Ibrahim Maalouf and Metronomy set the Masséna stage on fire, but the highlight of the day goes to Electro Deluxe, overflowing with energy, inviting the audience to go wild.
At the Théâtre de Verdure, jazz is present and the decibels take you to an unknown world until now.
The rain, which hadn’t received its invitation for this second evening, tried to crash the party, but Sir Sun and Sir Wind had other plans. Thanks to them. Thus, it was under pleasant weather conditions that the second evening of the NJF took place.
The crowd is sparse at the beginning of the evening, but a few dozen minutes later, the audience is dense at the Théâtre de Verdure to welcome Vincent Peirani and Emile Parisien. Vincent the accordionist is a musician who is constantly talked about (2013 Musician of the Year Award by Jazz Magazine), and Emile the saxophonist is well-recognized in the industry (Django Reinhardt Award in 2012, among others). These two friends from Paris offer the public a four-handed musical dialogue. Just close your eyes, listen, and you become a spectator of a dialogue between an accordion and a saxophone, with the film unfolding in your imagination. It’s up to you to write the lyrics. But you might also feel a nostalgic sensation that it’s the soundtrack of a 1950s animated film. Just enough time to recover from this strange journey, and there you are in a cabaret, with an intense desire to dance and forget everyday worries. A very fine performance, a beautiful discovery, and above all, an audience that applauds more than yesterday, finally moving and daring to share its pleasure of being there.
Leave this ambiance to join the Masséna stage where Electro Deluxe is about to kick off the festivities. Electro Deluxe is five musicians and one voice. But what a voice. James Copley is crazy, energetic. On stage, he explodes, and his voice is unclassifiable. The energy released is a virus worth catching. The crowd attests to it. All are affected by the Electro Deluxe syndrome: it swings, it dances, it goes wild, it grooves. Choreographies improvise on the square, from 6 to 77 years old without exception. The group’s cohesion is palpable, their music intoxicating. James Copley is more than expressive, the audience is connected to him. A unique concert, an obvious favorite shared with the growing crowd.
In this atmosphere, the great Ibrahim Maalouf is eagerly awaited. The energy doesn’t drop, quite the opposite. The crowd is getting denser. The 2013 Jazz Victory Artist of the Year, and 2014 Victory of Music award winner for the Best World Music Album, takes the stage, and sets the tone immediately. He has the gift of highlighting all musical instruments, oscillating between classical, modernity, and contemporaneity. This man is a genius and, moreover, knows how to communicate with his audience, creating an ambiance. Moving on the Masséna square is impossible, so many people are present, continually swaying, humming. An explosive atmosphere.
It’s time to leave the stage to the group Metronomy, whose light show, the beauty and genius of the group’s drummer, and top-notch stage performance will be remembered. The crowd is smaller, but the energy is more than overflowing. Hands are raised, applause never stops, electro rhythms seep into bodies. Past midnight, the decibels still invade the Masséna stage. No one wants to leave but it must be done. Yes, the Nice Jazz Festival also involves hundreds of municipal employees working, offering you a very pleasant welcome every evening. It’s also about catering for the artists and their staff, cleaning the venue, preparing the sound checks, ensuring everything runs smoothly, welcoming partners, photographers, journalists. A real hive whose existence you do not suspect, but without which the NJF would not be.
See you tonight for a very promising third evening, featuring, among others, the great Deep Purple.
Bérengère BERRIAUX
Photo Credits: Flora Doin | [www.flora-d.fr](https://www.flora-d.fr)
