Mapping MONTALCINO

Edition 22 of Montalcino Jazz & Wine will bring seven jazz concerts to Brunello town. The first two are held in the courtyard of Castello Banfi (small space, make sure to book in advance, details below), while t he concerts from July 10 to 14, 2019 will happen in Montalcino's fortress, the long-standing, spacious festival venue und the Tuscan stars.  Montalcino Jazz & Wine 2019 The incredible Dee Dee Bridgewater, a frequent guest at Umbria Jazz, will be in Montalcino this year with her new program dedicated to Josephine Baker. Another big name is Grammy award nominated Canadian saxophonist Ben Wendel (who played at the Incontri festival in Val d'Orcia a few years ago) together with Mexican drummer, singer and composer Israel Varela.  Montalcino Jazz & Wine - July  As every year, the excellent Italian jazz scene is present on several nights with Rosario Giuliano, the Flavio Boltro trio, the Roberto Gatto quartet and Dario Deidda together wi...

Summer Wine Notes at Castiglion del Bosco The Castiglion del Bosco winery opens the doors of its luxury estate to the north-east of Montalcino for wine tastings and Jazz concerts during the summer of 2017.  Enjoy golden hour at CdB with a glass of wine and good music or ask for a visit to the wine cellar. And if  you're not convinced by music and vino alone, you may be interested to hear that Montalcino's top luxury hotel is owned by Massimo Ferragamo and  Barack Obama played golf here during his time in Tuscany last May (he and Michelle stayed at Borgo Finocchieto not far from CdB). Summer Wine Notes: July 21 and August 18, 2017 Castiglion del Bosco winery - 7pm to 9 pm.  The tasting includes three wines - a Chardonnay and, of course, a Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino - and a buffet with Tuscan cold cuts, cheeses and starters.  Prize per person: 25€.  For details about the Jazz bands playing on the night have a look at Castiglion del Bosc...

MONTALCINO JAZZ & WINE: July 12 to July 17, 2016 All concerts take place in Montalcino's medieval fortress with the exception of the first night when the Johnny O'Neal trio will open the festival in the courtyard of Castello Banfi on July 12. Concerts start at 9.45 pm. There is always space even for late arrivers at the fortress (Fortezza di Montalcino), but come early for the gig at Castello Banfi since space is more limited at the courtyard of the Banfi winery.   Johnny O'Neal (one of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers) live in New York . 

Montalcino jazz and wine 2015 The program of the 18th edition of Montalcino Jazz & Wine brings one of my favorite Italian musicians to Brunello town on the evening of the 17th of July. Sergio Cammariere may not be known as well as Paolo Conte out of Italy, but his music will definitely be enjoyed by the fans of the latter.  The seven concerts of the 2015 festival have something for every taste: two Saudade inspired nights on the 14th and 19th of July and an evening in the footsteps of Django Reinhardt with French gypsy jazz guitarist Angelo Debarre on July 16. Debarre also offers a master class on the afternoon of July 15 (contact  marketing@banfi.it  if you'd like to participate).  For bepop lovers the highlight of the music festival in Brunello town will be the Cookers on July 18. The American members of the septet look back on half a century of jazz music played in the company of the most famous names of the genre (Art Blakey, Sony Rollins, Din...

Montalcino's festival season hasn't started yet and we're still waiting for the release of the program of Jazz&Wine 2015. But with the longer days and warmer weather the first musicians are back in town. Sabrina Turri closed Montalcino's music season last autumn  at La Pieve and is reopening it this spring with a concert in the beautiful piazza of Sant'Angelo in Colle.  HOTEL RIF, SANT'ANGELO IN COLLE, WEDNESDAY MAY 27, 7 pm The concert is organized by restaurant il Leccio. Come early to enjoy the sunset view from the town walls of Sant'Angelo in Colle (the best in Montalcino) or to have dinner at restaurant il Leccio  before. If you're not going out on an ordinary weekday catch Hotel Rif on Sunday May 24 at Siena's Teatro dei Rozzi for a special performance commemorating Italy's involvement in the first world war together with writer Emilio Franzina. Or come to Cinigiano on lunch time on Saturday May 30, to start the weekend w...

