Since August 29, the la Villette comes to life with more than fifteen concerts in the framework of the festival Jazz à la Villette. Among these, the great Omara Portuondo, 88ans and holder of the collective Buena Vista Social Club, who gives a farewell world tour, the bass legend Marcus Miller, but also an evening of custom-created for the collaboration of the South African BCUC (for Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) and the Uk’s Sons of Kemet. A week that began under the best of auspices, and which will continue until September 10, with several evenings often divided into three parts. On 4 September, France is in the spotlight with saxophonist underground Guillaume Perret, dubbed neither more nor less than by John Zorn. The same evening will occur Etienne Jaumet armed with his saxophone and keyboards, as well as Paul Hock and Jim Black. This unlikely encounter sees dialogue between the young musician to paris, and the drummer of engineering new york as part of the prize Talents Adami Jazz.
Another evening, another style, the evening of September 7, devoted to the piano with Yaron Herman solo with his improvisations, Eric Legnini trio, or even the revelation Christian Sands. Spotted by Christian McBride, the thirty-year-old has taken off and will present at this evening her new repertoire as a tribute to the great pianist Erroll Garner.
Host to guest
To top it in beauty these fifteen days of music, a tribute to the queen Aretha Franklin, who disappeared in the middle of summer last year, will come to a point of organ at the festival. To honor his memory and bring to life the monuments of soul in his repertoire, the group afrobeat Antibalas, which is affiliated to the label of soul and funk Daptone. It will receive a host of guests, among which are the great Bettye LaVette (close to James Brown, Otis Redding…), and the no less masterly Nona Hendryx, singer and producer and ex-member of the trio LaBelle, who recorded do you Want to sleep with me in 1974. The young generation of the soul is also invited to honour the diva with the singers Alice Russell and Zara McFarlane, and the american singer José James.
Diversify the styles. Great signature voice and instrumentalists in jazz, but also a mix of genres dear to the festival programmers, who are committed to musical diversity «of free jazz to hip-hop,» stresses Frank Piquard, co-programmer of the event. Because if Jazz à la Villette only has eyes for the jazz, it also has ears for the music not classifiable as he celebrates in a programming more indie, «a festival within the festival». The programming Under-the-radar investing other places in the North suburb of paris as the Workshop of the Plateau, where you will be able to discover the trio experimental Ikui Doki on September 5. At the studio of the Hermitage, on the evening of Sunday 8 September will be in three parts and devoted to sets. The duo’s saxophone and accordion of Christophe monniot, altitude, and Didier Ithursarry the duo bass clarinet Hélène Labarrière and Sylvain Kassap through the Claude tchamitchian s Quintet and its energizing project Ways Out to finish brilliantly in the evening.
Jazz à la Villette , Philharmonie, Cité de la musique and the grande halle de la Villette, 221, avenue Jean-Jaurès (Xix). Dates: until the 10th of sept. Places: from 20€ and by the formula from 60€.
