In the pre-opening of the Nice Jazz Festival 2011, the competition “Nice is Jazz” will highlight a selection of amateur jazz bands from the City of Nice. These bands will perform a 30-minute set in front of the audience and a jury consisting of at least three people (a representative of the Artistic Director of the Festival, an elected official, and at least one entertainment professional).
The different aspects of the organization of the Competition:
Call for applications…
A call for applications has been issued to jazz artists and groups from the city and the department.
The Artistic Side of the Competition…
After reviewing the submissions received, 9 bands were selected to perform for free on the stage set up at Place Masséna, with 3 bands performing each day.
The band declared the winner will perform on July 11 as part of the IN Festival on the Théâtre de Verdure stage, opening for Trombone Shorty & The Avenue and Avishai Cohen.
More information on: https://www.nicejazzfestival.fr/Festival-OFF
TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: ARNOISE JAZZ PROJECT
(ARNAUD CRISTINI/ drummer; LAURENT COUNILLON/ guitarist; STEPHANE MOLINERIS/ bassist; OLIVIER ALLIO/ alto saxophonist)
Arnoise Jazz Project is an electric jazz cocktail! Gathered as a quartet since 2007, with a first album released in 2010 and a second one in preparation, Arnoise Jazz Project already holds solid references. Overflowing with energy, a pinch of electrodynamic jazz fusion occasionally lounge-like, the unique ingredients of this quartet come from numerous original compositions and a few explosive and surprising covers, all mixed in a shaker of metal forged from complete camaraderie between the musicians. Musicians from the Nice area since always, sharing a passion for jazz and a love for the Côte d’Azur, AJP aims to convey their vibrations to a wide audience.
5:45 PM – 6:15 PM: Jerome VINSON Trio
(Jérôme Vinson: Piano / Fred Lacroix: Double bass / Bruno Desbiolles: Drums)
This new Azurian trio around pianist Jérôme Vinson presents a repertoire composed of jazz standards, jazz-infused pop music, and original compositions. Born in 2010, this acoustic trio (piano, double bass, drums) offers modern and dynamic jazz, influenced by contemporary ensembles (Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett, Avishai Cohen).
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: DID KOALA
(DID KWO / vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboard; MARIN PUHAR / vocals, double bass, bass; TOM DOBRA / electric guitar, theremin, melodica; JEROME ACHAT / vocals, drums)
In search of “simple & accessible” music, songwriter Did is inspired by the most diverse and eclectic musical worlds: Indian music with John McLaughlin’s Shakti, North American folk songwriting by Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen combining the atmosphere of Nick Drake with the gypsy ambiance of Kusturica’s films. An amazing acoustic mix that places the band in a melodious universe where pop, folk, and symphonic sounds rub elbows with intimate and stripped-down tones – thus melody and lyrics are illustrated first and foremost. A very positive communion and language.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Kim Cao
(Kim Cao / Vocals, Acoustic guitar; Miguel Aurélien / Guitar; Nobecourt Christophe / Bass; Veran Jean Luc / Drums)
The Kim Cao Quartet (Kim Cao, Aurelien Miguel, Christophe Nobo, and Jean-Luc Veran) have been making the rounds in opening gigs (Alice Russell, Sly Johnson, Yodelice, Renan Luce, Joyce Jonathan, Tété, and Ben l’Oncle Soul on December 9th) and is creating new songs for an album. Funk, waltz, rock, singer-songwriter, in French or English, the Quartet follows all paths at once to showcase a shared sensitivity supported by an effective sound.
5:45 PM – 6:15 PM: El Sciubba
(El Sciubba – Guitar, Mandolin, Slide, Vocals / Juan Luis Fernandez – Guitar, Vocals / Andy Shalom – Bass / Nick Castagnola – Percussion, Drums)
Quartet formed by 4 musicians residing in Nice, around guitarist and singer El Sciubba in 2009. Using traditional Flamenco instruments, they fuse with the harmony and technique of Jazz, Funk, and other musical forms.
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: MC quartet
(Luca Mariotti – clarinet / Jean Jacques Gristi – lead guitar / Laurent Seneca – lead guitar / Morgan Mirande – guitar / David Sneoual – double bass)
MC QUARTET is a gypsy jazz/be-bop group. Their repertoire ranges from the music of Django Reinhardt to Sidney Bechet, and includes film music adapted to jazz…
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: PETE & FOLKS
Pete and Folks is a cosmopolitan quintet with Irish guitarist and singer Pete Cogavin, Italian bassist Guido Bistarelli, Swedish pianist Marcus Sylvan, and two French musicians, Eric Frère Jacques on harmonica and Sylvain Texier on drums…
5:45 PM – 6:15 PM: Jessica GROSMAN
(Jessica Grosman / Guitarist/singer; Thomas Dobra / Bassist; Sebastien Tworowski / Drummer)
Jessica’s project originally was a female-led project: It is primarily acoustic with a folk color, alternating between French and English titles. A duo featuring Jessica Grosman on guitar and vocals & Muriel Ducousso on Cajun. However, Jessica wishes to evolve and bring a more personal touch to her musical universe. The year 2009 was crucial as it was conducive to inspiration and artistic creation. She surprised herself by composing melodies on the guitar and giving musical sense to texts written by Muriel Ducousso and Emilie Trémione. She revealed herself as a singer-songwriter. This is the birth of a female project where three women collaborate, sharing the love for musicality, of notes and words.
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: DIES GOA UNIT
François Szönyi (guitar, electronics), Alexandre Del Fa (bass, guitar) and Guy Galassini (drums, electronics)
Dies Goa Unit today synthesizes these electric, acoustic, discographic, and scenic experiences, in a project located at the confluence of acoustic and electronic, jazz, chamber music, but also rock and, in some aspects, world music, with personal or dedicated compositions, reworkings (of Chick Corea, of Lennon/McCartney, of the Canterbury school: Soft Machine, Caravan, etc…) between writing and improvisation.
