ISAAC HAYES – Garden Stage – 11:00 PM
On the occasion of his grand induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, followed by his highly publicized return to Memphis, Isaac Hayes has recently found himself back in the spotlight. Early in his career, he was associated with the Stax record company, which earned the glory of Southern soul. The creator of Shaft quickly established himself in our collective imagination, both as an actor and a singer. The wisdom inherited from his grandmother who raised him, combined with his princely elegance, makes him one of the few pop stars from Black America. While continuing his humanitarian work for Africa, Hayes proves he is a formidable master of the stage.
BOOKER T. & the MG’s – Arenas – 9:30 PM
The Stax house band of its golden age was the first to craft the “Memphis sound.” Present on a long list of standards and hits gathered by Carl and Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and many others, the MG’s hold a special place in the pantheon of popular music thanks to standards like Green Onions and Soul Limbo. Organist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, and bassist Duck Dunn have only reunited on rare occasions since the death of drummer Al Jackson Jr. thirty years ago. Accompanied this summer by percussionist Steve Potts, they nonetheless intend to demonstrate, on the occasion of Stax’s 50th anniversary, that the Memphis sound is more relevant than ever.
SOLOMON BURKE – Garden Stage – 9:00 PM
Recently noted for the album “Nashville,” in which he highlights the kinship between soul and country music, Doctor Burke continues his journey at the helm of a masterful orchestra. A flamboyant monarch with his crown, scepter, and regal train, the “King of Rock’n’Soul” has sold over 20 million records during an outstanding career dotted with fabulous hits: Cry To Me, Proud Mary, Got To Get You Off My Mind, Everybody Needs Somebody To Love… A mentor to the Rolling Stones, this bishop and spiritual leader of the House of God for All People is above all the pope of Soul Music, to which he contributed alongside Sam Cooke and Ray Charles.
CHARLES WALKER – Arenas – 11:15 PM
This soulman from the great era, a protégé of Otis Redding, recorded extensively from the sixties under the banner of the famous Chess label before finding a place as a songwriter at Motown. This track record could have allowed Charles Walker to associate his name with the great figures in soul history, but it didn’t account for his desire to continue the adventure. With the revival of the queen of Black American popular music, Charles recently returned to the studio and stage, where his explosive presence makes him a safe bet in all major festivals.
JOHN ELLISON – Garden Stage – 7:30 PM
Along with Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, and Sam Cooke, Sir Ellison contributed to bestowing nobility on soul music. Revealed in Europe during his previous appearances in Nice, he has chosen to return to the very places of his triumphs to reconnect with France.
GENO YOUNG – Matisse Stage – 10:00 PM
This Dallas native from Texas, a classmate of talented artists such as Roy Hargrove, N’Dambi, or Norah Jones, owes his musical career to another high school mate. Arranger and conductor for Erykah Badu’s early days, June Bugg (a nickname given by Erykah) took off once the album “Ghetto Symphony” in 2004 allowed him to express his full talent as a singer and songwriter in the nu-soul circuit.
JOBY SMITH – Matisse Stage – 8:30 PM
A long-time member of a gospel choir, Joby learned her craft in the Paris studios as a backing vocalist before fully revealing herself as a soul singer. An original performer, attentive to the subtleties of the genre, she intends to charm soul lovers in Nice with her own repertoire.
SOCCA JAZZ
LINKAGE – 6:30 PM – Matisse Stage
The project presented this summer in Cimiez is the logical continuation of a formula imagined four years ago and realized by a debut album. Since then, under the direction of bassist Zeeb, this Afro-soul quartet ventures into the realms of jazz, funk, hip-hop, and rock. The fusion can then occur between muscular grooves and melodic gimmicks, carried by the voice of Jaggae.
