Umbria in July 2024
Bob Dylan to Inaugurate 50th Edition of Umbria Jazz Festival as Organizer Carlo Pagnotta Turns 90
Organizers of the renowned Umbria Jazz Festival announced on Wednesday that Bob Dylan, the legendary US musician and Nobel Literature Prize laureate, will kick off the festival's 50th edition on July 7. The highly anticipated performance will take place at Perugia's enchanting Arena Santa Giuliana, marking Dylan's first appearance before the Italian public since the worldwide release of his critically acclaimed album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, in June 2020.
Nestled in the captivating City of Perugia, the festival has long shone as the brightest star on the Italian jazz scene. Its success and longevity can be attributed, almost single-handedly, to the vision and dedication of one man, Carlo Pangotta.
The stellar lineup at the Arena Santa Giuliana will also feature Stefano Bollani-Kyle Eastwood with Eastwood Symphonic, accompanied by the Umbria Jazz Orchestra, on July 8, and Somi-Herbie Hancock on July 9.
At the age of 81, Dylan will grace five Italian stages this summer, including the Lucca Summer Festival on July 6. In the picturesque Piazza Napoleone of the northern Tuscan city, the Duluth-born artist, known for his perpetual touring, will predominantly showcase tracks from his album Rough and Rowdy Ways.
This year, as Pagnotta turns 90, his unwavering commitment to the festival shows no signs of waning. His journey in the world of jazz began in 1949 when he acquired his first jazz record. In 1955, Pagnotta co-founded the Hot Club of Perugia, which attracted luminaries such as Louis Armstrong and Chet Baker. He later ventured to London, immersing himself in the vibrant jazz scene of the time. Reflecting on those years, Pagnotta fondly recalls witnessing performances by Tubby Hayes, the Jazz Couriers, and, of course, Ronnie Scott. Pagnotta proudly recounted his presence at Ronnie Scott's inaugural night in Gerrard Street, Soho, in October 1959.
Upon returning to his beloved Perugia, Pagnotta frequented the Bologna Jazz Festival, which was then the largest in Italy. As the President of the Perugia Jazz Club, he submitted a proposal to the newly formed regional government of Umbria in 1973, advocating for a Jazz Festival. The proposal received approval, and in collaboration with the head of the new Culture and Tourism office, it was decided that the festival would encompass the entire region of Umbria, becoming a touring event with concerts held in Perugia, Terni, Orvieto, Todi, and Gubbio. Initially offering free admission, the festival continued in this format until the late 1970s when student protests disrupted public order. The 1977 edition was canceled due to concerns of unrest. After a revamped 1978 edition, the festival was temporarily put on hold.
In 1982, the festival made its triumphant return, primarily based in Perugia, alongside the introduction of paid tickets for the major shows. With its growing popularity and an ever-expanding audience, the main stage found its new home in 2003 at the Arena Santa Giuliana. Typically an athletics track, the venue transforms during the festival, accommodating up to 5,000 seated or 10,000 standing attendees.
As the Umbria Jazz Festival celebrates its 50th milestone, Bob Dylan's opening performance promises to be an unforgettable highlight, embodying the spirit of this illustrious event that Carlo Pangotta has nurtured and curated with unyielding passion for over five decades.
