The Festi-Jazz is a week of "Jazz Intensive" with advanced courses and public concerts during one week, in the heart of the village. The Masterclass offers instrumental classes as well as group practice workshops. A meeting place for musicians who want to improve their technique and play together in front of an audience. The masterclass is open on registration with the association.
Since 1996, every summer, a few jazz musicians met around Santi Debriano, a New York-based bassist, who spent a few weeks of vacation in Saint-Cézaire. This meeting, awaited every summer by musicians and jazz lovers, ritually ended with a small concert on the square around mid-August. It is always a chance to meet a world-class musician, an opportunity not to be missed if you want to progress in music. So, every year, from a concert at the Café Lions to a big concert on the Place, swing was settling in Saint-Cézaire.
In 2007, Santi Debriano proposed to create a masterclass in Saint-Cézaire with his friend Roni Ben-Hur, professor of Jazz at the Kaufman Center in New-York. The adventure was growing: it was no less than organizing a whole week of classes and events in the village. It was a challenge to take up and it is by creating the Association Saint-Cézaire Jazz Festival in 2007 (Assoc 1901) that we could welcome for the first Festi-Jazz, in 2008, the guitarist Roni Ben-Hur, accompanied by the singer Amy London, the drummer Steve Williams. Santi Debriano led the double bass class.
The first Festi-Jazz welcomed about fifteen trainees. The success of this week was measured by the satisfaction of the participants who found in Saint-Cézaire an ideal place to practice their passion for Jazz and by the popular success of the free concerts in the village (Chapel, pedestrian square, main square).
Since 2008, there have been several teaching teams:
Collaboration with the pianist Philippe Cocogne, professor of "Musiques Actuelles et Jazz" at the Conservatoire de Grasse: since 2011, currently artistic director of the Festi-Jazz. He is effectively assisted by David Douet, pianist, music teacher, jazz teacher.
Recruitment of guitarist Ed Cherry, (from NYC), last guitarist of the famous Dizzy Gillespie, who succeeded Roni Ben-Hur in 2013, (guitar class, from 2013 to 2020), now it is Vittorio Silvestri (Italian guitarist living in Montpellier) who since 2019 is in charge of the class.
Engagement in 2012 of the saxophonist Manu Carré, Professor of "Music and Jazz" Conservatory of Menton).
On vocals: 2008-2012, Amy London (NYC), 2013, 2014, 2016, Zara McFarlane, jazz singer from London, professor at Guildham Hall, 2017, Camille Bertault, internationally renowned French singer (2018), Michele Hendricks, 2018, 2019, 2020 and in 2021 and also for this year Chloé Cailleton, well known on the French jazz scene, currently based in Nantes
On the drums, after Steve Williams, we had John Betsch, Philippe Soirat and Thomas Galliano. Since 2019, it is Joël Allouche, from the conservatory of Montpellier, who holds the drumming class. In 2023, with us, Carsten Weimann, who has taught since 2005 in Toulouse (Music'Halles) and also in Jazz Marciac.
On double bass, since 2013, Bruno Rousselet who is with Philippe Cocogne, one of the oldest teachers of the Academy "Fest-Jazz". In 2023, Greg Feingold, partner of Kareem Kandi in Tacoma (Seattle) will take over.
The latest is Christophe LeLoil, a jazz teacher in Marseille, a remarkable trumpet player who, with Manu Carré, offers courses in all wind instruments, brass and woodwinds (trumpet, flugelhorn, clarinet, saxophones, flute).
Festi-Jazz is dynamic, seeking to renew itself. In 15 years, the pedagogical offer has expanded: from 4 music rooms (guitar, double bass, vocals and drums) we are now with 7 sections: piano, guitar, double bass, vocals, drums, saxophone (woodwind), trumpet (brass). From about fifteen trainees, the Festi-Jazz now welcomes every year about thirty-five trainees, coming from all international backgrounds.
In 2023, a renewed team of teachers: after 10 years with us, Manu Carré and Bruno Rousselet will give way to Kareem Kandi (saxophone) and Greg Feingold (double bass), two American musicians who have a great experience in teaching jazz and who will arrive from Tacoma, Washington State: after the beginnings of the Festi-Jazz with the East Coast (New York), the Festi-Jazz becomes international again with the "West Coast". Guitarist Julien Osty (Toulon) will take over from Vittorio Silvestri and drummer Carsten Weimann (Toulouse) from Joël Allouche.
In conclusion, the association would like to thank its partners: the Conseil Départemental des Alpes Maritimes, the Mairie de St-Cézaire, the private donors and all the members of the association and the volunteers, as well as the hosts for the accommodation of the musicians, inhabitants of St-Cézaire who have generously opened their doors to them. The Saint-Cézaire Jazz Festival Association would like to thank all the technical services, the municipal police, the elementary school of Saint-Cézaire, for allowing us to use all the places of the village that we invest during this intensive week of Jazz.
Masterclasses, concerts, a festive atmosphere throughout the week for a pleasure of Jazz shared between the participants and the public!
