April the 30th every year is designated International Jazz Day by UNESCO. Many special jazz events are held around the world on this day, including workshops, educational programs, and gigs big and small from top musicians. We now travel to France, where Jazz music has been embraced since the First World War, and is still in love with the country.
April the 30th every year is designated International Jazz Day by UNESCO.
Few cities in the world are more associated with Jazz than Paris. Most of the genre's greatest names all came to play in the French capital time and again….the mostly African-American musicians attracted to the City of Light with its more relaxed racial attitudes.Some like Archie Shepp even chose to move here permanently.
"Many Black musicians are here in Europe as much as they are at home in the United States because there are so many more opportunities to perform here. And this music is in a way appreciated here in a way that it's not in the States," said Archie Shepp, jazz saxophonist.
It isn't just Jazz musicians that have been welcomed to France with open arms. Afrobeat singer-songwriter and Grammy nominee Femi Kuti credits France and his invitation to play at the Angouleme Festival for the start of his international career.
"France became the Mecca of accepting all kinds of music, first African music, everybody was being exposed through France," said Femi Kuti, Afrobeat musican.
"Many Black musicians are here in Europe as much as they are at home in the United States because there are so many more opportunities to perform here. And this music is in a way appreciated here in a way that it's not in the States," said Archie Shepp, jazz saxophonist.
It isn't just Jazz musicians that have been welcomed to France with open arms. Afrobeat singer-songwriter and Grammy nominee Femi Kuti credits France and his invitation to play at the Angouleme Festival for the start of his international career.
"France became the Mecca of accepting all kinds of music, first African music, everybody was being exposed through France," said Femi Kuti, Afrobeat musican.
April the 30th every year is designated International Jazz Day by UNESCO.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment