Farewell to Pippo Baudo. "He loved Bologna, and was close to Morandi and Dalla."

Bologna, August 17, 2025 – " He loved Bologna , the simple atmosphere, without frills, the jazz music played on the streets. Pippo Baudo was happy here ." Remembering him is Paolo Alberti , creator of La Strada del Jazz and a great friend of the host, who passed away yesterday evening, Saturday, August 16. He was the one who invited him to the event on two occasions, in 2015 and 2021, as guest of honor. " At the inauguration, in September, we will dedicate a tribute to him ," Alberti continues. "Pippo loved jazz: he started out passionately playing the piano in the Moonlight orchestra. It was the 1950s." His family, however, preferred him to have a degree and a 'serious' job. He repeatedly told television that, the night before graduating in Law, he presented 'Miss Sicily' in the province of Ragusa. He left at dawn in a van, lying among fruit and vegetables, and arrived in Catania just in time for his thesis defense. The rest is history.

Pippo Baudo, guest of honor at La Strada del Jazz in Bologna, in 2015 (PhotoSchicchi)

For his second time at La Strada del Jazz , four years ago, the orchestra conducted by Sandro Comini played arrangements of Donna Rosa, La Quadriglia , and Una domenica così. These songs were inspired by the great pianists of the African-American tradition. It was Gianni Morandi who brought the last of the three songs to success: "The relationship with Gianni is the human and professional relationship that historically ties me to Bologna," Baudo told Il Carlino. This was confirmed by the Bolognese singer's emotional words upon hearing the news of his friend's passing: "I am deeply saddened," he wrote on social media. "Personally, I owe him a lot . He helped me overcome my period of crisis in the early 1980s with his precious advice and by inviting me to his shows. Thank you, Pippo, for what you did for me and for your friendship. I will always love you ."

That year, on stage with Baudo were Edoardo Vianello and Fio Zanotti . They were friends from Sanremo (and beyond). "The way Pippo announced me as conductor was thrilling: I went on stage with an incredible energy," Zanotti says. "I remember, for example, the performance with Anna Tatangelo . I wrote Doppiamente Fragili for her. I wanted to end the song with just the word 'doubly,' but it was Pippo who suggested I add 'fragile' because, he said, 'doubly' alone doesn't mean anything. He was right, and that song won Sanremo Giovani ." Zanotti and Alberti remember him as "a sort of living encyclopedia ." "We spent wonderful evenings on the phone," says Paolo. "He was curious, attentive, and lucid. A true master. And how many jokes we played on each other: they were timeless, light-hearted moments , we teased each other. To accompany the laughter, there was a glass of Lambrusco or Sangiovese, which he loved. Essential elements of this land."

In Bologna, Pippo Baudo was also linked by his friendship with Lucio Dalla . "I had the great honor of hearing a preview of one of his masterpieces, Caruso ," Baudo recounted in an interview with Il Carlino . "At the time, I was hosting Fantastico , and I invited him to present it on TV. He told me he felt small compared to an artist like Caruso and didn't want to. In the end, after insisting, after hour-long phone calls, he agreed to come on my show. But there was a deal. We wouldn't play the song, but the recording, while he would remain silent, still, filmed by the cameras. For me, whatever he decided was fine. Lucio was a genius . We did so. The following year, what would become another of his great hits, Attenti al lupo , was released. This time, it was he who called me and proposed having me as a guest, but with a different deal. He wanted not only to sing, but also to dance. And naturally, we did as he wanted."

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