The new edition of the Taormina Jazz Festival 2025 Jazz returns to Sicily, with big names and free admission for all
In the heart of the Sicilian summer, jazz music returns to take center stage with the twelfth edition of the Taormina Jazz Festival, scheduled to take place from July 19 to 22, 2025. An event that for years has managed to blend the refined soul of jazz with the unparalleled beauty of Taormina, transforming its streets, squares, and historic sites into vibrant stages of emotion. For four consecutive days, the city will be immersed in a unique atmosphere made of groove, experimentation, and international talent, offering the public a rich calendar of events, all strictly free of charge. The festival will kick off on Saturday, July 19 with one of the most anticipated events: the opening concert at the Villa Comunale with John Scofield’s Long Days Quartet. An elite ensemble composed of some of the most authoritative figures in contemporary jazz, led by Scofield’s legendary guitar, capable of building a sonic dialogue between groove and improvisation, lyricism and experimentation. An opening that promises to immediately set a high tone for the entire event.
The following day, Sunday, July 20, the stage of the Public Gardens will host another giant of the scene: Enrico Pieranunzi. A refined pianist, accompanied by Luca Bulgarelli on double bass and Mauro Beggio on drums, he will offer a performance of great expressive depth, where every note becomes a story and every chord an emotional nuance. Also on July 20, in the afternoon, there will be a special event at the Feliciotto Concept Store, a creative and contemporary space that has long represented one of the most vibrant cultural souls of Taormina. On Monday, July 21, once again at the Villa Comunale, it will be the turn of the Morricone Stories project by Stefano Di Battista. A jazz reinterpretation of the famous compositions of Maestro Ennio Morricone, in which the Roman saxophonist blends passion and creative freedom to recreate for the audience the most iconic cinematic atmospheres through the refined language of improvisation. An emotional journey through notes and images, a heartfelt and original tribute that unites memory with modernity.
Providing a roaming soundtrack to the city, every afternoon from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, the Size 46 Street Band will bring Corso Umberto and the town squares to life with an explosion of jazz energy. Blazing trumpets, irresistible grooves, and a musical selection ranging from swing to soul will transform the streets of Taormina into an open-air stage, engaging residents and tourists in a lively and inclusive sonic experience. The grand finale, on Tuesday, July 22, will take place in the incomparable setting of the Ancient Theatre of Taormina. On stage will be Dave Holland and Chris Potter, accompanied by Marcus Gilmore on drums, with the Kismet project. This is a meeting between two true legends of global jazz and a young talent of the new generation. An evening destined to leave a mark, where composition and improvisation, tradition and avant-garde, technique and emotion will merge in a unique and unrepeatable musical flow. The Taormina Jazz Festival thus confirms itself as an event with an international scope, capable of renewing itself without losing its identity. Under the artistic direction of Tao Jazz Association and the creative curation of Feliciotto Concept Store, the festival aims to bring an increasingly wide audience closer to the language of jazz, while enhancing the most evocative locations of the city. An event that goes far beyond a simple concert: it is a sensory experience that weaves together culture, territory, and musical experimentation, making each edition a unique journey into the heart of contemporary jazz.
