LemonJazz

LemonJazz, the jazz that colors Sorrento's summer

LemonJazz is the music festival that brings international jazz to the heart of Sorrento, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, every summer. Founded in 2012 by Mario Mormone, who remains its artistic director, the festival is organized by the Fondazione Sorrento and has built a distinct and recognizable identity over the years: a few carefully curated evenings featuring world-class artists with a constant focus on genre-blending.

The name plays on the most famous symbol of the Sorrento Peninsula, the lemon, and the yellow hue that defines the festival's branding. This is no mere decorative detail: LemonJazz was born as a local festival, designed to create a dialogue between Neapolitan musical tradition and jazz, rock, swing, and South American sounds.

Villa Fiorentino, the stage

The festival takes place in the garden of Villa Fiorentino, the 20th-century villa on Corso Italia that the Fondazione Sorrento uses as an exhibition and cultural venue. It is an open-air space in the very center of the town of Sorrento, just a few steps from Piazza Tasso: an intimate setting with the stage nestled among the garden plants, offering an up-close listening experience quite different from large summer festivals. In previous editions, the festival has also utilized the Teatro Tasso in Piazza Sant'Antonino.

The 2026 program

The 2026 edition takes place from July 30th to August 1st and offers three distinct evenings:

• Thursday, July 30 — Carlo Poddighe, SuperEgo One Man Show: A producer and musician who has worked with artists like Omar Pedrini and Joe Bastianich, Poddighe plays guitar, drums, keyboards, and sings simultaneously, performing tracks from his new album alongside rock classics.
• Friday, July 31 — Toninho Horta and Antonio Onorato: The legendary Brazilian guitarist meets the Neapolitan guitarist and composer for the From Napoli To Belo Horizonte project, weaving together Neapolitan melody and Brazilian musical tradition.
• Saturday, August 1 — Ray Gelato & The Giants: One of the most acclaimed swing bands internationally closes LemonJazz with an evening of energy, rhythm, and elegance, featuring jazz standards and reinterpretations of the Italian repertoire.

Concerts are held in the evening, starting at approximately 9:00 PM.

A festival with a history

In over ten years of activity, LemonJazz has hosted major names from the international jazz scene, including the James Taylor Quartet, Billy Cobham, the Roy Hargrove Quintet, and the Roberto Fonseca Trio. Alongside the big names, the artistic direction has always reserved space for emerging talents and the new Neapolitan scene: in the 2024 edition, for example, Roberto Fonseca, Spanish bassist Vincen Garcia, and Bassolino performed on the stage of the Teatro Tasso.

Tickets and admission

Some concerts are free to attend, while others require a ticket, which is affordably priced. Tickets can be purchased online through ticketing circuits and directly at Villa Fiorentino. The garden's capacity is limited: it is advisable to arrive early, especially for the free evenings.

Sorrento in summer

Attending LemonJazz is also an opportunity to experience Sorrento in the evening, when the flow of day-trippers thins out. The historic center, the workshops of the wood inlay artisans, the terraces overlooking the Gulf of Naples, and the view of Mount Vesuvius are just a few minutes' walk from Villa Fiorentino; the Sorrento Peninsula, with Sant'Agnello, Piano di Sorrento, Massa Lubrense, and the road toward the Amalfi Coast, completes the picture. Late July and early August are the peak season in Campania: it is advisable to book accommodation well in advance.