Jazz à Juan : A Prestigious Jazz Festival
The Antibes Juan-les-Pins jazz festival or Jazz à Juan has been held since 1960 in the mythical setting of the Gould pine forest. This summer event, which is the oldest jazz festival in Europe, offers the greatest artists an exceptional meeting with their public.
A world-renowned festival
The Festival International de Jazz d'Antibes Juan-les-Pins or Jazz à Juan has been swinging the Gould Pinewood since 1960.
This world-renowned event is held in July in Juan-les-Pins.
This festival where all the trends mix attracts every year many Jazz lovers.
It brings together bands from all over Europe in the hope of being named the best European jazz band.
In more than 55 years of existence, this Jazz Festival has seen great musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Nina Simone or Fats Domino.
History of the festival
The love affair between Antibes Juan-les-Pins and jazz began long before the festival was created: as early as 1922, Cole Porter resided at the Cap in Antibes and hosted his fellow countrymen there.
Jazz naturally became the music in Vogue at the casino, palaces and dance halls of the city.
Sidney Bechet, another lover of Antibes, chose to hold his wedding there. It was precisely in tribute to the great Sidney that the first Jazz Festival was created by Jacques Souplet and Jacques Hébey in July 1960.
The Antibes Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival was the first European jazz festival and quickly met with great success.
It was renewed every year, despite competition from the Nice Jazz Festival in the years 1971-1972.
Under the artistic direction of Norbert Gamsohn, Jazz in Juan acquired a worldwide reputation. It became the most prestigious festival after Newport and gave jazz an unprecedented diffusion.
A unique event
Jazz à Juan is a unique event in its kind because of the talent of the artists and the diversity of the music that is represented.
Not only does it host the biggest names in the genre but it also opens up to young artists and new music.
From its inception, the Festival was intended to be innovative by hosting the very young Stéphane Grappelli and Charlie Mingus.
It then allowed the discovery by the French public of artists such as Ray Charles, Miles Davis or Ella Fitzgerald.
Since 2002 the Tourist Office and Congress of Antibes Juan-les-Pins, organizes the 'Jazz à Juan Revelations', a competition designed to reveal new jazz talents.
The 2022 edition of the festival is held at the Pinède Gould in Juan-les-Pins from July 6 to 19, 2022.
You can check out the concert schedule on the site below.
