Jazz à Juan
Jazz à Juan ( alternatively: Jazz Festival in Antibes ) is the name of the jazz festival of Juan- les-Pins in Antibes, which is held annually for nine consecutive nights in July. It is considered one of the best summer jazz festival.
History
Main reason for the choice of location of the event was the fact that Sidney Bechet spent here in the warm climate of the Côte d' Azur his last years. The first festival took place from 7 July 1960 and is widely regarded as the first European Jazz Festival. The initiators were Souplet Jacques and Jacques Hebey. In this premiere the orchestra by Wilbur de Paris with Charles Mingus joined on bass, and Bud Powell, Dizzy Gillespie and Rosetta Tharpe on. In the following years event, the festival attracted numerous jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Cab Calloway, Oscar Peterson, John Coltrane, Erroll Garner, Chick Corea, Sarah Vaughan. Also, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Stan Getz, Charles Mingus, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Gil Evans, Ray Charles played here. Even the blues is taken into account, as played among others the likes of Chuck Berry, BB King and Luther Allison at the festival.
Except for the years 1971 and 1972, where, exceptionally held in Nice, the venue in Juan -les- Pins is always in the open air, as in the Pinède Gould and some off- sites, such as the pine forests of bowls club.
At the festival prices are regularly assigned, eg received Hans Koller and Inge Brandenburg on the first festival awards as the best soloist.
Organizers were 1973-1991 Norbert Gamsohn (who also initiated regular television broadcasts ), 1992-2000 Victor Lévy- Perrault, 2001-2009 Harry Lapp and since 2010 Jean -René Palacio. The organizer is the tourism office (Office de Tourisme ) of Juan- Les-Pins and Antibes. Since 2010, it is organized by the Société des bains de mer de Monaco.
Competition Jazz à Juan Révélations
The junior competition has been held since 2002. There are selected musicians and groups invited and, since 2007, a jury and audience prize awarded ( the Audience Award is determined by the applause after the performance ). The winners will be invited to a concert the following year. Sponsor was temporarily Radio TSF Jazz, from 2010 France Bleu Azur and France Musique.
Winners were:
- 2005 Youn Sun Nah (vocals), Pierre Christophe ( piano ), Laurent Mignard (Instrumental)
- 2006 Géraldine Laurent (Instrumental)
- 2007 Jury Prize Nicole Henry, Audience Award Sashird Lao
- 2008 Jury Prize and Audience Prize Virginie Teychené
- 2009 Jury Prize and Audience Prize Tineke Postma
- 2011 Jury Prize Alex Stuart Quartet, Audience Award Jean-Christophe Di Costanzo Quartet, the price of Radio France Gregory Ott Trio
- 2012 Jury Prize, RTL Prize and Audience Award Mélanie Scholt