Sanremo returns to being the capital of jazz, between the Casino and the Alfano Auditorium
When talking about jazz in Italy, Sanremo (Province of Imperia) holds a special place: it was here, as early as the 1950s, that the first major festivals dedicated to the genre took shape. The 2026 edition of UnoJazz&Blues celebrates exactly seventy years since that pioneering season, bringing an international calibre programme back to the Riviera di Ponente.
The event unfolds mainly in two spaces in the city: the Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò, the Art Nouveau heart of Sanremo's cultural life, and the Auditorium Franco Alfano, nestled in the greenery of Corso degli Inglesi. The formula is that of "widespread" jazz, with concerts, previews, and collateral projects animating the city for over a week.
The programme alternates international legends — from guitarist John Scofield to Kurt Rosenwinkel, to the Swedish saxophonist Nils Landgren — with Italian auteur projects, such as the tribute to Miles Davis and the opening homage to Dodo Goya. Alongside the concerts, the UnoJazz&Blues Contest, directed by Mara De Scalzi, gives space to young talents, while a photographic exhibition curated by Umberto Germinale tells the city's long jazz history through images.
Organised by E20Sanremo with the support of Unoenergy, the festival is funded without public money, with the stated ambition of returning Sanremo to compete with the major festivals on the French Côte d'Azur. The artistic direction is entrusted to Andrea De Martini and Marco Tonin.
The 2026 edition, under the artistic direction of Andrea De Martini and Marco Tonin, celebrates seventy years since the first Sanremo jazz event with nine days of concerts between the Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò and the Auditorium Franco Alfano. Alongside the major international names, there is space for the UnoJazz&Blues Contest for young talents (directed by Mara De Scalzi), the photographic exhibition by Umberto Germinale "Jazz'in… Sanremo plays jazz… since 1956", and an international photography competition in collaboration with AFIJ.
By train: Sanremo station on the Genoa–Ventimiglia line. By car: A10 motorway, Sanremo exit. The Casino and the Alfano Auditorium are located along Corso degli Inglesi.
Most concerts at the Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò are free admission with mandatory booking; only some events (John Scofield Trio, Kurt Elling with the Symphony Orchestra) are ticketed. Information and bookings at www.unojazzandblues.it.
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Teatro dell'Opera del Casinò e Auditorium Franco Alfano
Corso degli Inglesi 18, 18038 Sanremo