After the forced break of the last two years, the most famous jazz competition in Italy is back. Now in its ninth edition, the Conad Jazz Contest also renews its collaboration with Umbria Jazz for 2022, to give new talents the opportunity to make themselves known to the public. The competition is open to musicians between 18 and 28 years old, Italian or resident in Italy, soloists or bands up to a maximum of 8 members. Up for grabs for the ten finalists there will, as always, be a performance on the stage of Umbria Jazz and other important prizes.

The ten finalists will be identified by the Technical Jury – chaired by Manuele Morbidini (Musician and UJ Orchestra Director), Francesco Bettini (artistic director of the Jazz Club Ferrara), Angelo Lazzeri (Musician, arranger and composer), Rossano Emili (saxophonist, arranger, composer) and Alessandro Bravo (pianist and professor at the Conservatory “F. Morlacchi” of Perugia) – who will select 9 bands from among all the subscribers, who will be able to perform live at Umbria Jazz ’22, which this year will be held from 8 to 17 July in Perugia.

Subsequently, the Popular Jury, made up of the online community, will choose the tenth and last finalist, casting their vote through this site. The 1st classified, on the other hand, will be chosen during the live performances by the Artistic Jury – chaired by Stefano Bragatto (RMC Director), Marco Molendini (journalist), Manuele Morbidini (Musician and UJ Orchestra Director) and Patrizio Romano (Catalog and Strategic Marketing Director, Warner Music) and Fabio di Bari (publisher and music producer) – who will listen to the ten finalists live during the Festival.

The 1st classified, in addition to the extraordinary visibility opportunities, will also receive a cash prize of 5,000 euros. The band most voted by the public, on the other hand, will win a voucher of 500 euros, valid for the recording of their album in a professional recording studio.

In the months following the Festival, the organization of Umbria Jazz will promote a concert tour of the winner, consisting of approximately 3-5 stages in autumn 2022, at jazz clubs and festivals on the Italian territory, he will be invited to play at L ‘Aquila on the occasion of “Jazz Italiano per L’Aquila”, one of the largest jazz events in our country, and finally will be included in the lineup of UJ Weekend (Terni, 15-18 September 2022) and Umbria Jazz Winter #29 (Orvieto , December 28, 2022 – January 1, 2023).

Also for the 2022 edition, the promoters are giving away participation in the Berklee Summer School at Umbria Jazz Clinics ’23, which will be assigned at the sole discretion of the technical and artistic juries to the single musician deemed most promising, chosen from among all the contestants, without distinction between soloists and groups. An exclusive training experience, in the context of the only seminar held in Italy by the most prestigious jazz music school in the world.

Participating in the Contest is an excellent opportunity for bands and young emerging musicians to test themselves and gain experience in the field in one of the largest jazz festivals in the world and consequently gain visibility for their project and their music. Italy boasts many talented jazz musicians, even very young ones, but finding a way to make their music heard and intercepting the right channels is not easy. The function of the Contest is precisely this: to help young musicians to obtain the right visibility.

But calling it Contest does not have to imply that there is only competition. The Conad Jazz Contest is first of all a party for all the participating bands. Many of the guys who send their songs and the finalists who then manage to perform live in Perugia already know each other, have played together or perhaps have attended the same courses of study. Jazz is a music that leads to confrontation, not to compete, and it is in this sense that the Contest should be seen. It is also important to create a space in Italy where you can express yourself and where you can get the right recognitions, avoiding that you aim only abroad when you leave. So what are you waiting for? Join in and you can be part of the fantastic world of jazz!

Registration open from 6 May to 1 June 2022 Online voting by the popular jury will be open from 2 June until 22 June 2022