Speaking from the steps of the Town Hall, Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Maire Jean-Pierre Roland officially opened Fest Jazz 2016 by welcoming everyone in French and Spanish, followed by Festival Présidente, Angelina Beauvir, speaking in the Breton language (widely spoken in the region) and by Festival Organiser Trevor Stent. Not easy filming ducking and diving amongst the mass of enthusiastic fans, including rally members of MGs and other Classic cars from the UK and France who participate in the festival each year.

YouTubes follow below.

Joan Chamorro and The Saint Andreu Jazz Band were especially welcome back to Fest Jazz in their 10th Anniversary Year.

Joan Chamorro and The Sant Andreu Jazz Band

“Fest Jazz organisers were especially pleased to welcome back Joan Chamorro and The Sant Andreu Jazz Band – probably the most famous young jazz band in the world. Led by its inspirational director, Joan Chamorro, this municipal school of music from Barcelona has an international impact on the jazz world.

“From its ranks of young musicians aged from 8 to 20, real stars have emerged. Angelina Beauvir, President of Fest Jazz, writing in the Festival Programme, says “We are delighted and proud that this extraordinary talented group of musicians have chosen to come back to Fest Jazz to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of their Music School.” (Fest Jazz 2016 Programme)

During the festival Joan gave a Masterclass Conference about the methods he uses to teach young people music with an emphasis on jazz. This will be covered in with a selection of YouTubes very soon.

Thank you La Municipality du Cháteauneuf du Faou for supporting for Fest Jazz.

Vivre à Châteauneuf – La municipalité

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

If Pop Festivals can use psychedelic lighting, why not Jazz Festivals? Why not stage lighting with intense, vivid colours in swirling abstract patterns? That was the thinking of Trevor Stent’s young festival team for Fest Jazz 2016. And it worked! Even if it did play havoc with my Sony/iPhone lens camera for hi def filming. But with the right settings and a few iMovie tweaks I believed the resultant YouTubes could be almost as spectacular as the live events. Even though filming from the very back of the fan-packed marquee.

French Rag recreate the swing and dance music of the pre-war years.

Ginny and I were put to the test on the very first evening in “Stêr Aon” i.e.Scene 1 – The Grand Marquee where we filmed The French Rag and Mr Boogie Woogie, and here are the YouTubes. Yet more evidence of youth appeal at a wonderfully successful festival.

Forthcoming Instalments
This is Part 2 of a series of posts featuring Jazz&Jazz YouTubes taken at Fest Jazz 2016. Further instalments are currently under production. 

Part 1: Fest Jazz 2016 – A Blue Print For Jazz Festivals

Be sure to revisit Jazz&Jazz soon for each  successive instalment.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

I’m impelled to start this feature with two very pertinent comments on the
preceding Jazz&Jazz feature:

Why Overseas Bands Aren’t Touring the UK – “Penny pinching attitude is not going to rejuvenate the beleaguered situation” (Just Jazz)

“Having visited Fest Jazz this year for the first time, I was blown away by the standard of the young bands at the festival. (Thanks to the heads up and info from this site) French Rag and Dizzy birds were just brilliant. Louis Prima Forever got every one jumping, what a show. But for me, if someone could get Sant Andreu Jazz Band on Main line TV in this country then surely that would jump start interest from our youngsters. What a great teacher Joan Chamorro is. So approachable, his English is not the best but he was willing to chat to me and my wife and friends, nice bloke. I paid to see them in Barcelona last year, at a packed Palais de Musica so I know people will pay to see them. Also there is the human interest element, how do those young kids play that well?

“In my opinion, we need to somehow build interest from a younger audience. If we had that, bands would want to come here. We’ve got the NYJO (National Youth Jazz Orchestra), but contrast that with the relaxed fun approach of Sant Andreu. Surely the way to go.”

Adrian Watkins, Canterbury
Member of my Facebook Jazzers Group

And this from jazz promoter and Jazz&Jazz supporter, Norman Gibson, included in Fred Burnett’s 13th August Jazz North West News Update:

“A young and vivacious Angelina Beauvir became the new Fest Jazz Festival President last year and this change has taken Trevor Stent’s organising team to a higher level. We, and the team themselves, believe this year’s event was the best yet. The 3000 attendance target was exceeded on this amazing weekend. More so this year was the emphasis on young musicians playing good swinging jazz for young and old alike. Of course the Sant Andreu Jazz Band from Barcelona, on their return visit, were a star draw, but Dorine de Wit Band and the Ben Holder Quartet made a big impact. Taimane Gardner (Hawaii), on her European tour, dropped in for a one hour show, to great applause. Surprising us all by what can be played at such high speed on a simple Ukulele ! She’s pretty as well, check her out on Youtube! ‘The French Rag’, ‘Dizzy Birds’ (Berlin), ‘Louis Prima Forever’ (France, kept the young Swing dancers more than busy. Our gite was next to one with 6 dancers and you can see them by Googling – I Charleston Brest.”

Norman Gibson
Jazz Promoter ‘JAZZ4FUNDZ’

This year my role for Trevor Stent and the Fest Jazz Team was, with my wife, Ginny’s careful coordination, to film as many of the festival bands as possible, swinging from venue to venue over the entire weekend.

The quandary has been how to present so many YouTubes (some quite lengthy) – en mass with this feature, or in a series of features linking back to this post. I’ve opted for the latter, else it could be too long before anything appears. Please note that the YouTubes are not studio recorded or edited for sight and sound. They were filmed live, from whatever angle or position was possible with my magic Sony Lens Camera amongst the thronging fans. I even include some of what I term my “Take Two” YouTubes.

I believe the results are evidence of a brilliantly successful and wonderfully organised festival. The way to go for other festivals? I’ll leave you to judge and comment below.

Thank you Angelina, Manon, Trevor and team for such a wonderful opportunity. And OK, yes, I agree with Adrian and Norman, this is the way to go for the future of jazz,

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

First up for YouTubes, Dorine de Wit and Her Band. Two reasons – that they opened Fest Jazz in The Food Village on Friday evening so we were able to stay for the entire gig and, more importantly for me, because it had been so long since Dorine and I had last met.

Next up on Friday evening The French Rag and Mr Boogie Woogie!

(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)