Nice Jazz Festival 2023
If anything says “Summer in Nice” it would be the decades-old Nice Jazz Festival. As soon as the first posters appear I like to check out the program and plan my evenings. I try to check out artists I’m unfamiliar with as well as my old favorites. This year, my first evening was with Dave Holland whom I’ve followed for years and Hiromi, the Japanese piano prodigy whom I hadn’t listened to at all. Both were excellent but, for whatever reason, Hiromi made more of an impact. Hiromi’s Sonic Wonder delivered a thumping good set with her bandmates Adam O’Farrill on trumpet, Hadrien Feraud on double bass and Gene Coye on drums. Moving away from her roots in traditional jazz, Hiromi’s Sonic Wonder was heavily infused with the energy and rhythms of funk. Along with her virtuosic piano, the exciting soundscape brought the crowd to its feet. Her set way overran its time (unusual at the festival) but no one complained and few left. When you’re in a groove, you’re in a groove. It was a hard act to follow, particularly for the Dave Holland New 4tet, which presented a more cerebral, academic form of jazz. Both played at the Theatre de Verdure and for once there was no annoying background noise from the Scene Massèna. Perhaps the acoustics were adjusted this year? My second evening began with Superblue: Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter. I had seen Kurt Elling at the festival years ago when he showcased his jazz singing skills … Continue reading →