Monte Mario Jazz Festival "Massimo Urbani"
Three nights of world-class Italian jazz at the Parco di Santa Maria della Pietà, with free admission
About Monte Mario Jazz Festival
A festival born in Massimo Urbani's neighborhood
The Monte Mario Jazz Festival "Massimo Urbani" is a cornerstone of the summer cultural scene in northwest Rome. Held in the Parco di Santa Maria della Pietà, in Piazza delle Ninfee, within the Rome XIV Municipality, the event pays tribute to one of the district's most famous sons: Massimo Urbani (1957-1993). A child prodigy on the saxophone, he rose to international fame at a young age and remains a legendary figure in the history of Italian jazz.
The festival is organized by the association Psicoanalisi Contro — Compagnia Teatrale Sandro Gindro ETS with the support and funding of the Rome XIV Municipality, as part of a broader project to revitalize the former Santa Maria della Pietà psychiatric hospital complex, now a sprawling public park returned to the community.
A top-tier Italian jazz lineup
Under the artistic direction of Francesco Pezzella, the program balances established national jazz stars with experimental projects and educational initiatives. Recent editions have featured renowned quartets and trios, singer-songwriter duos, explorations into electronic and progressive rock, and DJ sets dedicated to swing and the roots of African American music.
- Evening concerts in the heart of the park, with an open-air stage set against the backdrop of the historic pavilions
- Showcases for young musicians, featuring workshops and performances by Rome's music schools in the early afternoon or as opening acts
- Tributes and storytelling dedicated to the life and legacy of Massimo Urbani, featuring memories from those who knew and played with him
- DJ sets and unconventional performances to close out the nights
Santa Maria della Pietà: a venue with a story
The park hosting the festival is far from an ordinary venue. The former Santa Maria della Pietà psychiatric hospital, with its pavilions nestled in greenery, is one of the largest complexes of its kind in Europe. It carries a complex history, now reinterpreted through cultural, social, and sporting activities. Bringing jazz—a music Urbani lived as a language of freedom—to this space holds a symbolic value that the organizers openly embrace: music as a tool for reclaiming a space that was once closed off.
A growing audience
Over the years, the festival has built a loyal following of jazz enthusiasts from across the capital, as well as local residents who discovered the park through these events. The 2026 edition, the seventh, welcomed over 1,500 attendees across the three nights—a milestone the Municipality cites as proof of the success of the area's ongoing revitalization.
Free admission, community spirit
A defining feature of the event is that it is completely free: all concerts are open to the public, with no reservations required, subject to seating availability. This choice reflects the project's public nature and the desire to introduce jazz to those who do not typically frequent the city's paid clubs and festivals. In the Lazio region, and specifically in Rome, the festival has carved out a unique niche: a neighborhood event with a city-wide musical standard.
Monte Mario Jazz Festival — edition 2026
Seventh edition, over 1,500 attendees
The 2026 edition of the Monte Mario Jazz Festival "Massimo Urbani" was held from Friday, June 26th to Sunday, June 28th in the Parco di Santa Maria della Pietà, in Piazza delle Ninfee, in front of the historic pavilion. The artistic direction of Francesco Pezzella offered three free-entry evenings that gathered more than 1,500 spectators in total, the best participation result recorded by the festival to date.
The Rome XIV Municipality, with President Marco Della Porta and the President of the Culture Commission Pino Acquafredda, emphasized how the public's response confirms that the cultural revitalization work at Santa Maria della Pietà is yielding concrete results. The final evening was marked by the memory of Maurizio Urbani, Massimo's brother and a historic presence at the festival.
Programme Monte Mario Jazz Festival 2026
Friday, June 26th
- 8:00 PM — Official inauguration with greetings from the authorities
- 9:00 PM — Ettore Fioravanti Opus Magnum Quartet, with Ettore Fioravanti, Marco Colonna, Andrea Biondi, and Igor Legari
- Following — Swing DJ set by Miss Dinah Dee
Saturday, June 27th
- Daniele Tittarelli Trio
- Duo Fariselli — Tavolazzi, with Patrizio Fariselli, historic pianist of Area, and Ares Tavolazzi, one of the most appreciated Italian double bassists: both linked by a long artistic journey to Massimo Urbani. This was the evening with the highest public turnout.
Sunday, June 28th
- 7:00 PM — Performance by the Laboratory of the Scuola di Musica di Testaccio, coordinated by Roberto Nicoletti and Mauro Verrone
- 9:00 PM — Antonello Sorrentino Quartet, with Antonello Sorrentino, Andrea Saffirio, Gabriele Pagliano, and Cesare Mangiacavallo
Highlights Monte Mario Jazz Festival 2026
- The concert by the Duo Fariselli — Tavolazzi, a meeting between the piano of Patrizio Fariselli and the double bass of Ares Tavolazzi, the most crowded evening of the edition
- The opening with the Opus Magnum Quartet by Ettore Fioravanti, one of the most authoritative drummers in Italian jazz
- The space dedicated to young students of the Scuola di Musica di Testaccio, a historic forge of Roman jazz education
- The tribute to Maurizio Urbani on the final evening
- The swing DJ set by Miss Dinah Dee to close the first evening
Prices Monte Mario Jazz Festival 2026
Practical information — Monte Mario Jazz Festival
Location
Parco di Santa Maria della Pietà, Piazza delle Ninfee, 00135 Rome — Monte Mario district, Rome XIV Municipality. The stage is set up in the area of the historic pavilions.
Getting there
Public transport: The Monte Mario train station (FL3 line Roma Ostiense-Viterbo) is within walking distance; numerous ATAC bus lines serve Via di Torrevecchia and Piazza Carpegna. By car: Take the exit from the Grande Raccordo Anulare towards Trionfale/Torrevecchia; parking is available within the park, but arriving early on concert nights is recommended.
Tickets
Admission is completely free for all concerts, with no reservation required, until all seats are filled. We recommend arriving at least half an hour before the start time.
Tips
The evenings are held outdoors: it is a good idea to bring a light jacket, as late June evenings in Rome can get chilly. The park is vast and partially wooded, perfect for a stroll before the concerts.
Contact
Psicoanalisi Contro — Compagnia Teatrale Sandro Gindro ETS, tel. +39 347 8407708, e-mail [email protected]
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Monte Mario Jazz Festival
Parco di Santa Maria della Pietà
Piazza delle Ninfee, 00135 Roma