On Sunday, the first evening of Jazz 2012 brought together 7,200 people. That’s 2,000 more than the same day last year, and this second evening could yield similar results given how crowded it was yesterday in front of the festival’s two stages, Masséna and Théâtre de Verdure.
The evening got off to a great start on the Masséna stage with a new talent and, indeed, a slightly younger audience quickly captivated by this lively Norwegian. The one-man band made a strong impression in Nice with an encore demanded by the audience, and it is almost certain that the lineup won’t soon forget this new name on the jazz scene… and beyond!
Bernhoft received an ovation and an encore: rare for an opening act.
A few minutes later, it was up to the “fantastic young singer” Gregory Porter to take over. And it was a musician with a particularly enchanting voice that the audience was able to discover. Proof of this is his Grammy Award nomination in 2010, as the only artist with a debut album in contention.
To end the evening, the show and the heat were on the program with Madame Selah Sue’s set on a packed Masséna stage and a crowd charmed by this sparkling Belgian who smoothly combines Raggamuffin, Soul, and Reggae. An ovation and a consecration for the one who has opened for Prince and Charlie Winston, proving last night that she belongs in the big leagues.
And for the curious ones navigating between the two stages, Nice bassist Jean-Marc Jafet and the group from Minnesota, The Bad Plus, set the tone before a finale of pure class by the Master Herbie Hancock and his loyal musicians, with soaring performances intertwining soul, funk, rock, and jazz without the slightest hesitation.
A magical new evening under the palm trees of Albert 1er, even the most disgruntled wouldn’t have regretted the good old days of the olive trees at Cimiez…
