An evening at the Marciac Festival

The 43rd edition of the Marciac Jazz Festival was held this year, from July 24 to August 7, 2021. Last year, the organizers canceled the edition and postponed it to 2021. The “Bis” (as “We want more”) is an integral part of it.

For more than 40 years, nearly 250,000 people have come from Europe and beyond to listen to the great international jazz stars. Norah Jones, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Ibrahim Maalouf, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Roberto Fonseca among others are the stars. The festival allowed economic development of the place by building a residence around the lake. Hotels, restaurants and a campsite welcome festival-goers as well as rural lodgings in the surrounding area.

Origin of Jazz in Marciac

The man behind the festival is called Jean-Louis Guilhaumon. Installed in Marciac (32) since 1970, this professor of modern letters, music lover, first created a home for young people and popular education. In 1978, he organized there with André Muller, a first open-air concert in the arenas of the village. These are Jazz, American trumpeter Bill Coleman and saxophonist Guy Lafitte living in the region. This event organized in a cultural desert will become essential in the following years. In the following years, the concerts took place in a workshop of a local factory in the St Germain district. The festival lasts 3 weeks from the end of June to mid-August, it welcomes more and more people. To do this, a marquee is installed on the municipal stadium.

After 10 years, the organizers decide to create an association and extend the concerts to other times of the year (autumn, winter, spring). The festival, now lasting 10 days, becomes a national cultural project. Following the growing success, the inauguration of the Astrada, a hall with 500 seats, took place in 2011.

Become one of the biggest jazz festivals, JIM wants to allow young people to express themselves. One of the association’s projects is to bring music to nursery classes: to raise awareness from an early age, to allow cultural and musical openness to those who will be at the heart of future editions.

Edition 2021

Bis Festival at Astrada

The Marciac festival and the “Bis” have just ended. Between July 24 and August 4, the “Bis” Festival took place in the village square. A musical program was held free of charge from 11:30 am to 7:00 pm, under vast white canvases, on a stage at the Place de l’Hotel de Ville. All jazz trends were present there. It was an opportunity to discover new talents. Youn Sun Nah, who performed in the marquee on July 27, took her first steps there in 2000.

On the program this year, artists representing all trends from traditional to contemporary, blues and Latin rhythms: Crawfish Wallet, Acquaviva Trio, Cecil L. Recchia Quintet, Pierre Marcus Quartet, Moïra Montier-Dauriac Quartet, Jeanne Michard Latin Quintet, Roger “Kemp” Biwandu “Bordeaux” Quintet, Bloom, RP Quartet, Cédric Chauveau Trio & Rachel Ratsifazy, Nico Wayne Toussaint Quintet, Latin Spirit.

One day was dedicated to Jazz Music Initiation Workshops with groups of students from Marciac College, from 6th to 3rd year.

Under the marquee

Many artists have frequented the stage of the “Bis” before that of the Chapiteau, a hall with 6,000 seats. Among them are Niles Rodgers, Lenny Kravitz, Herbie Hancock, Ibrahim Maalouf, Marcus Miller and Michel Camilo & Tomatito. The 2021 edition hosted:

• Robin McKelle “Alterations” and Kimberose “out” (Saturday July 24).
• Hugh Coltman “Who’s happy” and Kyle Eastwood (July 25).
• Brooklyn Funk Essentials – Kool & the Gang – Focus on Emergence # 1 (July 26)
• Brad Mehldau trio – Youn sun nah & wakenius duo – Focus on emergence # 2 (July 27).
• Delgres “4: 00 AM” – Zucchero – Erik Truffaz quarter “Red Moon” (July 28).
• Leyla McCalla “The capitalist blues” – Lisa Simone’s wonderful tour – Papanosh Roy Nathanson & Napoleon Maddox “Home” (July 29).
• Naïssam Jalal “Quest of the invisible” – Rolando Luna trio & guest – Ibrahim Maalouf “S3ans” – Julien Touery “Slow” (July 30).
• Richard Bona & Alfredo Rodriguez – Aymée Nuviola & Gonzalo * Rubalcaba “Viento y tiempo” – Laura Perrudin “Doksha” (July 31).
• Avishai Cohen “Big vicious” – Emile Parisien & Vincent Peirani “Abrazo” – Roberto Fonseca & New Bulgarian Voices – Daniel Zimmermann “Dichotomie’s” (August 1).
• PJ5 “Ensemble” – Imagination featuring Leee John – Earth wind & fire experience featuring al McKay – Arielle Besson “Try! ” (August 2nd).
• Claudia Solal & Benjamin Moussay “Punk moon” – Django all stars quintet – Thomas Dutronc “Frenchy” – Géraldine Laurent “Cooking” (August 3).
• Obradovic-Tixier duo – Large ensemble Koa “Beat” – Belmondo Quintet “Brotherhood” – Michel Portal “MP85” (August 4).
• Etienne Mbappé & The prophets “How near how far” – David Linx “Skin in the game” (August 5).
• Natacha Atlas “Strange days” – Human songs “Instinct” (August 6).
• Sophie Alour “Joy” – Host “Kos” (August 7).

We attended Leyla McCalla, The capitalist blues and Lisa Simone’s wonderful tour concerts on July 29th.

Leyla mccalla

Leyla McCalla is a New York singer and musician of Haitian descent. His music is inspired by Caribbean sounds, as well as the Cajun tradition of Louisiana. It accompanies his moving voice, the cello, his training instrument, but also the guitar and the banjo.

Unlike his first 2 albums, which are rather folk, the new one bears the title “Capitalist Blues”. He is inspired by the tense socio-political climate of the United States. His songs tell about the psychological and emotional effects of living in a capitalist society where money is king and the poor are left behind. It features traditional New Orleans jazz passing through Louisiana zydeco and Haitian rara. The repertoire offers a more physical and dancing side imbued with the music of his adopted city, New Orleans, and that of his ancestral country, Haiti.

Lisa Simone

It was not Lisa Simone’s first performance at Marciac. She was in the lineup from 2015 to 2019 before returning in 2021.

Lisa Simone is the only daughter of Nina Simone. Today, she stands out with her voice and her talent. Before singing, Lisa was in the military, then an actress and Broadway star. She brings her powerful voice to the many styles of Great Black Music, ranging from jazz to soul, blues and gospel.

Living in France, she began a second career there. She met with great success during her visits to Marciac, accompanied by her musicians: Hervé Samb (guitar), Gino Chantoiseau (bass) and Yoann Danier (drums).

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VERONIQUE YANG

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