles. He and Chad make a truly exceptional rhythm section, the two most intuitive musicians I’ve ever known and Briggan Krauss is an extraordinary alto saxophonist.” What Ribot brings out, however, hunched over his old amplified acoustic guitar, is always astonishing: whether it’s picking or strumming, noisy no-punk or mellow calypso arpeggios, his signature asserts itself, whatever the declination, in a peculiar way, never predictable or self-indulgent, as only top notch players can offer. A double encore loudly demanded by the roaring audience and a final "loving" tribute to Donald with "Aliens in the White House" send us off to bed happily.

FYI, in the same interview, Marc assured us that the stop in Berlin before leaving for Japan with the Cubanos will be used to record their debut album. To say we can't wait to hear it is an understatement...

MORGENBARN - April 27 (Teatro Juvarra) 

A recently formed Italian-Estonian-German trio, characterized by the compositional and performing flair of its members, Matteo Poggi (trombone, electronics), Maria Faust (alto sax, electronics), and Tilo Weber (drums, percussion, vibraphone). Formed after a chance meeting at the 2024 Sudtirol Jazzfestival and an impromptu concert, they sparked an explosive chemistry. Their performance exudes naturalness, freedom and curiosity, resulting in a captivating and courageous sound that respects no boundaries: Weber's vibraphone and drumming set the stage for Faust's explosive sax, while Poggi, alternating between trombone and electronics, enriches the mix phenomenally. We weren't familiar with them and they were really a pleasant surprise.

FUNK OFF + VOX ARTIFICIOSA “THIS IS NOT AN ORCHESTRA” - April 27 (Teatro Alfieri)

Take Funkoff, a historic large Italian ensemble founded 28 years ago by Dario Cecchini and composed of three trumpets (Paolo Bini, Nicola Cellai, Emiliano Bassi), two baritone saxophones (Giacomo Bassi, Nicola Cipriani), two alto saxophones (Sergio Santelli, Tiziano Panchetti), two tenor saxophones (Andrea Pasi, Claudio Giovagnoli), a sousaphone (Giordano Gerini), a snare drum (Francesco Bassi), a bass drum (Alessandro Suggelli), cymbals (Luca Bassani) and percussion (Daniele Bassi); add to that the group Vox Artificiosa led by Cristina Zavalloni, one of the most incredible voices on the international scene, accompanied by Rise Beatbox (vocal beatboxer), Mario Marzi (soprano, alto, baritone sax) and Achille Succi (alto sax, bass clarinet) and how high could be the risk of an indigestible music meal, such as pineapple on the pizza? High, of course, very high. Instead, contrary to all expectations, the two worlds merge, collide, dialogue and break down in smaller groups, then they recompose themselves into a "Not Orchestra" that unleashes thermonuclear energy, imposing a new language that erases the original elements. The arrangements of the two leaders, Dario Cecchini and Achille Succi, allow Cristina's stratospheric baroque "bel canto" to intertwine admirably with the wind instruments, the vocal beat of Rise, the percussive street dance and the jazzy cavalcades of the orchestral reeds. "James Brown and Handel dance arm in arm," their press release reads, and believe us, they really did.

SLIDERS - April 28 (Teatro Juvarra)

As modest jazz chroniclers, we always willingly rely on the Great Academics who write on the Free Jazz Collective, ensuring that this forum is "The only forum that matters," to quote The Clash. So, should the Professors be aware of any group, other than this one we're writing about, consisting solely of three trombones, please tell us, they know where to find us. As far as we know, the Sliders (Federico Vignato, Federico Pierantoni, and Lorenzo Manfredini) represent a unique ensemble, capable of demonstrating the unique versatility of this instrument, exploring its infinite timbral possibilities in a way that's never boring or repetitive. Brave and courageous guys.

FYI, their self-titled album, released in the fall of 2024 by Hora Records, features original compositions alongside reinterpretations of John Coltrane, Egberto Gismonti, Carla Bley and Duke Ellington.

