Music

There was fantastic, non-stop music at the festival, performed on-stage at place François Rude and in the streets around the central market. All of the groups were top-notch performers, playing jazz, blues, zydeco, and funk to the delight of festival attendees and passersby alike. Let me comment first on the musician, who in my mind, gave the greatest performance: Big Sam of Funky Nation.

Big Sam of Funky Nation
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Big Sam came onstage with his band at around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 10, blasting his funky trombone music into the sweltering summer night. The heat of the evening did not stop him from giving 100% to work his audience into a whooping, dancing frenzy. The language barrier was moot, as he had the audience "getting down low" and then jumping up and down like nothing I have ever seen before. By the time his performance was over, to our amazement the buildings around the square were still standing!

Elefanf'U
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This band was one of the groups that strolled around the market square playing New Orleans jazz.

Singall Gospel
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Directing the Singall Gospel Choir
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The gospel group Singall Gospel of Dijon gave a powerful performance, even thought the temperature was 90° F in the shade! Their music particularly stirred the children in the audience—they bopped and rocked just as though they were in church.

Simple Men Blues

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Simple Men Blues was magnificent! You could close your eyes and imagine that you were in a Chicago blues club when hearing this duo sing.

Pain de Maïs
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The zydeco band Pain de Maïs was particularly engaging that Sunday afternoon. Their commentary on the differences between French and the Acadian dialect were amusing, and the blues stories that they told through music were stirring.

The Jazz Collectors
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We left the festival after being regaled by big band jazz, courtesy of The Jazz Collectors. They played lots of Duke Ellington, which we enjoyed immensely!

There were many other groups: Fond de Saloir, French Couisine, Les Kat Dixies...the list goes on and on. For a complete list, click here.