Chiavari: the tenth edition of "Chiavari in Jazz" is underway. In Piazza Nostra Signora dell'Orto the guitarist Matteo Prefumo and the renowned saxophonist Seamus Blake.

“Chiavari in Jazz” starts on August 2nd, the first appointment, scheduled in the fascinating setting of Piazza Nostra Signora dell'Orto in Chiavari at 21 pm with free entry, sees the presence of the Ligurian guitarist Matteo Prefumo, with him on stage some of the most recognized jazz musicians of the new generation: Tony Tixier at the piano, Dario Deidda to the bass e Francesco Ciniglio to the battery. A band that obtained second place in the United States with Matteo Prefumo's composition entitled “A New Beginning” in the Instrumental category of the international Songwriting Competition with over 15.000 participants. His music receives regular rotation on some of the most prominent jazz radio stations in the USA.

Prefumo's guest, on the occasion of the Chiavari concert, is the renowned saxophonist Seamus Blake, known for his work with the Mingus Big Band, John Scofield and Kurt Rosenwinkel, as well as for his recent world tour with Roger Waters.

For the occasion the repertoire will mainly consist of pieces by Matteo Prefumo and Seamus Blake.

After the inaugural concert, the event will continue with a unique and exclusive artistic programme, which highlights the essence of jazz, combining the best tradition with originality and innovation, as well as artists with consolidated and prestigious experience with young emerging talents: Friday 9 August > Fabrizio Bosso & Javier Girotto, Friday 16 August > Blewitt, Friday 23 August > Gegè telesforo and Friday 30 August Nico Gori Swing 10tet.

The event is produced by the Municipality of Chiavari with the organization of the Jazz Club Chiavari and the artistic direction by Rosario Moreno.

Matteo Prefumo: guitarist and composer, at the age of three, he discovered his love for the guitar thanks to his father. He started playing the guitar at the age of 8 as a self-taught, watching videos of Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and Jimi Hendrix. At 15 he took private jazz guitar lessons with Alessio Menconi, later he had the opportunity to study with world-famous musicians, such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Antonio Sanchez, Peter Bernstein and Gil Goldstein.
In 2012 he won the international jazz competition “Premio Tiberio Nicola” as best jazz guitarist during the International Jazz Festival of La Spezia. He creates his own trio and quartet formations and collaborates with Tony Monaco, Dario Panza, Elisabetta Antonini, Leonardo Corradi, also starting prestigious collaborations with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Aaron Parks, Justin Faulkner.
In 2013 he won the international Jimmy Woode Award competition as best jazz guitarist during the Tuscia in Jazz Festival. In July 2014 he played with the great tenor saxophonist George Garzone, as well as with Paolo Recchia, Gegè Munari and Peter Bernstein.
In 2015 he began an interesting collaboration with the quintet of the young and talented Norwegian clarinetist Felix Peikli, which also sees the presence of Takeshi Ohbayashi, Alexander LJ Toth and Anthony Alan Toth.
Over the years he has shared the stage with world-famous musicians including: Joe Locke, Eddie Gomez, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joe La Barbera, Jeff Berlin, Leo Genovese, Francisco Mela, Dado Moroni, Francesco Cafiso, Johnny O' Neal, Peter Bernstein, Felix Peikli, Jure Pukl, George Garzone, Pablo Menares, Uri Gurvich, Aaron Burnett.
He has performed on major stages: Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Gregory's Jazz Club, Mezzrow Jazz Club, International Jazz Festival La Spezia and many others.

Seamus Blake It is one of major exponents of contemporary jazz. Born in London and raised in Vancouver, Canada, he approached the saxophone by playing alto in his high school orchestra. Having switched to tenor, he subsequently attended Berklee College in Boston, coming into contact with many great musicians. After moving to New York in the early 90s, Blake began playing and recording with Victor Lewis, Billy Drummond, Darrell Grant, Kevin Hays, Bill Stewart and Dave Kikoski, also forming his own groups with which he recorded under his own name. albums like “The Call”, “Four Track Mind” and “Stranger Things Have Happened”. Seamus Blake also collaborated regularly with John Scofield and the Mingus Big Band, as well as Conrad Herwig, Alex Sipiagin, Dave Douglas and Wycliffe Gordon. He recorded the album "Echonomics" under his own name for Criss Cross, and with the group "Bloomdaddies", which includes Chris Cheek and Jorge Rossy, he published for Fresh Sound Records. Also of particular note is the “Sangha” quartet, a collective in which Blake is alongside Kevin Hays, Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart. Seamus Blake is a musician full of brilliant ideas, open to multiple contemporary influences but with strong roots in the history of jazz, possessing excellent technique and a charismatic sound. His class as a great improviser achieved important recognition in 2002, the year in which Blake won the prestigious Thelonious Monk Award as best saxophonist, a prize awarded to him by a jury including Wayne Shorter, George Coleman and Joshua Redman.