NORMA WINSTONE & GLAUCO VENIER - April 28 (Teatro Monterosa) 

Seen a few months ago as a trio, again with Venier on piano, one of the legends of British jazz returns to the city. Throughout her long and extraordinary career, she has helped redefine the role of the voice and its relationship to sound in contemporary jazz. The duo, formed in 1999, continues the journey Norma embarked on with Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Steve Swallow and her historic ECM recordings, which testify to her unique vocal work, thanks to which she remains an essential figure in vocal jazz. The timbre, verve, and stage presence, despite her age, remain dazzling.

GIORGIO LI CALZI & SIMONE SIMS LONGO “THEATRUM ANATOMICUM” - April 29 (Palazzo degli Istituti Anatomici) 

Call it “site specific”: anatomical analysis of sound, disintegrated and recomposed into new forms, a musical autopsy report made of noise and silence, light and darkness, with the audience, in the semicircular University hall, focused and engaged in the unveiling of the sonic sphere and visual perception offered by the great Li Calzi (trumpet, analog, digital and electromechanical instruments) and Sims Longo (electroacoustic computer music, visual score). The intermedial performance, featuring synthetic textures, manipulated samples and ever-changing sensory environments, is fully functional and the location (the University's Anatomy Institute) adds further impact.

FRANCO D’ANDREA TRIO “SOMETHING BLUESY AND MORE” - April 29 (Teatro Monterosa) 

It's impossible not to pay homage to the great Maestro, creator of some of the most extraordinary piano works known (for those who haven't already, listen to the recordings with the Modern Art Trio featuring Franco Tonani and Bruno Tommaso). Here, he blends his distinctive rhythmic and intervallic inventions with early blues and the scores of Ellington and Coltrane, accompanied by the amazing Roberto Gatto on drums (a collaborator with George Coleman, Enrico Pieranunzi, Chet Baker, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Billy Cobham, Richard Galliano, Joe Zawinul, and Pat Metheny, among others) and the young Gabriele Evangelista on double bass, offering a free and communicative performance, in which D’Andrea's marvelous centrifugal thrusts are held in orbit by the gravity of the Blues Planet. A moving, well deserved, final ovation from the sold-out theater greets D’Andrea and his pards.

ITALIAN INSTABILE ORCHESTRA “PLAYS ELLINGTON” - April 30 (Casa Teatro Ragazzi e Giovani) 

It’s Duke time again. After years of hiatus, the legendary Orchestra, founded in 1990 (which has hosted giants such as Giorgio Gaslini and Mario Schiano during its career) is back. Today, the band features Gianluigi Trovesi (alto saxophone, alto clarinet), Daniele Cavallanti (tenor saxophone), Roberto Ottaviano (soprano saxophone), Carlo Actis Dato (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), Pino Minafra (didjeridoo, megaphone), Alberto Mandarini, Fulvio Sigurtà, Flavio Davanzo (trumpets), Giampiero Malfatto, Sebi Tramontana, Lauro Rossi (trombones), Emanuele Parrini (violin), Paolo Damiani (cello), Giovanni Maier (double bass), Fabrizio Puglisi (piano), Tiziano Tononi (drums), Vincenzo Mazzone (percussion), and is conducted and arranged by Giancarlo Schiaffini. The absolute caliber of the musicians, the stylistic signature of the large unity, at the service of Ellington's scores, ensure that the equation is perfectly resolved after the very first notes.

FRANCESCA TANDOI + JAZZ ACOUSTIC STRINGS QUARTET - April 30 (Teatro Monterosa)

With over 20 recordings under her belt (three as pianist for Scott Hamilton's quartet) and significant international critical acclaim for her album "Bop Wep," the captivating Francesca Tandoi is now one of the most prominent figures in contemporary European jazz. This concert brings to the stage the project linked to her latest album, "Hope," in which her trio (Stefano Senni on piano and Pasquale Fiore on drums) dialogues with a string quartet (Cesare Carretta, Silvia Maffeis on violins, Monica Vetrini on viola and Enrico Guerzoni on cello, Cristiano Arcelli on arrangements), blending piano virtuosity, orchestral writing and contemporary sensibility. Class and charme galore.

LISA ULLEN “TRANSPOSING SUN” - May 1 (Teatro Juvarra)

No one better than the Seoul-born, Stockholm-based pianist can describe what we heard: “explorations of life through sound, using rhythmic and melodic fragments, seeking to create music with multiple layers where different textures and rhythms can intertwine.” The concert centers on the song “After Sun,” from the 2024 album “Heirloom” (The Wire album of the year) in which, with the assistance of composer and sound engineer John Chantler, Lisa explores the possibilities of the piano and the unique sonority of the hall, enveloping the audience in a peculiar soundscape. Yet another confirmation of the terrific power of women in free music.

