MJF Suite, by Andrea Ravizza with a duration of approximately 10 minutes, was premiered on 17 November 2024 at the Rai Auditorium Arturo Toscanini in Turin by the RAI National Symphony Orchestra (OSN Rai), conducted by Steven Mercurio.

Genesis and Compositional Concepts

Fusion of Musical Worlds
This work embodies Ravizza’s passion for blending jazz with the symphonic sound, a principle he has explored in several of his compositions. This approach reflects his jazz background, constantly shaped by orchestral thinking.

Thematic Richness
All the themes that form the MJF Suite are drawn from symphonic suites composed between 2008 and 2023 for the Moncalieri Jazz Festival and performed by the RAI National Symphony Orchestra. This thematic choice highlights a process of research and reworking of earlier material, underlining continuity and dialogue with the composer’s previous experiences, including a collaboration in 2017 with OSN Rai and the Moncalieri Jazz Festival, where Ravizza was responsible for both arrangements and conducting.

Fugue and Jazz
The central section of the piece features a fugue, initially presented in a classical Baroque style, which is then progressively contaminated by swing and reintroduced by the saxophones, accompanied by the rhythm section. This process of stylistic hybridization recalls the work of artists who have historically explored the intersection between classical music and jazz. Notable examples include French pianist Jacques Loussier, renowned for his jazz reinterpretations of Bach, and the vocal group Swingle Singers, famous for their jazz arrangements of classical repertoire.

MJF Suite thus aims to celebrate the fertile dialogue between symphonic and jazz languages, through a deep reworking of thematic material and a bold fusion of styles, offering a listening experience rich in nuance and intense musical interaction.

Premiere

RAI National Symphony Orchestra – Steven Mercurio, conductor
Commissioned by the Moncalieri Jazz Festival
Auditorium Toscanini – Turin – 17 November 2024

Soloists

• Marco Tardito, alto saxophone
• Fabio Gorlier, piano
• Valerio Signetto, alto saxophone
• Luca Rigazio, drums

House Band

• Valerio Signetto, alto saxophone
• Marco Tardito, alto saxophone
• Gianni Virone, tenor saxophone
• Luca Biggio, tenor saxophone
• Gianni Alberti, baritone saxophone
• Fabio Gorlier, piano
• Francesco Bertone, double bass
• Luca Rigazio, drums