Wednesday, June 06, 2007

June 6 - 12


it's now officially summer: the Paris Jazz Festival starts this weekend out at Chateau de Vincennes, with big band mania (the fest continues every weekend until the end of July.) Saturday, 3pm, has the Tony & Mizikopeyi Big Band followed by the Francois Laudet Big Band at 4:30. And Sunday afternoon, same times, there's Christophe Dal Sasso with his big band and ONJ Electrique.

If the weather holds, it'll be worth spending the day--before the musicians hit the stage, you can look at some jazz-inspired sculpture in the gardens, learn about the history of dance music in Pavillion 12, and if you want to try out your dance moves, Olivier Mendicot will be giving dance lessons behind Pavillion 12 from 12:30 to 1:30pm both Saturday & Sunday. Be sure to pack a good picnic! As always, the concerts are free, but you have to pay to get into the Parc Floral (only 4 euros). And...hold onto that park ticket: the Baiser Sale, Sunside & Sunset will give you a 5-euro discount on your entry if you show them your "jazz in the park" ticket.

After the park closes, there's Manda Djinn at the Swan Bar on Saturday and Katy Roberts & Celine Bonacina are doing a tribute to John Coltrane on Sunday evening [starts at 6pm, 15 euros, on the Vaisseau Fantome, a barge moored at 61 quai de Seine, metro Riquet]

Otherwise this week? Lots of choices! Tonight, Marcus Miller at the Grand Rex--there might still be tickets, try the FNAC or just show up [35-52 euros, 8pm, 1 bd Poissonniere metro Bonne Nouvelle].

Thursday, a free clarinet trio at Salle Henri Selmer [6:30pm at 18 rue de la Fontaine, metro Goncourt] then I'll probably pop by the 7 Lezards to see Christian Escoude and Alain Jean-Marie [7-15 euros, 10pm]

Friday & Saturday, sax hipster Julien Lourau plays with the Harald Haeter Quintet at the Sunset [22 euros,
10pm].


Sunday afternoon, an interesting opportunity to hear the EOL trio at "Dans Le Noir"--a bar/resto that's an initiative for the blind (it's entirely dark inside & the waiters are sight-impaired) Kind of a strange place for a meal, but a novel idea for a drink & a chance to listen to jazz with no visual distractions. I'll be there around 5pm. [Dans Le Noir, 51 rue Quincampoix, 4:30pm, metro Rambuteau or Les Halles]

And Monday, there's Michel Portal (clarinet, bandoleon), Bruno Chevillon (bass) and Michele Rabbia (percussion) at the always-atmospheric Bouffes du Nord. [22 euros, 8:30pm, 37bis blvd de la Chapelle, metro La Chapelle]

Planning ahead, you might want to book your ticket now to see Keith Jarrett on July 7th. [Salle Pleyel, 252 rue du Fbg St.Honore metro Ternes/CdG-Etoile, show starts at 8pm, reservations 01.42.56.13.13]

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