BILL FRISELL & EYVIND KANG “THE GREAT FLOOD” - May 1 (Lingotto Auditorium) 

The film The Great Food is the result of a collaboration between director Bill Morrison (Oscar-nominated for “Incident” and author of Decasia, the first film of the third millennium to be included in the US Library of Congress) and Bill Frisell. The film was inspired by the catastrophic Mississippi flood of 1927, the largest in American history; an event of immense proportions that affected thousands of people, especially African Americans, who were forced to emigrate to the North. The catastrophe also changed music, starting with the blues and its protagonists, some of whom had witnessed the flood and recounted it in their songs: electric blues was beginning to blossom. In 2012, Morrison found and assembled the filmed testimonies of that catastrophe in unparalleled evocative forms and Frisell created a visionary musical narrative, presented here in a previously unreleased duo version with violinist Eyvind Kang. Frisell told us: “Morrison and I have often collaborated, but he would simply take pieces of mine and superimpose them on his images, but here we worked side by side. We went first to Memphis, then to New Orleans and finally up the Mississippi: almost a century has passed since then, but it's as if history were repeating itself, amidst political mistakes, ecological disasters and corruption. At first, the other musicians looked at the score, trying to learn it, then, over time, the images and music became a unified whole that took on a life of their own.” The film is amazing, as is the perfectly calibrated and coherent soundtrack, while some around us were disappointed that Frisell hadn't played any blues pieces (!), finding the concert boring (!!).

IRREVERSIBLE ENTANGLEMENTS - May 1st (Hiroshima mon Amour)

Three years later, here they are back in town for an event we'd marked in our calendar with indelible ink and the extraordinary concert that brings the Festival towards its end, not only doesn't disappoint, but exceeds the expectations, shattering them. With two long suites centered around their recently released album, "Future Present Past” and a final percussive sabbath, Irreversible Entanglements take no prisoners: the rhythm section of Luke Stewart and Tcheser Holmes is an unstoppable driving force, same as the locomotive in the film "Runaway Train", Keir Neuringer tirelessly alternates between sax, keyboards, gong and triangle, Aquiles Navarro, as he puts down his trumpet, plays percussions, melodica, bone horn and even a large conch shell! And then, of course, there's Moor Mother, the Voice (or better, the Scream) of Black Awareness, whose presence and magnetic charisma (unmatched on the planet today) captivate an ecstatic audience: from hip-hop or call-and-response modes to the voodoo-like trance of a blood sacrifice in the Haitian Heart of Darkness, Camae Ayewa, with metal rattles in the hands, enchants and envelops us in her sonic tentacles. Musically, the group demonstrates that they have broadened their scope, without distorting it, avoiding, as the excellent "Open the Gates" hinted, the risk of repetitiveness and predictability. Tinges of Miles off Keir’s Rhodes piano and shadows of Mingus (as Martin so aptly noted, reviewing their last album) are there to demonstrate that we are dealing with Irreversible Entanglements 2.0. A group like the Art Ensemble of Chicago will never exist again but our guys would be the most eligible to carry on their legacy. File under: Indispensable Presence.

JOHN SCOFIELD & GERALD CLAYTON - May 2 (Teatro Colosseo) 

Warm-up and chillout: the training rules also apply to the Festival. We started off relaxed a week ago and so we close with the last concert of TJF 26, a tribute to another Old Lion of this edition. As we all know, from his early days with George Duke and Billy Cobham, to Miles' court and then on to his solo career, John Scofield has shaken up bebop, blues, funk, soul and much more, and the concert we're seeing is a kind of compendium of it all. Alongside the guitarist is the extraordinary pianist Gerald Clayton (collaborator of Bill Frisell, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Charles Lloyd, Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott and Kassa Overall), described by Scofield as "one of the best pianists I've ever worked with", the perfect companion for an evening filled with virtuosity, obvious references to the electric Davis and a beautiful, greasy, sweaty blues to close.

Curtain down, see ya next year.