(Looking for the program of Jazz & Wine 2015? Read on here .) Montalcino Jazz & Wine is in its 17th year and as usual the festival opens up at Castello Banfi, the initiator and main sponsor of the event. After the first two nights in the courtyard of the American Brunello winery, the concerts will take place in Montalcino's medieval fortress in the town center.  The great Danilo Perez ready to jam it in Montalcino this year Starting off with two Italian gigs at the Banfi winery, the festival works its way up to 'The Children of the Light', the trio of pianist and Grammy award winner Danilo Perez and closes with British jazz funk band Incognito.  MONTALCINO JAZZ AND WINE 2014 Courtyard of Castello Banfi (former Castello Poggio alle Mura) Aspettando il jazz - waiting for Jazz &Wine July 10 FABIO MARIANI – GIPSY THREE July 15 DEIDDA BROTHERS plus A. SRIANO e P. BISOGNO Fortress in Montalcino July 16 6 IN JAZZ -  TRIBUTE To LUCIO BATT...

Tuscany's most fascinating Romanesque abbey will for once not just be home to Gregorian chants, but also to the works for viola by Bach, Hindemith and Brahms. The compositions of the German composers will be interpreted by Bruno Giuranna. The Italian violist looks back on a highly successful career in which he collaborated with some of the world's foremost orchestras (the Berlin Philharmonic and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra) and with directors like Karajan, Abbado and Celibidache.  Italian pianist Roberto Arosio will accompany  Bruno G iuranna during his concert at Sant'Antimo abbey.  SANT'ANTIMO ABBEY, Castelnuovo Berardenga (10 minutes from Montalcino)  Sunday, August  25, 2013 - 6.30 pm Bruno Giuranna, viola Roberto Arosio, piano  Tickets 18 € (10 reduced).  Prepare for your visit at Sant'Antimo and read up onto the history of Brunello towns famous Romanesque church . 

The man with the big hair comes to Montalcino. Personally I prefer Jazz & Wine at Montalcino's fortress. But no doubt, Angelo Branduardi's Renaissance look and his blend of Italian pop and folk music fit the medieval setup of Brunello town's fortress just as well.  ANGELO BRANDUARDI ,  FORTEZZA DI MONTALCINO Tuesday August 13, 2013 9.30 pm Tickets directly at the fortress. I couldn't find any information on ticket prices, but you should be able to find out more at Montalcino's tourist office (Costa del Municipio). 

True to Montalcino's wine town status, we've just had a festival of  Jazz and wine , and plenty of classical music with wine (Musica Reale and  Amiatapianofestival goes Brunello ). Now all we need is Blues and wine. Plus food.  When I arrived in Tuscany over a decade ago, Camigliano - the beautiful hamlet to the south-west of Montalcino - used to run a fantastic Saturday night disco. Old and young (kids and their grandparents included) would shake it open air on the town square gone disco. Sadly, times have changed, but at least twice a year - during Camigliano Blues  and La Sagra del Galletto  - people still get a chance to move those limbs under the Tuscan stars.  As every year you can come early and eat truly homemade Tuscan, before Meez Pheet and Mike Sponza Blues connection will take the stage.  CAMIGLIANO BLUES - Montalcino, Saturday 27th of July 2013 Meez Pheet and Mike Sponza Blues Convention Dinner from 8pm. Concert fr...

The homebase of the Amiata piano festival has been for years in Poggi del Sasso near Cinigiano. Proud to have such a classy festival in the hills of my Tuscan 'hometown', I'm nevertheless happy to see that the Amiata Piano festival spreads its wings and takes in a new destination.  The first concert of Euterpe,  the second cycle of the summer festival, will take place in Montalcino's Sant'Agostino church,   which is home also to the town's art museum and the  Benvenuto Brunello  preview each February . The concert takes place here for a reason. The Bertarelli foundation - the main sponsor behind the Amiata piano festival - is also generously supporting the restoration of one of Montalcino's most beautiful churches.  Sant'Agostino church and Montalcino museum entrance Pianist and festival director  Maurizio Baglini  will celebrate the Verdi and Wagner year with works by the great composers performed together with a string quartet:  ...

July is Montalcino's festival month. One Jazz and two classical music festivals take place in Brunello town each summer, and the Banfi winery is involved in two of them.  Castello Banfi (formerly known as castello Poggio alle Mura), turns its courtyard into a stage for one of the concerts of the Melodia del Vino festival on Tuesday, the second of July. The winery opens its doors at 6.30 with a sumptuous aperitif and tastings of its wines. French pianist Marc Laforet and cellist Henry Demarquette will play Beethoven, Chopin and Schubert from 8.30 pm.  A good reason to arrive early: sunset at the Banfi winery On the 10th and the 16th of July two concerts of Montalcino Jazz & Wine will take place at Castello Banfi before the festival moves up to its stronghold in Brunello town. 

