Retour MNOP Festival

A WORD FROM THE "PREZ"

PLAISIR D'AIMER  (Love is pleasure)
PLAISIR DES METS  (Good dishes are pleasure)

This "word from the Prez" contains, first of all, a double apology:

1. Apology to the real "Prez", Lester Young, one of Jazz's very great: because of my admiration

      for him, I usurp the nickname given to him by Billie Holiday, his "Lady Day", with whom he       made one of the most exemplary musical couples, symbol of this music, that also of MNOP.

1. Apology to this Basque Region Chef, whose restaurant bears the name of "Plaisir des Mets", which indicates his love for his work, equal only to the love we instil in the preparation of our little musical dishes.

 

Such is the tune: as we write this, we are 6 months away from the day: the programme is set (let's hope they can all come!...); the tasks for the 105 volunteers are assigned; our partners have faithfully replied to our appeal; the technical participants have sent us their estimates; the poster is ready on CD. Everyone is in the starting-blocks, ready to race down the straight line which leads directly to the week of 4 to 10 August.

All tastes will be catered to:

1. a pedagogical Blues session for the children in Day Camps
2. a brass band workshop directed by a New Orleans marching band Master
3. evening cinema concerts in the four corners of the Dordogne
4. the "Jazz OFF Café" on Thursday will fill he city with music
5. and, of course, the great moments of the Friday and Saturday festival, in the afternoons at the 'Logis Saint-Front" and in the evenings at "Parc Gamenson", with a list of performers which has never been so enriched with great names from New Orleans:  Walter Wolfman Washington's and Spencer Bohren's Blues, Red Morgan's Sax Funkie, Nicole Slack-Jones' Gospel, Jazz by Don Vappie and his Creole Serenaders, the return of the Pink Panther, Plas Johnson himself, in the company of an authentic world star, Rhoda Scott, the famous bare-feet organist.

 

With this programme, MNOP remains faithful to its purpose: popular cultural entertainment, a low-cost festival, an unequalled quality-to-price ratio. The attendance will include those who know and like this music which is nowadays heard too seldom because of ill-conceived show-biz, and the many who are not acquainted with it and who will have the opportunity to find themselves at the heart of a rich music, full of authenticity and diversity, in both a convivial and a festive atmosphere.

In the background, even if the Katrina aftermath is ever so present, there is a deep desire to bring pleasure to as many as possible, audience and musicians alike,  in addition to which, those who have wanted such a festive occasion, are pleasuring themselves at the same time.

So then, do not miss it !

                                                                               Jean Michel Colin