Universal Jazz Exhibition, Genova 2004

The Universal Jazz Exhibition (Jazz Expo) is the first cultural event of 2004, when Genoa is going to be the Cultural City of Europe.
The goal of the Exhibition is to present jazz and all the music connected to it in all their artistic, cultural and commercial aspects. The Exhibition will precede other international jazz events, inaugurating their annual programme with its meetings, conferences and concerts made in collaboration with Cultural Institutes of several countries, public radios and satellite television stations.

THE EVENT

This great event will be held in the conference center Magazzini del Cotone, located in the area of Genoa's Antique Harbour restored by Renzo Piano. It should be remembered that among 1920 and 1940 Genoa was a very important 'window' on the world of American jazz thanks to its maritime traffics and the subsequent continuous arrival of new music, musicians and discographic novelties.

The 2000 square meters of the exhibiting area will host the stands of major and independent discographic labels, musical instrument and audio hardware manufacturers, book and sheet music publishers, music schools, festivals and cultural institutes dealing with jazz music.

During the Exhibition three concerts with Italian and foreign orchestras, bands and soloists will be held daily inside the Magazzini del Cotone. The two afternoon concerts will feature bands from the countries that have adhered to the Exhibition: USA, Canada, Cuba, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland, France.

Five important concerts will take place every night at 9 pm at the Auditorium of Magazzini del Cotone, including live performances of three winners of the 2003 Down Beat Referendum and two world premieres.

The opening concert will feature Myriam Makeba, who was conferred a high honour by the Italian Republic President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in 2001, for her participation in fighting apartheid in South Africa together with Nelson Mandela.

On March 18th it will be the time of the Mingus Big Band, the orchestra which is going on presenting the most significant music of Charles Mingus.

The genoese Bansigu Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Gianluca Tagliazucchi and including the best musicians from the region of Liguria, will have Lee Konitz as its guest. Konitz has been voted the best alto sax player in the world in this year's Down Beat Referendum.

The Exhibition will provide a showcase for the debut of the Orchestra Nazionale Italiana del Jazz (Italian National Jazz Orchestra) conducted by Massimo Nunzi. The project of the Orchestra has recently been approved by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Policies and Activities.

The final concert will feature another Down Beat referendum winner: trombonist Steve Turre. The second part of the evening will be dedicated to the world premiere of the duo Martial Solal-Stefano Bollani. Two of the most important musicians world-wide will perform together for the first time.

A Jazz Caf