Jazz and Wine - one of the main events of a summer spent in Val d'Orcia The 16th edition of my favorite festival in Italy starts with three concerts in the courtyard of Castello Poggio alle Mura, the HQ of the Banfi winery. After that the festival moves on to its traditional home, Montalcino's imposing fortress right at the entrance of Brunello town.  WAITING FOR JAZZ & WINE AT CASTELLO BANFI The flyer of this year's Jazz & Wine  shows the pianist Bill Evans absorbed in his magical play. This even though piano solo and piano trios play a minor role in the 2013 edition of the festival than in previous years. Nevertheless, the program awaits us with some great names from the Italian and international Jazz scene.  26th of June STEFANO SABATINI TRIO Stefano Sabatini - piano Luca Pirozzi - bass Pietro Iodice - drums 10th of July  PAOLO RECCHIA - T hree for Getz Paolo Recchia - alto sax  Enrico Bracco - guitar Nicola Borrelli - bass 1...

As every year Montalcino's Jazz and Wine festival takes its time with letting us know who'll be in town and who won't. So far there's only one thing set. The dates.  Be sure to book your hotel room in the week from Tuesday 16th to Sunday 21st of July 2013.  You don't make a down payment, unless you know the gig? If you're already out here in June or early July, look up the program of one of Montalcino's two twin cities when it comes to Jazz & Wine. Because, yes, Banfi and Brunello town aren't the only Italians to blend jazzy vibes with classy wines.  You know how some generations are full of Kevins and others abound with swarms of Jennifers? The same thing happens with festivals. In the 90s Italy gave birth to one Jazz & Wine festival after the other. And like the pairing of cheese and wine, the combination was meant to stay.  Montalcino's fortress: from medieval battlefield to Carnegie Hall

Sant'Antimo abbey near Montalcino On the 14th of August Italian violinist Salvatore Accardo   and bassist Franco Petracchi will play works by Spohr, Rossini and Mendelssohn at Sant'Antimo abbey in Castelnuovo dell'Abate.  The concert is part of the Chigiana in Terre di Siena  summer concert series. The concerts start at 6.30pm but make sure you come early, so as to have time to explore Montalcino's beautiful Romanesque abbey  and Castelnuovo dell'Abate (the lovely town next to the monastery).  On the 24th of August another concert of the Chigiana in Terre di Siena will take place not too far from Montalcino in Monte Oliveto Maggiore . The benedictine monastery in the Tuscan hills  between Asciano and Buonconvento is a must see. The fresco cycle by Luca Signorelli and Sodoma and the beautiful landscape surrounding the abbey are a perfect background for the concert of David Geringas (cello) and Ian Fountain (piano). The duo will play work...

Wondering what to do on a sultry summer’s eve? How about dinner and blues under the stars at the good ol’ Pozzo in Camigliano? Since 2006, the Cultural and Recreational Association of Camigliano has reopened its stage for two evenings to both Italian and international blues performers after serving a home-style dinner made by the very same hands that prepare the annual Sagra del Galletto on the first weekend of October (more on that to come). A.C.R. Camigliano collaborate with Torrita Blues’ organizer Luca Romani to select the main acts to perform at Camigliano Blues while the opening performers compete in the Effetto Blues category at the Torrita Blues festival. Saturday, July 28 th begins with the acoustic Fire and Water Duo from Italy. Next Blues Explosion heats up the stage with guitarist and vocalist Texas Slim straight from Dallas, harmonicist and vocalist Brian Templeton and the smooth vocals of Vivian Vance Kelly. On Saturday, August 4 th , the D...

Sant'Agostino Church: it's ex - monastery is Montalcino's museum Montalcino has it all - world class wines, a great event and festival calendar and medieval hill top villages with stunning views . The downside to all this bliss? Prices are steep. Brunello wines (and all that comes with them) don't come for free. So no wonder that locals and tourists alike will perk up if they hear about a free event in Tuscany, even more if it happens in Brunello town. This summer Montalcino's Pro Loco (literally 'for the place', ie the tourist office) organizes free classical concerts in town. The next two dates are Friday, July 6 and Sunday, August 5. The concerts start at 9.30pm and take place in the beautiful cloister of Montalcino's ex convent Sant'Agostino and now museum. The program can be found on Montalcino's tourist office website:  Free live concerts in Montalcino -  2012 .  The concert in July is part of the fantastic "Le N...