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Festival de Jazz de Django Reinhardt, Samois-Sur-Seine, France

Posted by Jackie Hewett on Mon 9th April 2007 at 08:43 PM, Filed in June

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Every June since 1983, in a small town about 40 miles south of Paris, a three day music festival that show cases a particular ‘flavour’ of jazz music.

It is in Samois-sur-Seine that Django Reinhardt died whilst fishing in 1953 at the age of 42, having settled there 2 years previously. This gypsy festival attracts many Romany caravans with many making a sort of pilgrimage to commemorate and celebrate the life and unique style of Django’s music.

To use a clichéd pop-idol term, Django made the gypsy style of jazz guitar ‘his own’. This style features primarily acoustic guitar and violin, which are used in a very distinctive percussion-like style. Django frequently use to ‘pair-up’ with Stephane Grappelli for live performances and in the recording studio. Amazingly Django still managed to play well after losing 2 fingers on his left hand in a fire.

Some 80 or more musicians (including very competent child muscisians) gather to play at the festival that has become a guitar player’s heaven. The venue is a small island in the middle of the river Seine with a 600 seat outdoor arena. The formal sessions aside, the musicians who congregate appear to enjoy jamming with like-minded individuals, so un-official sessions often continue into the small hours.

Samois-sur-Seine is often described as an idyllic river village and the festival has a very laid back feel. There is a small 2 star hotel (calls itself a ‘country club’), and many people camp at the festival through both choice and necessity (lack of other lodging in close proximity).

There are quite a few things to do in the vicinity – fishing (of course), horse riding, you can rock climb nearby, and the beautiful Fontainebleu Chateaux is well worth a visit.

If you are interested in the festival but haven’t heard Django’s music before there are plenty of CD’s to choose from. This one is a great example of Django’s work with Stephanne Grapelli

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READER COMMENTS:

I love Djangos stuff! Do you know the dates for the festival in 2007? I’d also point people to the Sweet and Low Down film (Woody Allen) if they like Django....

Posted by Andy Ingham on Wed 18th April 2007 at 02:01 PM | #

Hi Andy. I believe this years Festival de Jazz runs from 28th June to 1st July. You could check out their web site for more info - http://django.samois.free.fr/homeuk.htm (it seems to have a temporary problem at the moment but I have looked at it before / I’m sure it’ll be up again shortly). I love Django’s stuff too - if you do go to the festival it would be great to hear your opinions.

Posted by Jackie Hewett on Thu 19th April 2007 at 08:37 AM | #

I would love to go to the festival this year...have I left it too late to sort out ticket/place to stay? I would enjoy camping but have no idea how to get to there!! Any ideas? fly to paris & then....?
Yasmin

Posted by yasmin shah on Mon 18th June 2007 at 10:53 AM | #

please could you let me know when the next festival will be of django and the date please thanks is there any festivals in britain

Posted by deborah westmorland on Tue 14th August 2007 at 03:07 PM | #

Hi I own the only Django dedicated venue in the world Le QuecumBar London the festival is always the last weekend in June - the secret is the jam sessions on the camp site where we all stay and not always the festival itself