Coming July, he will turn ninety years old. Hank Jones, the quietest and most pensive musician of the three Jones brothers (drummer Elvin and trumpet player Thad), has seen jazz evolve and the emergence of all styles with his very own eyes. Jones was one of the first pianists who had an open mind towards bebop, in the time that he played with Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald and Charlie Parker. One of his most famous pronouncements is that "every note on the piano needs its own identity". Jones is still very active: he makes albums and still performs a lot. Reaching this respectable age is an occasion to celebrate the pianist's musicality at the festival. One of his guests will be the talented Italian singer Roberta Gambarini, with whom he has shared the stage and the studio many times these past years. Their duo album You Are There is one of the most beautiful records of 2007. With her warm, dark voice and her scatting abilities, she is a remarkable addition to Jones' exploratory playing. The ever-fervent trumpet player Roy Hargrove will support the pianist in his own inimitable way.
