Jazz at the Château

The special feature of this Cagnois Festival, which has been running since 2004, is that it offers free jazz concerts during the summer season, from mid-June to mid-September, lasting no more than 1h30, which is unique in the department. The artistic choice is based on small groups offering a wide range of different jazz styles, attracting a large audience. Highly appreciated locally, this festival attracts a loyal audience, as well as many tourists who discover these jazz concerts every Friday evening. These musical encounters are also an opportunity to discover the medieval site of Haut-de-Cagnes, and boost the economic life of the Vieux-Bourg. Friday June 26 - 8pm to 11pm An evening with the Big Band and other jazz groups from the Conservatoire de Cagnes-sur-Mer. These talented youngsters and adults present a rich and varied repertoire that they have been working on throughout the year. Conductor: Linus OLSSON Friday, July 3 - Frankie Rochester Trio Frankie ROCHESTER, pianist/singer and songwriter from New York State (USA), forms this trio, blending her American rock and jazz influences with those of her two "bodyguards", Olivier BENTY (drums), and Thierry Conand (bass). The three partners were finalists in the Tremplin Nice Jazz Festival, and have played at several jazz festivals. The Frankie Rochester Trio concocts an atmosphere perfumed with the flavors of their hometown, mixing revisited covers with a pinch of soul, seventies spices and original arrangements. From this unbridled musical universe, where the talents of arrangers and performers are fully expressed, emanates a surprising yet accessible music that can be described as "Jazz Pop Fusion". Atmosphere: A glamorous, 1920s-style world of cabaret, glitter and elegance. Chic costumes, feathers, glasses of champagne, and that little mystery that hovers, like a Gatsby party. It's a celebration of opulence and party chic, with a touch of insouciance in the background. Suggested dress code: boa, long gloves, little vests, suspenders... Friday, July 10 - Quartet Accordéon Project Four musicians from different horizons come together around a multi-faceted instrument: the accordion. Accordéon Project takes us on a journey through a world of musical eclecticism and astonishing modernity. With virtuosity, improvisation and originality, this quartet offers a meeting of styles, eras and cultures, from Baroque music to Brazilian jazz, from Argentine tango to Parisian waltzes, from French chanson to Caribbean carnival... The diversity of the musicians' backgrounds (jazz, classical, world music and composition) offers audiences an immersive experience in a rich, surprising musical world full of sharing and emotion. Lydie PEYRICHOUX (accordion) is an artist of great sensitivity. Her delicate, ethereal playing brings a feeling of weightlessness to her interpretations. Her long experience of the stage, theater and concerts has led her to perform throughout France and abroad. Co-founder of the "Accordéon Project" quartet, she brings us a singular universe dedicated to promoting the great accordion repertoire. Philippe SERRA (drums, percussion) is an accomplished artist. A graduate of the Paris Conservatoire, he made a career as Timbalier Solo with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, as well as with the Orchestre National de France and the Philharmonique de Radio France, enabling him to meet such great conductors as Boulez, Bernstein and Chung... His unquenchable desire for oral language, the search for color, rigor and rhythmic precision also leads him to express his musicality through his love of Latin jazz music, notably at jazz festivals in Vienne, Juan les Pins and Nice. Pierre DEKKER (double bass/electric bass) is a young Dutch double bass player who is very active on the contemporary music scene. Solo double bass with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice and the Basel Sinfonietta (Switzerland), he regularly collaborates with contemporary chamber music ensembles such as Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt) and Ensemble Resonanz. Alongside this classical training, his passion has turned to jazz, and he performs in a variety of groups on both double bass and electric bass. Sacha MENU (Guitar) is an artist trained in jazz from an early age. He soon began collaborating with a number of artists, which led to regular appearances on major stages in France (notably the Olympia) and Europe. His passion for orchestration and the cinema also led him to create music for images, and as a permanent member of Sacem, he has composed for numerous documentaries and dramas broadcast on Arte, TV5 and TF1's theme channels. Friday July 17 - Laurent Epstein Quartet Laurent EPSTEIN, piano and lead Deborah TANGUY, voice Damien VARAILLON, double bass Julie SAURY, drums The seduction is certain with this metamorphosed rediscovery of cult melodies from French cinema that we thought we knew so well. Laurent Epstein is one of