The longest running European jazz festival and a model to the others, Jazz in Juan is celebrating this year 50 years of existence!
Since 1960, it has imposed itself as a legendary place where jazz history is created, but also and especially where jazz is eternally reborn.
The Antibes Juan-les-Pins Tourist Office, organiser of the festival, and Jean-René Palacio, artistic director, intend to celebrate in style the jubilee of an event which remains one of today’s cultural highlights of jazz life in France and in Europe. Many events are planned, not forgetting the many prestigious guests on stage for whom Jazz and Juan are inseparable. Prior to the press conference, when the full programme will be revealed, five of them have already confirmed their presence.
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Firstly, a choice master of ceremonies. The first time he played in the Gould pine grove, he felt on familiar ground, in the benevolent shadow of Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald or John Coltrane. “At the time, this festival seemed familiar to me. I’m convinced that it’s the work of collective memory,” said Marcus Miller. It’s only natural that he should preside over the celebrations in Juan.
Jazz à Juan is also familiar to a legendary pianist, whom the public discovered in 1966 and who has never ceased to return as soon as possible ever since, with that special sense of feeling at home. For him, playing in the pine grove is always creative happiness. With Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett will be one of the stars of the 50th edition.
In 1985, for the festival’s 25th anniversary, Jazz à Juan caused a stir with a prestigious show bringing together for the first time in France the fathers of bossa-nova, Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa. The 50th anniversary will welcome one of the greatest composers of new Brazilian music, Carlinhos Brown.
Many saxophone players have sent roars of pleasure through the Juan nights. Among them, David Sanborn, who has worked with Bowie, Stones, Springsteen and even… Marcus Miller, the producer of his second most recent album. He too will be on the stage of the pine grove where he has known many triumphs, just like Manu Katché, the brilliant and genre-breaking pioneer of trends, probably the most televised and the most international French drummer.
Don’t miss in 50 days the announcement of the full programme of the 50th International Jazz Festival of Antibes Juan-les-Pins, Jazz à Juan, and 50 days after that, the details of everything (« Jazz Off », exhibitions, conferences and film showings, book, DVD…)
By far my favorite Jazz Festival.