Has anyone attended any of these festivals?

[Hardbopjazz]

I will be visiting in-laws this summer in Europe. I plan on traveling a bit. Might try to catch one of these.

[Hardbopjazz]

or this one

[Hardbopjazz]

or this one

Edited March 18, 2004 by Hardbopjazz

[Hardbopjazz]

And even this one

[Hardbopjazz]

or...

Edited March 18, 2004 by Hardbopjazz

[Hardbopjazz]

then there's this one

[Hardbopjazz]

plus

[Hardbopjazz]

and still more

[Hardbopjazz]

then there's

[Hardbopjazz]

also

[Hardbopjazz]

and then

Edited March 18, 2004 by Hardbopjazz

[Pete C]

I've been to North Sea 4 times. I love it, but it's a real endurance contest. 3 nights, about 8-9 hours each, 14 concurrent stages. Very bad if you can't make decisions. It's got the widest range of styles, from straight ahead to avant, and also a bunch of latin, funk, blues, fusion, etc. Last year I saw, among others: Dave Holland Big Band, Enrico Rava, Simon Nabatov & Nils Wogram, Gonzalo Rubalcaba & David Sanchez, Brotzmann Tentet, Richard Bona, King Crimson, Herbie Hancock Quartet with Bobby Hutcherson, Solomon Burke, Jorge Ben Jor, and Van Morrison. And the Hague is a pleasant place, and only 45 minutes from Amsterdam. I just learned that due to some venue conflicts they will move to Rotterdam in 2006. There's plenty of hardbop too, to keep your moniker happy.

I was at the Umbria festival once. The programming is very heavy on mainstream American acts. Not much I can't see all the time in New York. But Perugia is very pleasant, and there's lot's to explore in Umbria.

I wouldn't recommend Vienne. The town is not very interesting, and there's not as much choice per evening as the other festivals. The main concerts are in a Roman amphitheatre, which is very atmospheric, but you're likely to be very far from the stage.

Montreux shouldn't be allowed to call itself a jazz festival. It's mostly rock, hip hop, and lots of other stuff these days, with precious little real jazz. If you're into Brazilian music, however, they dedicate one weekend to the stuff and get the best of the best.

I'm pretty sure the London festival is in October or November.

Edited March 18, 2004 by Pete C

[Free For All]

I've played at Pori, Molde, Umbria, Vienne and Istanbul (with the Herman band). All were good festivals- I guess it depends on who's there. Finland's really an interesting place- in the summer it just barely gets dark (at about 2 or 3 AM) for a short time. It's light most of the time- I assume the reverse is true in winter- lots of darkness. We were at the Istanbul festival the year of the big Turkey earthquake- about a month before!

I also played at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eliat, Israel a couple times in the mid 90s. I don't think I'd be as anxious to go there now. It was a great festival, though and Israel was beautiful.

I think the European festivals are for the most part much hipper and better attended than the ones in the US, I'm sorry to say.

Edited March 18, 2004 by Free For All

[Pete C]

  Free For All said:

I think the European festivals are for the most part much hipper and better attended than the ones in the US, I'm sorry to say.

Generally, but the programming at the Chicago festival is pretty hip, and it's free! And in greater North America, Montreal is a damn fine festival.

Speaking of free, Tom, another one you might want to check into is Estival Jazz in Lugano, Switzerland. Lugano is a beautiful, pleasant place, and they book interesting stuff. I've never been to the festival--I think it conflicts with North Sea, but I've been to Lugano twice.

[Free For All]

  Pete C said:

Generally, but the programming at the Chicago festival is pretty hip, and it's free! And in greater North America, Montreal is a damn fine festival.

I lived in Chicago for most on the nineties and went many times- for me the only way to really enjoy it was either to get a backstage pass or get up real close, which was often not easy to do. Good programs, yes, but it's hard to enjoy Sonny Rollins from an eighth of a mile away! Usually, though, the crowds thin out after the mainstream acts- I was able to get right up front for Henry Threadgill and Very Very Circus! I think that festival for many is as much the hang as it is the music.

[pepe]

  Free For All said:

I've played at Pori, Molde, Umbria, Vienne and Istanbul (with the Herman band). All were good festivals- I guess it depends on who's there. Finland's really an interesting place- in the summer it just barely gets dark (at about 2 or 3 AM) for a short time. It's light most of the time- I assume the reverse is true in winter- lots of darkness. We were at the Istanbul festival the year of the big Turkey earthquake- about a month before!

I also played at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eliat, Israel a couple times in the mid 90s. I don't think I'd be as anxious to go there now. It was a great festival, though and Israel was beautiful.

I think the European festivals are for the most part much hipper and better attended than the ones in the US, I'm sorry to say.

I guess I saw you in Molde playing with Herman - I think they've been there twice, first time playing a small club room (the one I attended), one or two years later playing a bigger hall, backing some singer (Frank Sinatra Jr? - a gig I did'nt go to).

Part of the Molde program will be released in a weeks time, and I know there will be some interesting programming to be found at http://www.moldejazz.no Mostly jazz by top US and European groups - a little trad, a lot of acoustic bop and beyond, some free and a little electronica.

Molde is a more intimate festival than Pori who relies much on commercial acts, while the venues at Molde seat from 120 to 800 people except for one outdoor concert.

And if you don't want nights to be dark, Molde is justas good as Pori

Edited March 19, 2004 by pepe

[Hardbopjazz]

So far I know I will attend one night at the Istanbul Fest. I'll be there when it is going on. I will be in Europe for 3 weeks. Not sure where else yet.

[Pete C]

Molde is on my wish list. Western Norway (Bergen area) is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

[pepe]

On behalf of that part of the world - thank you for those kind words.

[Clunky]

  Pete C said:

Western Norway (Bergen area) is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

I passed through Bergen about 20 years ago when inter railing with my wife. The scenery is certainly spectacular.

Bergen it self seemed most remarkable for the number of stoned addicts rolling around the city parks, shooting up in broad daylight !! An eye opener for an eighteen year old.

[pepe]

  Clunky said:

  Pete C said:

Western Norway (Bergen area) is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

I passed through Bergen about 20 years ago when inter railing with my wife. The scenery is certainly spectacular.

Bergen it self seemed most remarkable for the number of stoned addicts rolling around the city parks, shooting up in broad daylight !! An eye opener for an eighteen year old.

That's a good one! I'll report your impression of Edvard Grieg's home town to the local authorities

[kdd]

I don't know the schedule but for the venues, I'd recommend Vienne the most, beautiful outdoor ampitheatre and ancient indoor concert hall and it usually has a good program. Pori is a good festival but scenery wise it's not very impressive. Umbria and anything else in Italy (there are a lot of smaller festivals) is highly recommended. The big act to look out for this summer is the Wayne Shorter/ Herbie Hancock/Dave Holland/Brian Blade Quartet.

Edited March 19, 2004 by kdd