the most sought-after pianists on the national jazz scene for his swing and sense of improvisation. He has performed in leading jazz clubs and festivals in France and around the world, playing both standards and compositions. He has performed with his own Quartet, which will be performing tonight, as well as with such jazz greats as Angelo Debarre, Anne Ducros, Rachel Gould, Jean-Loup Longnon, Renato d'Aiello and Patrick Saussois. Among the groups he has performed with are Sébastien Giniaux's Django53, William Brunard's quartet, François Laudet's quintet and Hervé Meschinet's quartet. Laurent Epstein is a regular fixture at the Rue des Lombards Club in Paris and at other emblematic jazz venues throughout France, not forgetting festivals such as Jazz in Marciac, La Défense Jazz Festival, Jazz En Touraine, Jazz'Opale, Jazz de Mars... Atmosphere: Bronx/New York Friday, July 24 - Manu Le Prince Quartet Singer Manu Le Prince divides her time between Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Nice. She collaborates with some of the greatest musicians from these three cities. For this concert at the Chateau de Cagnes, Manu Le Prince will be accompanied by : Philippe COCOGNE, pianist Philippe BRASSOUD, double bassist Max MIGUEL, drummer The repertoire features Brazilian classics by composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim and Johnny Alf. Atmosphere: Jazz under the stars of Rio Friday, July 31 - Swinguys JEAN-PHILIP STEVERLYNCK " PEEWEE " : Violin, vocals Entered the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud d'Aix en Provence at the age of 6, and graduated a few years later with Gold Medals in : Violin and Chamber Music. He regularly performs and travels around the world, on stage or in recordings, with numerous symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, jazz, gypsy, rock, rap, trad, tango and French song groups...and with artists of all styles: Poum Tchack - Cesar Swing - Chico & Les Gypsies - Babx - Yves Jamait - Agnés BihlIAM, Charles Aznavour - Sébastien Giniaux - Jean Claude Nieto - TimeK - Cotton Candies - David Lafore... ABDENOR "NONO" NATOURI - Resident of Marignane Double bass, backing vocals Nono started out in music with the guitar, after considering studying visual arts for a time. He decided to study double bass to compensate for the rarity of this instrument in the rock'n'roll milieu, a world in which he was evolving in 1991 when he founded Screamin' Jungle with three friends. Since then, he has played in various Swing, Russian and R'n'R bands in the region, and has taken part in a number of recordings with his fellow members of Lena Lenok. OLIVIER DAMBEZAT - Resident of Bouc Bel Air Guitar, choir Self-taught, Olivier's first passion was the Blues, and he learned guitar on the job by creating several groups. He naturally switched to gypsy swing when he discovered Django Reinhardt's records and the raw energy of this music. After setting up several bands and companies, he was one of the founders of Poum Tchack, a group in which he still plays rhythm guitar today, after over 800 concerts in France and around the world. OLIVIER DAMBEZAT - Resident of Bouc Bel Air Guitar, choir Self-taught, Olivier's first passion was the Blues, and he learned guitar on the job by creating several bands. He naturally switched to gypsy swing when he discovered Django Reinhardt's records and the raw energy of this music. SAMUEL BOBIN - Resident of Mallemort Born in 1976 in Aix-en-Provence, Samuel Bobin is a drummer, singer, author, composer, actor and graphic designer. Drummer with the group Poum Tchack for 10 years, with whom he has toured nationally and internationally, he has collaborated with many artists (Guy Marchand, Cathy Heiting, Lena Lenok, le Bal Décalé, Charlotte Adrien...) and in many fields (theater, dance, storytelling, creation of animated film soundtracks for Canal+, electro music...). In 2015, he began making animated clips made from digital collages for various projects. In 2017, he published Les Larmes Mythologiques (Éd. Delirium), a long musical poem in verse about Dido and Aeneas, which he performed at the Palais de Tokyo. In 2020, he composed and wrote the album Combustion Spontanée (Groove poétique, sillon érotique), an opus of 11 love songs released by Inouïe Distribution, voted album of the year 2020 by Nos Enchanteurs. Finalist for the Prix Hemingway 2021 with the short story Mamã Torea, he also took part in the Prix de la Nouvelle Érotique, which selected one of his texts in 2018. Friday August 7 - Papaya Jazz Flashback Founded in 2022 by Gianni and inspired by legends such as Coltrane, Miles Davis and Magma, PAPAYA JAZZ has conquered hearts with its jazz covers for all ages and occasions. Today, the group reinvents itself with an enchanting new show: PAPAYA FLASH BACK. Dive into a magical universe where Paya, our inquisitive little cat, takes you back to the best moments of the cartoons of your childhood. Revisiting Disney and Pixar classics through