The annual meeting of the I-Jazz Association was held in Pisa, as part of the new edition of the Italian Jazz Conference, dedicated to the historical and social value of jazz festivals, which took place in Pisa from 18 to 20 October. The event, organized in collaboration with Pisa Jazz and Toscana Produzione Musica, with the contribution of the MIC and the patronage of the Municipality of Pisa, marked the beginning of a new phase for the Association, which has over 80 members representing the entire national panorama. The three-day event in Pisa began with the Association’s assembly, which elected the new president, Angelo Valori, and two vice-presidents, Mattea Lissia and Francesco Mariotti.
The I-Jazz assembly, hosted in the auditorium of Palazzo Blu, opened with a greeting from the president of the Federazione Il Jazz italiano, Ada Montellanico, and continued with a detailed presentation by the outgoing president Corrado Beldì. Beldì presented the results of the work carried out in recent years for the growth of the Italian jazz system, tracing the most important stages in the sixteen years of life of the association: the many promotional initiatives carried out in Italy and abroad, the constant attention paid to young talents, the institutional commitment to supporting festivals, the planning activities of the members' working tables and the important successes achieved by the networking projects in which the members have been involved.
The assembly continued with the election of the new president, Angelo Valori, the two vice-presidents Mattea Lissia (Time in Jazz Association) and Francesco Mariotti (ExWide/Pisa Jazz Association), and the new board of directors: Roberto Catucci (Musica per Roma Foundation/Casa del Jazz), Filippo D'Urzo (Empoli Jazz Association), Giancarlo Di Napoli (Spaziomusica Association), Luigi Esposito (Onyx Jazz Club Matera), Vincenzo Favata (Jana Project Association), Zoe Pia (Pedras et Sonus Association), Fausto Savatteri (Festivalle APS), Roberto Valentino (Donizetti Theatre Foundation). Much satisfaction in the words of the newly elected president Angelo Valori: "I am truly honoured to have received the trust of all the members of I-Jazz. I would like to thank the previous presidents for the great work they have done in recent years, work that has allowed the association to grow constantly. My presidency will continue the work that has been accomplished but will also try to bring in new ideas and projects. I would like to thank the outgoing council members and the newly elected members who, like all the members, have put a lot of passion and time into the activities of the Association". The assembly ended with the admittance of three new members: SMAG (Riva del Garda - TN); Fondazione We Insist (Cernusco sul Naviglio - MI); Associazione Live Tones (Naples).
On Saturday 19 October, after the institutional greetings by the Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Pisa, Filippo Bedini, the programme of the Italian Jazz Conference was officially opened by Francesco Martinelli with the keynote speech “Jazz Festival: a historical reflection”, and the round table “Jazz festivals: history, evolution, social impact” which had as speakers: Marilisa Merolla, Lorenzo Santoro and Enzo Gentile. In the afternoon, the opening was entrusted to Carlo Andorlini (University of Florence) with the workshop “Cultural welfare: the right time” followed by Stefano Zenni with the speech “Changing same: jazz and the reinvention of musical tradition”.
Great live music to close the day with the concert “Nubes”, featuring Alessandro Lanzoni and Francesco Dillon, who enchanted the audience at the Arsenali Repubblicani with their original and refined sounds. And then a final stop at the Circolo Ex Wide for the Nico Gori “Around Clarinet” concert. For the last event scheduled for Sunday 20 October, the Palazzo Blu was sold out for the Domenica in Jazz dedicated to the Art Ensemble of Chicago conducted by Francesco Martinelli and with the participation of the quintet led by double bass player Silvia Bolognesi with Simone Padovani, Tobia Bondesan, Tommaso Iacoviello and Michela Messina.
