Travelling to Paris early September (plus Italy & Finland) - Jazz Advice

[romualdo]

Spending a week in Paris (Sept 2-9) & any info regarding things "jazzy" (best record shops, jazz venues, historical sites, upcoming concerts etc) would be most appreciated

I've already done a bit of research online - found a few things but "insider" knowledge can't be beaten

Will actually be in Europe for most of September - Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome from mid to late Sept then Helsinki (there's a Storyville Club here) for 3 days (24-26 Sept)

Any advice regarding these locations would also be great

Thanks in advance

[king ubu]

I spent a weekend in Bologna in June ... plenty of things to do, but what I enjoy best is just strolling around, looking at things. The best place there, for sure, is the "sette chiese" (seven churches) complex of Santo Stefano:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Stefano,_Bologna

 

As for jazz, I don't really know if there's a site pulling together information ... this here is probably the most famous place in Bologna (never been there):

http://www.cantinabentivoglio.it/eng/jazz_club.html

If you have time to travel around some, consider a few days both in Ferrara (most beautiful city in the world, I think - and some stuff to check out, not just the ducal palace but some palazzos, churches etc., but again you can stroll around, walking from medieval into renaissance and on into (pre-)fascist early 20c ... and great food at Da Noemi) and in Ravenna.

 

In Paris and jazz, I'd sugest asking OliverM ... that's what I will do when my next trip there is scheduled. Again, don't miss strolling around, for instance in the Marais, and don't miss the jazz/classical CD store of Gibert's on Blvd. Saint-Michel, if you're still into buying CDs ... there's tons of art to see of course, the Louvre (plenty of great renaissance paintings), the Musée d'Orsay in the defunct railway station (used as a setting for Welles' adaption of Kafka's "The Process") - best museum ever if you're into impressionism ... the Rodin museum is worth a visit as well ...

[romualdo]

Thanks Flurin - it's going to be supersaturated art & architecture, both of which we both love but the big bonus for me will be visiting the Ducati motorcycle factory & museum in Bologna (been riding motorcycles since the late 70's - Ducati, Gilera, BMW - I'm a sucker for the euro machines).

[king ubu]

Re: architecture, you ought to really consider Ferrara then! The city in late Renaissance was doubled in size, planned from scratch as a vanity/magnificence project ... it never grew to fill its new proportions though, even on the new central crossing (on an axis straight from the old/still central point, the palazzo ducale) the palazzi are in part unfinished (brick walls, marble only on the corners and entrances), yet one of the palazzi is the famous Diamanti one with its amazing facade ... There's more like the Palazzo Schifanoia and - a personal highlight - the Palazzina Marfisa d'Este. You will find amazing spots just a few feet away from all the tourists, you can stroll along (partly on) the fortifications built at the last vane enlargement of the town, you can go from the middle ages part straight to the fascist part that's ridiculous in parts and still not bad (it was built on the site of the destroyed baroque era castle, town walls were torn doen down there to allow modern/industrial entrance to town in 19c). You can read Giorgio Bassani's wonderful stories and novels and visit his grave at the far end of the cimetery of the "ebrai" as they called (call - a few retuned, there's a worthwhile museun too, alas the synagogue is closed - one of the visible traces of the heavy earthquakes a few yeard back) themselves.

Guess it's easily my favourite place nowadays, would love to stay there longer (and learn the language, too).

[OliverM]

I also have a special attraction to Ferrara! I was there before the 2012 earthquake and heard that it was strongly affected. A young population there with lots of students. I will pick up Bassani, thanks for pointing him out!

I would be happy to help you, Romualdo, regarding Paris. You can check out the program of Jazz à la Villette which takes place right now to see if there is anything of your liking:

http://jazzalavillette.com/programme

That Orchestre National de Jazz 30th anniversary concert on the day you arrive looks very interesting to me, as does the "under the radar" concert on the 4th (Basque vocalist Benat Achiary in trio + Regis Huby quartet). I would have been there had I been in town this week.

As for record shops, as Flurin said Gibert Joseph has cheap second hand CD, some of them press returns so really new. It also has an excellent japanese import section. For second hand vinyl, Paris Jazz Corner and La Dame Blanche are good places though not cheap (both in the Latin Quarter):

La Dame Blanche, 47 rue de la Montagne Sainte Geneviève

http://parisjazzcorner.com/

Souffle Continu for more experimental music (no second hand), which is close by to cemetary Père Lachaise (the latter is definitely worth a visit):

20-22 rue Gerbier 75011, http://www.soufflecontinu.com/index.php?f=accueil

The Musée de la Musique is great if you want to see Adolphe Sax's innovations, octobasses and other rarities:

http://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/museum-exhibitions

The newly built Philharmonie concert hall which is in the same parc should be seen for its architecture.

This is what I can think of for now, I might add some more later. Have a good trip!

 

Edited September 1, 2016 by OliverM

[Swinger]

While staying in Helsinki, Finland you should visit http://digelius.com/ . It's a really nice store

Edited September 2, 2016 by Swinger

[Face of the Bass]

Also looking for Paris recommendations, mainly for record stores. I will be there from 9/6 through 9/10. Haven't had time to do much online research, so any recommendations are very much welcome here. Thanks!