Umbria Jazz Fest Performers Over the Years
Ahmad Jamal (1986, 1987,1989, 1995, 2009, 2011)
Alex Britti (2019)
Alicia Keys (2008)
Al Jarreau (1986, 1996, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2014)
Archie Shepp (1986)
Art Blakey (1976)
Battista Lena (1997)
B.B. King (1982, 1993, 2004, 2009, 2011)
Benjamin Clementine (2018)
Benny Green (1994, 2017, 2019)
Bill Evans (1974, 1978)
Bobby McFerrin (1992)
Brad Mehldau (1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2016)
Branford Marsalis (2011, 2013, 2016)
Burt Bacharach (2009)
Caetano Veloso (1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2018)
Carla Bley (1978, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008)
Carlos Santana (1988, 2006, 2011)
Carmen McRae (1989, 2002)
Caro Emerald (2011)
Cecil Taylor (1975, 2009)
Charles Mingus (1974, 1975)
Charles Lloyd (2019, 2022)
Charlie Haden (2002)
Chet Baker (1975)
Chiara Civello (2008)
Chick Corea (1992, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019)
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram (2022)
Christian McBride (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022)
Chucho Valdés (2011, 2017)
Cimafunk (2022)
Cory Wong (2022)
Count Basie (1975)
Dado Moroni (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Danilo Rea (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
Dario Chiazzolino (2007)
David Byrne (2018)
Debbie Harry (1997)
Dee Dee Bridgewater (1973, 1992, 2004, 2022)
Dexter Gordon (1987)
Diana Krall (2013, 2019, 2022)
Dizzy Gillespie (1976, 1984, 1989)
Earth, Wind & Fire (2003)
Elton John (2005)
Emmet Cohen (2021)
Enrico Pieranunzi (1985, 1991, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009)
Enrico Rava (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Enzo Pietropaoli (2002)
Eric Clapton (1997, 2006)
Erykah Badu (2012)
Ethan Iverson (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Fabrizio Bosso (varie edizioni)
Flavio Boltro (2019)
Francesco Cafiso (2004, 2005, 2009)
Fred Hersch (2019, 2021, 2022)
Gabriele Mirabassi (1990, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
Gary Burton (1999, 2000, 2002, 2006)
Gato Barbieri (2001)
George Benson (1986, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2019)
George Coleman (1976)
Gerry Mulligan (1974)
Gilberto Gil (1994, 1998, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2022)
Gil Evans (1987, 1988)
Gino Paoli (2009, 2017, 2018,2019)
Gregory Porter (2018)
Herbie Hancock (1983, 1988, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2022)
Horace Silver (1976)
Immanuel Wilkins (2022)
Incognito (2022)
Jacob Collier (2016, 2017)
James Brown (2003, 2004, 2006)
James Taylor (1999, 2009)
Jamie Cullum (2008, 2017, 2022)
Jeff Beck (2022)
Jim Hall (1996, 2005)
João Gilberto (1996, 2003)
Joe Pass (1991)
John Lewis (2000)
John Patitucci (2017, 2019)
John Scofield (1987, 2002, 2016)
Johnny Depp (2022)
Joshua Redman (2015, 2018)
Joss Stone (2022)
Kamasi Washington (2016, 2019)
Kenny Barron (1999, 2017, 2019)
Keith Jarrett (1974, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2013)
King Crimson (2019)
Kurt Elling (2016, 2018, 2022)
Kyle Eastwood (2018)
Lady Gaga (2015)
Liza Minnelli (2011)
Lee Konitz (1978, 1998, 2003)
Lionel Hampton (1978, 1993)
Manhattan Transfer (1987, 2004, 2010)
Manu Katché (2019)
Mark Lettieri (2022)
Massimo Ranieri (2016)
Massive Attack (2018)
Max Gazzè (2019)
McCoy Tyner (1975, 1978)
Melody Gardot (2016, 2018)
Mika (2016)
Milt Jackson (1995)
Michel Camilo (2010, 2011, 2019)
Michel Petrucciani (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996)
Miles Davis (1984, 1985, 1987, 1989)
Miriam Makeba (2002)
Natalie Cole (2000)
Nicola Mingo (1994, 2011)
Nick Mason (2019)
Ornette Coleman (1991, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007)
Oscar Peterson (2005)
Paolo Conte (2015, 2019)
Paolo Fresu (2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Pasquale Grasso (2022)
Pat Martino (2002, 2008)
Pat Metheny (1994, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2018)
Pedro Martins (2022)
Piero Bassini (1977, 1978, 1979)
Phil Collins (1996)
Pino Daniele (1988, 2013)
Prince (2011)
Quincy Jones (2018)
Renato Sellani (2005, 2008, 2009)
Richard Galliano (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005)
Richard Bona (2019)
Roy Hargrove (1989, 2000, 2010, 2018)
Robben Ford (2019)
Sarah Vaughan (1984)
Samara Joy (2021 con Emmet Cohen, 2022 con Pasquale Grasso)
Sergio Cammariere (2018)
Simply Red (2009)
Snarky Puppy (2015, 2019)
Stan Getz (1987, 1990)
Stefano Bollani (2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
Stevie Ray Vaughan (1985)
Sting (1987, 2012)
Sun Ra and his Interstellar Galactic Arkestra (1973)
Shiva (2020)
Shorty Rogers (1985)
Sonny Rollins (1996, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012)
Terence Blanchard (2013, 2022 con Herbie Hancock)
The Chainsmokers (2018)
Thom Yorke (2019)
Tom Jones (2022)
Tony Bennett (1996, 1998, 2007, 2010, 2015)
Van Morrison (2003)
Veronica Swift (2019)
Vinicio Capossela (2001)
Wayne Shorter (1991, 1992, 2002, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017)
Weather Report (1973, 1984)
Wynton Marsalis (1987, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2021)
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