French Riviera Travel News

Marcus Miller

Friday the 15th at the famous Jazz a Juan jazz festival at Juan-les-Pins was devoted to commemorating jazz giant Miles Davis. The first band of this two-part evening was Bitches Brew Beyond led by trumpeter Wallace Roney. With sidemen Al Foster, Bernie Maupin, Antoine Roney and others, the group struggled to honor Miles Davis’ groundbreaking fusion album, Bitches Brew. For whatever reason, it didn’t work. The mysterious alchemy that makes jazz “swing” was entirely absent, leaving the audience disengaged and bored. It didn’t help that the group started about 1/2 hour late  which meant a long wait for the music everyone came to hear: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Marcus Miller in their “Tribute to Miles”.

Now that was jazz at its most transcendent, most spiritual. The intricate harmonies lay within a complex rhythmical structure that was both subtle and pulsing. Hancock, Shorter and Miller have nothing to prove on the technical front so we were spared flashy see-how-fast-I-can-play nonsense. Every note was a well-chosen stitch in the larger tapestry of sound. The effect was hypnotically beautiful. I fell into a kind of trance where nothing existed but the music weaving its magic. I wasn’t surprised when Miller (in excellent French) explained that they were expressing Miles’ dreams!

As always, the acoustics in the Jazz a Juan festival were impeccable, the crowd respectful and the serene, seaside setting fantastic.

Wynton Marsalis & Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra

It’s been a swinging five days at the Nice Jazz Festival concluding last night with a ravishing set by  Wynton Marsalis and the  Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Despite Marsalis’ somewhat catty comment on Facebook that he played “the jazz night” and  ” it’s good to see some actual jazz musicians at a jazz festival” (meaning preceding artists Ahmad Jamal and Roy Hargrove), there were other bona fide jazz musicians on other nights. Monday night’s program featured Avishai Cohen and “Trombone”" Shorty; Sunday night boasted Martial Solal, Stefano Bollani and Michel Portal; Saturday had bluesman Joe-Louis Walker. I suspect that Marsalis does not accept the jazz fusion style of Mike Stern and Didier Lockwood or John McLaughlin on the opening night. I don’t much care for it either but I think it does deserve the jazz label.

If it’s any consolation to Marsalis and other jazz purists, “jazz night” was absolutely jam-packed. It was, by far, the best attended night of the festival. Clearly having funkster Maceo Parker on the bill helped boost attendance but I suspect that it was Marsalis, Ahmad Jamal and Roy Hargrove  who really put the buns in the seats–and on the ground and squeezed into every available corner of the Theatre de Verdure. In fact the milling crowds with the kids, cellphones, beer runs and chatter made it difficult to concentrate on the music.

Maceo Parker "battled" Wynton Marsalis

Marsalis’ other complaint that ” loud non- jazz blaring from the main stage . . . is now bleeding into every song we play.” refers to a serious problem with the festival’s two stage format. The Theatre de Verdure presents musicians who, by and large, eschew heavy amplification while the main stage, Theatre Masséna, lets bands like Seal and Maceo Parker crank up the amps. Actually, the problem was less severe with Marsalis’ big band sound. He should have been there for Avishai Cohen’s trio which was totally squashed by Seal.

To the problem of overcrowding, I say raise the ticket price. In festivals past, nights with big names simply cost more. It’s a wonderful gift to have Ahmad Jamal, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis and Maceo Parker for only €35 but last year you would have paid €50 and had some physical and mental space to appreciate the music.

Resolving the Battle of the Bands is trickier. You could turn down the amplification on the main stage but that would diminish the pleasure of people who come for a throbbing beat. And, the bands were not over-amped to begin with. A better solution might lie in the programming. Try not to pit a trio in the Theatre de Verdure against dueling electric guitars in the Theatre Masséna.

Come to think of it, if the Nice Jazz Festival only programmed the classic jazz that Marsalis prefers both problems would be solved! The crowds would be thinner as the number of true jazz afficionados is fewer and jazz lovers in both venues could more fully enter into the music without “music bleed”. Maybe the legendary  jazzman has a point.

Michel Portal: Wikipedia Commons

After years of complaints by residents of the Cimiez neighbourhood, the Nice Jazz Festival packed its stages and moved to the much more centrally located Jardins Albert 1er. There’s no question that the site is easier to access, especially by visitors. Naturally, parking is a nightmare but cyclists and walkers will have no problem getting to the venue from anywhere in downtown Nice. For those coming from further afield, there’s always the Noctambus to return you to your digs when the festival ends around midnight.

After several years of toying around with pop, R & B, soul and rock, the festival’s new shortened schedule puts the emphasis squarely on jazz in all its permutations from electro to blues to classic jazz. Last night, Michel Portal delivered a soaring performance of cuts from his new CD, Bailador, in the festival’s Teatre Verdure venue. Of the two venues, this is the one with seating– essential in order to relax and fully enter the music. Unfortunately, the mood was occasionally interrupted by the sounds drifting over from the other venue, the Scene Matisse.

The “festival seating” in the Scene Matisse was the only disappointment in this revamped Jazz Festival. The open field of Cimiez dotted by olive trees provided a certain romantic ambience. You could stand in a crowd in front of the stage or spread out a blanket in the field and gaze at the stars while listening to the music. Here, the only choice was to remain standing, mostly on concrete, for the duration of the concert. That’s fine for a pulsing rock concert that impels dancing, but it’s unnecessarily tiring for a jazz concert.

The solution is simple: install chairs!

Menton

Want to get off the beaten track on the French Riviera without renting a car? Local tourist offices have put together a great deal that gives you guided tours of the Riviera’s most beautiful villages for only €2 a day! Beginning today and running through August 26, the Navette du Patrimoine will take you from Menton to Sospel, Moulinet, St Agnes, La Turbie, Castillon, Gorbio, Castellar, Roquebrune and Castillon. The bus leaves from the Menton bus station at 9.30am Monday to Friday and returns at 4pm. The itinerary changes each day with one or two villages visited on each itinerary. A local guide accompanies you, explaining the history, culture and architectural highlights at each stop. You’ll have time to wander the village and have lunch before returning to Menton. Not only are these mountain villages spectacular but you will be taking some of the Riviera’s most scenic routes. Did I mention that it only costs €2 (excluding entry fees for certain monuments)? It’s an unbeatable bargain. Click here for the schedule and to reserve on line.

The program for the 2011 Jazz festival at Juan-les-Pins, “Jazz a Juan” is now online and it’s truly a banquet for jazz-lovers. I recommend reserving your tickets early to make sure you get a seat at your preferred concert. Check out the line-up:

July 14

REVELATIONS (promising new artists)

July 15

BITCHES BREW BEYOND
Tribute to Miles Davis
HERBIE HANCOCK
WAYNE SHORTER
MARCUS MILLER

July 16

KEITH JARRETT TRIO

July 17

JAMES HUNTER
B.B.KING

July 18

SOIREE OFF (free)

July 19

ROBERT RANDOLPH
CARLOS SANTANA

July 20

ALEX TASSEL / CURTIS STIGE
JAMMIE CULLUM

July 21

RAPHAEL SAADIQ
IMANY / BEN ONCLE SOUL

July 22

RAUL MIDON/RICHARD BO
QUARTET
GILBERTO GIL

July 23

HAROLD LOPEZ NUSSA TRIO
MANU KATCHE PROJECT

July 24

CRAIG ADAMS / SOIREE GOSPEL (free)

For more information and to reserve tickets, click here.