“If my memory fails me, some will sing for me.” But there will be no real shortage for Maxime Le Forestier, who masterfully managed his stage in Nice from start to finish, blending a subtle mix of unforgettable songs (“Mon frère,” “Ambalaba,” or the iconic blue house from “San Francisco”) and texts written for other performers like Julien Clerc or Gérald De Palmas. A superb Maxime, whiter than snow with hair color matching his tunic. It was also a beautiful communion with an audience quickly enchanted by this bard who traverses eras without a scratch. The only regret, in the end, is that the concert did not take place later in the evening to prolong the enjoyment.
A sparkling and talented young singer with a major voice, Gabriella Cilmi, followed later, and the red neon signaled the name of Nissa’s night’s new and final artist, a newcomer to the French scene, Julien Doré. A premiere in the gardens of Cimiez, with plenty of youth present to get closer and hear this “new star.” Toto Cutugno with his Italian songs revived the audience before a disheveled figure armed with gigantic cymbals entered the stage to applause and well-suited shouts of “Juuuliiien.” It was set for a final round on the stage, unfortunately with a rather average sound system that struggled to render Doré’s whims.
“A lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” The older crowd, having stepped back, now retreated towards a saving socca and a chilled rosé, while the younger ones enthusiastically repeated the choruses of their new favorite who knew no bounds to entertain, even climbing the stage beams to see the audience from higher up. Ultimately, it was not transcendent but refreshing enough to momentarily forget the heat of another summer night in the heart of this new edition of the jazz festival on the hill of Cimiez.
