Alas, Jazz sous les pommiers ends on Saturday May 11, 2024. It was a beautiful week, full of emotions, but it is only a goodbye. Before shedding a tear, there remains a day full of events to enjoy the last hours of the 43rd edition of the festival in Coutances (Manche).
Three concerts on the discovery stage
The Magic Mirrors offers its stage for the discovery of new talents on the French jazz scene during three forty-minute concerts. The first starts at 12:15 p.m. It is the Nobi quartet led by flautist Fanny Ménégoz. Admission: €6, reduced: €3.
At 1:15 p.m., it will be the turn of the impetuous Prospectus quartet, winner of Jazz Migration, to unveil its repertoire inspired by Ornette Coleman and Steve Lacy. Admission: €6, reduced: €3.
To close the discovery stage, the duo Congé Spatial, a real musical UFO so as not to make a bad pun, will play from 2:15 p.m. Admission: €6, reduced: €3.
What is complete
Among the eleven concerts of this last day, eight are sold out. These are the cellists and saxophonists from Bach on the Block, who play at the cathedral, the trio led by one of the greatest guitarists of our era, Bill Frisell, and the avant-garde drummer Roni Kaspi. As for the discovery scene, Congé Spatial is filling up. The orchestra led by the Franco-Venezuelan singer La Chica and the pianist El Duende no longer has any seats to sell either.
Flavia Coelho, Marcle-Hélie room, is now sold out, as is Les Vibrants Défricheurs at the Le Long Court cinema. Last concert of this last day, Son Rompe Pera, a group from Mexico and which will close the 2024 edition of Jazz sous les pommiers at Magic Mirrors, was also finally full.
What is not
There will be something to eat (or listen to) for this last day. Two of the three concerts on the discovery stage, Fanny Menegoz Nobi and Prospectus, still have places to enjoy them. The same goes for the vibrant tribute to Duke Ellington that the Franco-American big band The Future of jazz has in store; a creation by Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York made for the festival, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. It’s at 3:30 p.m., Marcel-Hélie room. Admission: €30, reduced: €15.
Free side
Several free concerts will be given in Coutances this Saturday. Among them, the big band from the Yvetot-Normandie conservatory, present at the festival since 2009, returns this year to Place Saint-Nicolas at 2:45 p.m., for one hour.
After them, at the Saint-Nicolas space, at 5 p.m., will come Akhali Talr’a, Tsitsinatela and Didi Sopeli; three choirs led by Teimuraz Artilakva who will perform traditional polyphonic songs from Georgia.
Then, again on Saint-Nicolas Square, at 6:30 p.m., the a cappella vocal ensemble SOUL will perform soul, funk, gospel and pop standards.
Street shows
As for street shows (also free), this Saturday, the Si only company will offer a balancing act, Chinese pole and juggling show, on the sports stage of the Lebrun high school at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. In the courtyard of the Jules-Verne school, the Modo Grosso company will juggle to the notes of a harpist, at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
The dance duo Raise your arms a little will give “a game of reflection” at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the courtyard of the Jean-Paul-II school.
Resident Marion Rampal in showcase
This year, two new residents of Jazz sous les pommiers arrived: Robinson Khoury and Marion Rampal. The latter will be in showcase for a guitar-voice solo followed by a signing session at Ocep this Saturday, at 4 p.m. Free admission.
On the amateur scene
Amateurs also have their space of expression to meet the public, on the Square de l’Évêché. This Saturday, May 11, it will be open from 2 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. then from 9:30 p.m. to midnight.
On the program: the Jazz 2 workshop at the Hague School of Performing Arts, from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.; the Calamity jazz big band, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.; the Melon jazz band, from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.; the Gratt’Essonne Big Band, from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.; NVS Electro School band, from 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Blue Citron, from 11 p.m. to midnight.
A musical reading in Montmartin-sur-Mer
Laure Legraverand (reading), Nicolas Raoult (piano) and Fabien Joubert (double bass) will offer families a musical reading of Emily brown and the thing, in partnership with the Montmartin-sur-Mer library. Meet directly at the library this Saturday, at 11 a.m. Access is free and free.
A conference on the Landing of jazz
The conference The Breath of Liberty: 1944, jazz arrives, by Nicolas Béniès, comes at the right time on this 80th anniversary of the Allied Landings and the Battle of Normandy.
“From the “Fête fou” of the Liberation in Paris, with Glenn Miller’s In the Mood as its emblem, to the success in the United States of Bing Crosby’s I’ll Be Seing you, a romance about the disappeared, Nicolas Béniès will present a panorama of jazz in these two countries with different memories of the end of the war”, presents the festival.
The conference will take place at 5:30 p.m., Salle Barbey-d’Aurevilly, Les Unelles (subject to availability).
At the movie theater
If you missed it, the third part of Zorna musical documentary directed by Mathieu Amalric, returns to the cinema this Saturday at 6:15 p.m. Same thing for the documentary by Thierry Guedj, Nougaro’s dream lifewho returns to the cinema at 11 a.m. for a screening in the presence of the director.
Jazz in bars
Five bars have joined the Jazz in bars system for this 2024 edition. This Saturday, May 11, 2024, four of them are offering a concert. To discover: Angelo Farward and Kali sound system, at Kawa’Pat at 8:30 p.m.; Mushroom experience, at Brazero at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Flashback to The Drinking Cat, at 8:30 p.m.; Paulo feat David Corleone, at 9:30 p.m., at the Poulailler.
Apart from this, the Etoile bar also offers concerts during the festival: Deathproof will be present from 9 p.m. this Saturday, May 11.
Parking, shuttle and bicycle self-repair workshop
A special Jazz sous les pommiers car park has been set up near Coutances station. A shuttle takes care of the transfer to Place de la Coûte and provides return trips every fifteen minutes. This Saturday, it runs from 1 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Please note that Cosibus, the Coutances Mer et bocage bus, is free from Saturday May 4 to Saturday May 11, 2024.
For those who prefer handlebars and pedals to public transport, Tri-Tout solidaire du Pays de Coutances and the Roues Libres en Coutançais association are opening a bicycle self-repair workshop in the Square de l’Évêché, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. .
Information, ticketing and prevention on site
A festival information point is located in front of the theater throughout the duration of the festival. This Wednesday, May 8, 2024, it is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
During the festival, the box office is open at the theater from 10 a.m. every day. For Magic Mirrors concerts, on the Notre-Dame square, the ticket office is open on site 30 minutes before.
The prevention area is open at Place de la Mission this Wednesday, May 8, 2024, from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Alcohol tests, documentation, earplugs, condoms and period protection are available.
