BargaJazz 40th anniversary exhibition and festival

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the BargaJazz festival, the Fondazione Ricci in Barga launched an exhibition titled ‘JAZZ! Omaggio a 40 anni di BargaJazz’. Running from August 16 through September 27, 2026, the showcase explores the connection between music and visual arts.

The exhibition features works by artists Keane, Tony Phillips, Caterina Salvi, and Enrico Stefanelli. Specific contributions include paintings and prints by Phillips, as well as black-and-white photography by Stefanelli, who served as the festival’s official photographer between 1996 and 2005. Additional components include the BargaJazz Greenroom Project (2013-2014), featuring 1,300 portraits, along with archival publications, posters, and documentary materials curated by Sara Moscardini.

Parallel to the exhibition, the festival is celebrating its milestone with an international program of concerts and competitions. In the Barga Jazz contest, the Berlin-based Bulez Trio, composed of Daniel Shachar, Yonatan Harari, and Gili Kovesh, defeated the Rome-based Francesco Zanotti Quartet in the final. Saxophonist Andrea Cardone received the special Luca Flores prize for best soloist.

The festival schedule also includes an international arrangement and composition competition for jazz orchestra at the Teatro dei Differenti, featuring the BargaJazz Orchestra directed by Mario Raja. Other scheduled events include a tribute to Stevie Wonder with harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret and ‘Enojazz’, a tradition of informal after-hours jam sessions held at Pub 46 to foster interaction between artists and the audience.