The Nice Jazz Festival, which will be held from July 16 to 21, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, with its first edition taking place at the Nice Opera House from February 22 to 28, 1948, a decade before the Monterey festival in California.
70 years ago to the day, the world’s first Jazz festival made its debut in Nice… 70 years later, the Nice Jazz Festival remains as legendary as ever…
In 1948, Louis Armstrong was the undisputed star of this first Jazz festival. Artists filled the Opera House and the municipal Casino in Place Masséna, where people danced to the sounds of the world’s best orchestras under the grand Belle Epoque glass roof.
The official poster, designed by Mauro Maugliani, will represent the ultimate jazz icon and the star of the first edition of the festival in 1948.
Christian Estrosi, on the occasion of the program presentation, also announced several surprises:
“JazzIn’NICE”: An exceptional exhibition will trace the unique history of the Nice Jazz Festival from July 7 to October 15 at Villa Masséna, and the poster was created by the artist BEN.
Return of the Grande Parade: A carte blanche will be given on July 17 to artist Pierre Bertrand, winner of the Unclassifiable Album Award at the Victoires du Jazz for his Caja Negra project, to organize a lineup bringing together Niçois jazzmen, in tribute to Simone Ginibre (who initiated the Grande Parade in 1974).
A book dedicated to the history of the Nice Jazz Festival has been created in collaboration with Gilletta editions.
Gregory Porter, the 2018 patron of the Nice Jazz Festival, will be accompanied by the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra during his tribute to Nat King Cole.
The towns of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis will also host concerts during the festival: Valdeblore, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Carros, La Bollène Vésubie, Clans, Le Broc, Levens, Saint-Sauveur sur Tinée, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Bonson.
36 groups will perform over 5 consecutive evenings, with 6 acts per night on 2 stages simultaneously.
Among the headliners of this 70th edition: Gregory Porter, Massive Attack, Orelsan, Parov Stelar, Jack Johnson, Rag’N’Bone Man, Melanie de Biasio, Randy Weston’s African Quintet, Sons of Kemet, Rodha Scott, Soulwax…
For the record:
Starting in 1974, the Nice Jazz Festival took over the Arènes de Cimiez garden, among olive trees and Roman ruins. From 1994, the Nice Jazz Festival, known as the Grande Parade, became the Nice Jazz Festival. It challenged traditions by opening up to diverse musical trends.
Since 2011, Nice is the first city in France to self-manage and produce a festival of such magnitude. Sebastian Vidal, a prominent figure in French jazz, is its artistic director.
The festival returns to the heart of the city and is located in the Albert 1st Gardens and the Théâtre de Verdure.
Over 45,000 people are expected at this essential summer event.
