Summer 2023, to the sound of music
The sound of the sea by day and the rhythm of blues, rock, a little pop and plenty of superb jazz in the evening
Artists of international standing and avant-garde musicians, experimentation and refined research, exploration of new sounds and exchanges between genres and arts. Concerts and jam sessions until September, in places with “endless spaces and superhuman silences” that apparently have nothing to do with the theatres. Only until the evening though, when good music takes possession of the infinite natural and historical stages. Coves protected by pink granite and red porphyry, enchanting sea caves with perfect acoustics, amphitheatre-shaped beaches, expanses of countryside with thousand-year-old olive trees and Vermentino vineyards, historic squares and promenades of towns and villages, museums and places of remembrance, at the foot of nuraghi and in ancient Punic cities.
Characters and sounds in harmony with the environment and the lifestyle. Sardinia is increasingly becoming the land of choice for jazz, thanks to an artist who has led his land to discover a new musical soul. Paolo Fresu was born in the little village of Berchidda, and Time in jazz, now at its 36th edition, was also born and bred along with him. Among the events not to be missed, on Wednesday 9 August in l'Agnata, the Sardinian 'haven' of Fabrizio De Andrè, there is a tribute to the unforgettable Genovese singer-songwriter by Malika Ayane. Locations included on the 2023 billboard, from 8 to 16 August, are Berchidda and about fifteen other municipalities and localities in the north of the island. The settings are the landscapes of stone and Mediterranean scrub in Gallura, amidst the Vermentino vineyards and forests of Mount Limbara, and the squares in the little villages of Monte Acuto and Logudoro. On the subject of music and culture, a location with thousands of years of charm – the nuraghe Palmavera - will be the stage for one of the concerts in the sixth edition of JazzAlguer, scheduled between April and November in some of the most iconic places in Alghero.
Jazz is now a part of Sardinia... you can see it and hear it more or less everywhere. In the inner region of Sulcis, between Santadi and the ancient borough of Tratalias, the 37th edition of Ai Confini tra Sardegna e Jazz takes place from 14 July to 18 August. On the coast of Dorgali, the 36th edition of Cala Gonone Jazz, taking place from 26 to 29 July, has performances scheduled inside the Grotte del Bue Marino (Sea Oxen Grottoes) which has revealed itself to be an extraordinarily beautiful auditorium. After returning from the mini-cruise, the concerts continue at the ‘Jazz Village’ in the Palmasera seafront. The next landing place is Pula, from 29 July to 10 August, with the 14th edition of Nora Jazz, in its now customary all-female guise, women in jazz. The female musicians will be performing in the poetic setting of the archaeological area of Nora, a few steps from the Roman theatre. In Castelsardo, which is part of the club of the most beautiful villages in Italy, the evocative Musica sulle Bocche, where music and landscape combine in depth to generate another listening perspective, will be taking place in August, under the artistic direction of Enzo Favata.
Jazz is not alone though... there is also a great desire for blues in Sardinia. One again, Sulcis is in the spotlight: the 33rd edition of the Narcao Blues Festival is taking place between 19 and 22 July, where the masters of African-American musical culture will be performing (blues, gospel, R&B, funky and soul). This is an event not to be missed by enthusiasts. The summer of music is also in Alghero, between 2 and 12 of August, with the 25th edition of Abbabula and with a special event in the Oristano area: the Dromos Festival, which enlivens Oristano and the nearby villages from 29 July to 10 August, with a programme that includes several different genres. Olbia attracts tens of thousands of people during the mid-August weekend, thanks to the Red Valley Festival. The stage is in the Olbia Arena, a few steps from the port and the city centre. A few days later, from 16 to 19 August, the stunning landscape of Rocce Rosse (the Red Rocks bay) in Arbatax is home to the 2nd edition of Arabax Music Festival. Like last year, evening shows start with a support artist, then it's time for pop and dance music stars. After the main event, a DJ set allow the crowd to dance all night under the clear Ogliastra sky.
