The Nice Jazz Festival annually showcases a lineup featuring both legends and new talents from the global stage. The Côte d’Azur is recognized as the birthplace of many jazz artists who have gained international acclaim, such as André Ceccarelli and Richard Galliano…
This year, the City of Nice, in collaboration with the association La Ruche, offers a national-scale platform taking place on Sunday, July 6 and Monday, July 7, 2014. Six French jazz and improvised music groups will be pre-selected to perform at Place Masséna before a jury of arts and entertainment professionals.
The winner of the “Nice Jazz Festival” 2014 Tremplin will have the chance to receive 3 rewards:
Their name will appear on the lineup for the Nice Jazz Festival 2015, thereby benefitting from the promotional visibility surrounding one of the largest international jazz festivals.
They will have the opportunity to open for one of the concerts at the Grappelli Hall during the 2014/2015 season.
They will also have the chance to benefit from two days of recording at the “Imago Records” studio in Nice.
The SACEM Prize
The group that finishes in second place will be scheduled to perform at the Nice Jazz Festival OFF 2015 and will be rewarded by SACEM.
COMPLETE PROGRAM
Alex Grenier Trio
Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 7 PM
Alex Grenier: guitar – Hervé Moquet: guitar – Franck Durand: drums
The Alex Grenier Trio, while maintaining the foundations and roots of jazz and blues, energetically and generously renews the famous formula: guitar – bass – drums. The trio’s music aims to be modern, creative, driven by improvisation and the pursuit of an organic and powerful sound. A warm, straightforward jazz that leaves no one indifferent.
Thomas Galliano Quartet
Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 8 PM
Jo Kaïat: piano – Jean-Marc Jafet: bass – Manu Carré: saxophone – Thomas Galliano: drums
This young musician originally from Nice has been living in New York for over 2 years. Since moving to the United States, he has accompanied respectable musicians such as JD Allen, Dezron Douglas, Stacy Dillard, Rashaan Carter, Orrin Evans, Luques Curtis, Benito Gonzalez, Tom Guarna… Thomas Galliano strives to be sincere and expressive throughout his music, using creativity to its fullest, conveying an energy that’s essential to express his intent.
Gibraltar
Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 9 PM
Benjamin Boutant: saxophone – Linus Olsson: guitar – Tony Sgro: bass – Cédric Ledonne: drums & percussion
The guiding thread of this instrumental quartet is to deliver a jazz liberated from its stylistic boundaries, whose center of gravity would lie somewhere between the United States, Europe, and Africa. Through the original compositions of the saxophonist, one is thus transported by a great diversity of rhythmic and melodic influences that evoke, in turn, Black Africa, the Maghreb, the Caribbean, Spain, and the Mediterranean as well as American swing or groove. However, it is not a question of imitating any folklore but rather of being inspired by it while maintaining the same instrumentation and group sound.
Philippe Villa Trio
Monday, July 7, 2014, at 7 PM
Philippe Villa: piano – Fabrice Bistoni: double bass – Gérard Juan: drums
Philippe Villa is a jazz pianist whose reputation is well established. He is part of what could be called the “romantic” school of jazz piano, spanning from Bill Evans to Keith Jarrett and Paul Bley. Like the aforementioned pianists, he infuses his jazz with the scents of Debussy, Ravel, or Satie. Practicing with skill what Brad Meldhau calls “the art of the trio,” he plays music in which swing is never absent but with a keen sense of melody.
Fred d’Oelsnitz Trio
Monday, July 7, 2014, at 8 PM
Fred d’Oelsnitz: piano – Gero Portal: double bass – Stephane Foucher: drums
Stories are part of the music. They tell us, through rhythms and sounds, about the musicians who craft them. Frédéric d’Oelsnitz’s music refers to stories once told, experienced, or from his imagination. He has chosen to illustrate them with the collaboration of Gero Portal and Stéphane Foucher. These two musicians have shared countless stages alongside Frédéric d’Oelsnitz for over a decade. Together they have a history.
Pierre Marcus Quartet
Monday, July 7, 2014, at 9 PM
Michaël Berthelemy: piano – Pierre Marcus: double bass – Joris Mallia: saxophone – Alexandre Gauthier: drums
Jazz with modern hues, the personal compositions of Niçois double bassist Pierre Marcus oscillate between swing, blues, ballads, and more contemporary compositions. The Pierre Marcus Quartet takes us on a journey into its diverse jazz universe, a result of Pierre’s numerous inspirations, musical encounters, and collaborations likely to delight lovers of refined and original Modern Jazz.
Jury Members:
Christian Estrosi: Deputy – Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis represented by
Maître Chauvet – Municipal Councilor Delegate for the Opera and Music – City of Nice
Gilbert d’Alto: Journalist – La Strada & Agora FM
Jean-Pierre Saïman: Journalist – Radio Chalom
Marta Wydler: Artist and musician
Yannick Denizet: Sound engineer
David Benaroche: Imago Records
Loïc Morvan: Press officer
Michel Mey: Sacem of Nice
Isabelle Pourcher: La Ruche
Franck Bigoin: Radio host
Jean-Louis Neveu: Photographer
Daniel Chauvet: Journalist – Jazz Hot
Géraldine Martin: Journalist – Agora FM
Jacques Lerognon: Journalist – Nouvelle Vague
Jean-Pierre Lamouroux: Journalist – CiaoVivaLaCulture.com
More information and regulations on nicejazzfestival.fr
