On Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30 PM, the Italian Cultural Institute of Miami will host a concert by Chiara Izzi, one of the most refined voices in the Italian jazz scene abroad.
A singer, composer, and performer with a unique artistic sensitivity, Chiara Izzi has lived in New York City since 2014, a city that has helped shape and amplify her artistic identity. The decisive turning point in her career came with her victory at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition, where she received the Best Voice award directly from Quincy Jones, president of the jury. This recognition launched her onto the international stage and opened the doors to some of the world’s most important jazz festivals. The following year, she returned to the Swiss festival to open for Paco de Lucía.
Over the years, the Italian artist has won over audiences and critics alike thanks to a voice capable of moving effortlessly through jazz, Brazilian sounds, Mediterranean influences, and the Italian singer-songwriter tradition. Among her achievements is the Independent Music Award for Best Jazz Vocal Song, awarded to her original composition Circles of the Mind.
In the United States, she has performed at some of jazz music’s most iconic venues, including the Kennedy Center, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, and legendary New York clubs such as Birdland, Blue Note Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, and 55 Bar. Throughout her career, she has also collaborated with internationally renowned musicians such as Kevin Hays, Chris Potter, Omer Avital, and Grégoire Maret.
Her discography reflects a continuous artistic and expressive exploration. Her 2013 debut album Motifs received widespread critical acclaim for its elegant fusion of languages and musical styles, while more recent works such as Across the Sea and Live in Bremen confirm the maturity of an artist capable of transforming every performance into an intimate and engaging experience.
At the Italian Cultural Institute of Miami, Chiara Izzi will present Timeless Songs: Roots and Horizons, an intimate and deeply personal performance that pays tribute to the cultural ties between Italy and the United States. Through music, storytelling, and interpretation, the concert retraces the emotional dialogue that has long connected the two countries, blending the melodic tradition of Italy with the expressive freedom of American jazz.
The program moves through great Italian classics from the 1930s onward, alongside original compositions born from the fusion of the artist’s Italian roots and the artistic influences she developed in the United States. Inspired by the tradition of Italian songwriting and the creative spirit of contemporary jazz, her pieces engage in dialogue with the classical repertoire, highlighting Chiara Izzi’s dual identity as both performer and songwriter.
Joining her on stage will be Chuck Stevens on guitar and Chuck Bergeron on double bass.
The result promises to be an elegant and captivating musical journey, where lyricism and improvisation intertwine in a continuous dialogue between past and present, between the Mediterranean and New York, between tradition and modernity.