This July edition of the Umbria Jazz festival (Perugia, 7 – 16 July)  will be a special one. In fact, one of the main focus of the event will be a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the births of jazz greats Thelonius Monk, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie. Tributes to the three jazz icons will include performances by many Italian and international artists.

Neapolitan singer and song-writer Simona Molinari will pay homage to Fitzgerald, the most celebrated jazz singer, with a performance – ‘Lovin’ Ella’ – during which she will sing songs and recount stories about the life of the artist. The Lydian Sound Orchestra will pay tribute to Monk, once described as “one of the true greats of all time” and “a real musical thinker” by another jazz great, saxophonist and composer John Coltrane.