the prism of jazz, this 1.5-hour show takes young and old on an unforgettable musical journey. From the iconic melodies of The Aristochats to the lively rhythms of The Simpsons, PAPAYA JAZZ captivates audiences from the most novice to the most seasoned connoisseur. Come and share this unique moment with your family, and let yourself be carried away by the magic of jazz and childhood memories. ASTUZIA Gianni - Drums ⋅ CAILLOL Arnaud - Double bass ⋅ DIOUF Samuel - Piano ⋅ PIGNOL Julien - Trombone ⋅ QUÉRÉ Timothée - Saxophone ⋅ TILLIE Quentin - Trumpet. Friday, August 14 - Licks & Brains In 2024, Dutch band Licks and Brains completed their third successful tour of Provence. Over the past few years, this 18-strong 'soul groove' jazz band has performed open-air concerts in Ramatuelle, San Remo, Sanary-sur-Mer, Cavalaire-sur-Mer, Ventimiglia and La Ciotat, among others. Licks and Brains will tour the south of France again in August 2026 (August 8-15, 2026). Singer Simone Roerade ('Miss Hips', singing teacher at the Rotterdam Conservatory) will join us. Ben van den Dungen, perhaps the best tenor saxophonist in the Netherlands, will accompany us this time as guest soloist for several concerts. Especially for the French audience, our conductor has arranged well-known French songs, including La Vie en Rose (Edith Piaf), Black Trombone (Serge Gainsbourg) and La Montagne (Jean Ferret). Licks & Brains is an 18-piece "soul groove" jazz band led by Rolf Delfos, one of the Netherlands' most prestigious saxophonists, with over 100 albums to his credit. Licks & Brains regularly performs with well-known Dutch jazz artists. The band recently completed a 22-concert, top-class tour with the great trumpeter Eric Vloeimans. The group has just released a new album with him, ELECTRIC MINDS. Four years ago, the band released NEXT! with Defunkt singer and trombonist Joseph Bowie (USA). Licks & Brains has played with top artists such as Ilja Reijngoud (trombonist, winner of the Thelonious Monk BMI Jazz Composition Award) or Houston Person (USA, saxophonist). A series of top-class concerts with legendary guitarist Robben Ford (USA) took place at the beginning of March 2024. For an impression of the band, music samples, films and further details, visit www.licksandbrains.com. Friday, August 21 - The Jazz Bicravers A leap back in time, from the Paris of the Roaring Twenties, to New Orleans, via Eastern Europe, the Jazz Bicravers, like sons of the wind, twirl on their instruments the echoes of a past that seems so familiar. Aboard their motorized caravan, the riffs of Django Reinhardt resonate to the pounding of the guitars!" Antoine MIEKISZAK - Guitarist Bastien ZAOUCHE - Guitarist Michaël NATALE - Bass Atmosphere: Roaring Twenties Dress code : White evening Friday August 28 - Les Accordes Swing Take French chanson and English pop classics from the 70s and 80s, give them a swing twist with a hint of gypsy jazz, and you've got Les Accordés Swing. Surrounded by a quartet of retro-style musicians, singer Cordélia Czaïka revives French chanson and international pop favourites in a swinging version. The Toulouse-based combo's repertoire is eclectic: from Rita Mitsouko to Téléphone, from Claude François to Serge Gainsbourg, not forgetting the Beatles, Police, Bob Marley, David Bowie and even AC/DC. Impeccable rhythms, successful arrangements and Cordelia's crystal-clear vocals will have your legs tingling and your spine tingling. "Let's dance! Cordélia CZAÏKA: vocals - Cyril SALVAGNAC: guitar - backing vocals - Olivier NOUGAROL: guitar - backing vocals - Fabrice CAMBOULIVE: double bass - backing vocals - Laurent MEYER: drums - backing vocals Atmosphere: guinguette Festival Manouche - September 4 and 11 Friday, September 4 - Sheik of Swing Heirs to the great Django and gypsy jazz, the four musicians of Sheik of Swing swear by the swing of the Roaring Twenties, the waltzes and rhythms of Eastern Europe. Their diverse backgrounds form the basis of an open, playful approach to their discipline. Clément, Mario, Vincent and Benjamin are equally enthusiastic about these irresistible beats. With class and perfect harmony, they play their repertoire, but never shy away from the sideways, improvisatory paths that only complicity allows. Clément SALLES, clarinet - Mario DA SILVA, guitar - Vincent HEMERY, double bass - Benjamin BOBENRIETH, bass Friday, September 11 - Romano Dandies Romano Dandies is first and foremost an invitation to travel to the lands of Eastern Europe. Music and songs, gleaned from travels where only oral transmission exists, cohabit with different Eastern European languages such as Russian, Serbian, Romani, Bulgarian and Romanian. The Dandies add another drop of water to this famous Gypsy music. A drop of water that will take you to the darkest, most touching and, above all, most festive lands! Yek, duy, trin, shtar... (1, 2, 3, 4...) Jérôme BERTRAND - Double bass - Bubu BOIRIE - Violin - Soslan CAVADORE - Accordion - Boris VACHE - Guitar - Vocals