Il Jazz è Forte

A jazz festival in the heart of the Pellice Valley

Il Jazz è Forte is the music festival that brings the sounds of jazz every spring to the Teatro del Forte in Torre Pellice, a small town in the Pellice Valley nestled in the Pinerolo area, in the province of Turin, Piedmont. Created to celebrate International Jazz Day—the event promoted by UNESCO every April 30th—the festival is organized by the Circolo Artistico FA+, the association that manages the Teatro del Forte and has turned this venue into a cultural landmark for the valley.

Jazz as a cultural engine

Conceived and curated by Dario Paone, the driving force behind the Circolo Artistico FA+, the festival has acted as a catalyst for local jazz enthusiasts. It was the energy surrounding these evenings that led to the birth of the Val Pellice Jazz Club, of which Paone is the artistic director. Il Jazz è Forte is therefore not just a concert series, but a sign of a vibrant musical scene that continues to grow in a mountain territory far from the major circuits.

Thursday evening concerts

The formula is simple and intimate: three concerts, usually on Thursday evenings starting at 9:00 PM, each dedicated to a different facet of jazz. The program ranges from original jazz to fusions with Mediterranean culture, and even multidisciplinary projects that combine music, spoken word, and imagery. The underlying idea is to create a dialogue between jazz tradition and new sounds, in an intimate atmosphere where the audience is close to the musicians.

The Teatro del Forte

The heart of the festival is the Teatro del Forte in Torre Pellice, located on Via al Forte, a historic venue in the Waldensian town that now hosts concerts, film screenings, and activities by the Circolo Artistico FA+. The intimate size of the space makes every evening a close-up experience, ideal for those who want to discover contemporary jazz in a welcoming setting. Admission is free with a voluntary donation, a choice that makes music accessible to everyone while supporting the association's work.