Never before has the Saint-Cézaire Jazz Festival Association worked so hard to make this sixteenth edition a success. As soon as the fifteenth edition was over, we got down to work. The Board of Directors met regularly throughout the year: setting the date for the masterclass, deciding to renew half the teaching team, preparing the Festi-Jazz, defining the week's timetable, allocating tasks, thinking about the 2023 poster, T-shirts, communications, totally revamping the website, applying for grants, preparing the budget, registering students...
At the end of March, a meeting with the new teaching team: Saxophonist Kareem Kandi and bassist Greg Feingold, from Tacoma (Seattle), supported by guitarist Julien Osty and drummer Carsten Weimann, have a wealth of educational experience. Kareem and Julien are composers and regularly perform in public. We met them 4 years ago when they came to Biot for a cultural exchange with Tacoma, or during a masterclass organized in 2022 in collaboration with the Conservatoire de Grasse. The new teachers joined Philippe Cocogne (piano and artistic direction), assisted by David Douet; Chloé Cailleton on vocals; Christophe Leloil on brass. All in all, 8 teachers were at the service of the trainees during a week that went, as the saying goes, "like clockwork".
The jam sessions on Monday and Tuesday were highly participative, quickly mixing trainees and visiting musicians, as well as teachers. It's a great joy to see these masters coming to support expressive and amateur attempts. A popular success, appreciated by a knowledgeable and indulgent audience. It's rare to see music made so freely up close. I sincerely believe that this is the key to these evenings, which were certainly "good-natured", but also of a very high standard, if the performances are anything to go by.
On Wednesday, an exceptional concert given by the seven musician-teachers who, having rehearsed only the day before, offer an unprecedented repertoire of compositions and standards. An exceptional repertoire in terms of the level of performance. In addition to Mr. Leloil's trumpet and Mr. Kandi's sax solos, Chloé Cailleton's vocal choruses and high-level vocalizations are particularly noteworthy.
The apéro-Jazz took place under the threat of a thunderstorm, but the weather was kind enough to let us settle in despite a few orphan drops. In front of a fairly large audience on Friday, the trainees were able to show off their masterclass work by performing in 5 groups of increasing level; the Brass Band was also performing for the first time, while members of the association began distributing rosé and anchoïade.
On Saturday, the grand final concert lived up to the promise of a great evening: large crowds, podium, grand piano on stage, dancing finale with the teachers. The permutation of the running order was a popular idea.
A great success, both for the participants, trainees and teachers, all satisfied, and for the audience. A few comments from participants encourage us: "Everything is very well organized, and it's always nice to meet people from all over the world" - "The friendly atmosphere you've built up around this event envelops everyone. The idea I had of this atmosphere through the site on which I registered had given me a foretaste, and it's great to have really experienced what I had sensed. You feel welcomed by the whole village." - "Incredible team without whom nothing would be possible." - "The level of music is obviously high and that's very much appreciated, especially as the teachers really adapt to all levels of participants." etc.
Every year it is a bit of stress in advance to know if the week will go smoothly. The Saint-Cézaire Jazz Festival Association does its best to ensure that participants enjoy the music and charm of Saint-Cézaire.
Studious days in the master-class workshops and every evening a musical event, jam sessions on the Place de Gaulle, the Festi-Jazz group mixing with local jazzmen who came to jam in front of a faithful public, even more numerous this year.
Concert at the Point de Vue on Wednesday, packed for the occasion.
Traditional Aperitif-Jazz on the square, Friday evening, before the big final concert on Saturday evening, in the center of the village, which ends "around midnight".
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