Paris Jazz Festival
Paris’ largest (and free-est!) jazz festival is already underway... in various glorious Parc Floral settings, where jazz-heads can relax around the lake and take in the sounds of the finest musicians around. Perennial performances from Didier Lockwood (June 16), Herbie Hancock (July 7) and Dee Dee Bridgewater (July 14) will be at the top of this summer’s “must-listen” list. Other promising moments — the Mingus Big Band on its 30th Anniversary Tour (June 30), Sylvain Beuf Trio (July 20), NoJazz (July 21) and the closing concert with Ahmad Jamal (July 28). Get there early to avoid the line.

To July 28, 3:30pm or 4:30pm, Parc Floral de Paris, bois de Vincennes, M° Château de Vincennes, info: 01 55 94 20 20 or www.parcfloraldeparis.com, parc entry: 1,5E.

Fête de la Musique
The 21st edition of France’s most celebrated musical party takes place, as usual, on June 21. The aim of the event is to open up the boundaries of music by staging concerts in heritage-rich venues, from museums and churches to hospitals and prisons. On “going to press” — times and schedules are still vague, but here’s a selection of choice events... Lenny Kravitz and Nuttea perform live at the place de la République, M° République, 8:30pm. Talvin Singh, Sergeant Garcia and Baaba Maal are set to be at the Hôtel de Ville “plaza,” M° Hôtel-de-Ville , 8pm. A French rock session is programmed at the place Denfert Rochereau, M° Denfert-Rochereau , 8:30pm, with Sanseverino, Dionysos and Nestor. The Lune Rousse presents a meeting of silent cinema and electronic music with DJs Benja and Fatalis, accompanied by projectionists from Cinéclassics and Monum’ at the Hôtel de Sully, 662 rue St-Antoine, 4e, 6pm. At the Palais Royal, M° Louvre-Palais Royal, 8pm, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, under the direction of René Koering, invite techno DJs Manu le Malin and Torgull for an experimental concert dubbed “Hier, Aujourd’hui, Demain.” Finally, the “Grande Parade” leaves place Gambetta (M° Gambetta) at 8pm, headed for the Cabaret Sauvage (Parc de la Villette, M° Porte de Pantin), for a night of World music until 6am.

Find out more at www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr


Cake and Milk & Piratages
Here’s a good excuse to hang out on the banks of the Seine on a Sunday afternoon: the Batofar’s annual summer gathering of Europe’s coolest musicians and DJs. Stuart Mc Llelan’s Cake and Milk kicks off on June 16 with Château Flight, Atjazz, Pete Herbert and Dimitri Plays. On July 7, the Classic label’s Rob Mello and Tischwartz play live, followed by artists from the Eskimo label on July 27. A surprise awaits us on August 11 — before the fun comes to an end, on August 15 — with Parisian label Versatile.
Piratages is a joint venture between the Batofar and the Guinguette Pirate, moored a little further along the quai. Prohibited Record’s NLF3, Herman Dune and Projet Etape perform live digital rock, folk and electronica respectively, June 23 in front of the Guinguette. German label Kompakt invite Jonas Bering, Tobias Thomas and Superpitcher, July 14 in front of the Batofar. Then it’s back to the Guinguette for live sets from Third Eye Foundation's Matthew Elliot, Dominique Petitgand and Eric Minkinnen (Aug 4). The climax comes with a Ninja Tune special at the Batofar (Aug 25). Guests include Parisian hip hop sensation TTC live and DJ sets from Strictly Kev, DK, Dynamic Syncopation, Fink and DJ Vadim. Piratages finally goes out with a bang on September 8 with a huge party in front of the two boats. DJ Wet, Feadz and Krikor rock the Batofar, while Lætitia Shériff, Bertrand Cuiller and the Ondes Chavirées perform live baroque music.

Batofar & Guinguette Pirate, opposite 11 quai Francois-Mauriac, 13e, M° Bibliothèque/François Mitterrand, tel: 01 56 29 10 00

Solidays
Held over two days and hosting more than 40 live acts, Solidays welcomes an 85,000 strong crowd, supporting the awareness and prevention of AIDS (one of the world’s 40-million AIDS sufferers dies of the virus every 11 seconds). The prestigious lineup includes No Doubt, UB40, Hawksley Workman, Starsailor, Llorca and Les Rita Mitsouko on Saturday, and MC Solaar, Garbage, Cheb Mami, Yann Tiersen, Tiken Jah Fakoly and Ska P on the Sunday. Saturday night sees the “Nuit Electro” with Etienne de Crécy, Télépopmusik and D’julz. One-day passes are inexpensive, but if you want to get into the real festival atmosphere, there are 2 000 camping pitches available for 5E extra. So support a good cause and hear 40 concerts’ worth of music for the price of one while you’re there...

July 6 & 7, 1pm, weekend pass: 29E, daily pass: 21E, Hippodrome de Longchamp, 16e, M° Porte Maillot, info: www.solidays.com


La Défense Jazz Festival
Discover jazz in all its forms at this annual meeting of blues, salsa, funk and electro. Up and coming artists open at the “4 Temps” (June 24-28, midday), while jazz vocalist Anne Ducros picks up the “Jazz à la Carte” menu on July 1 (midday). Also watch out for Jamaican R’n’B outfit Jim Murple Mémorial (July 2), accoustic-blues guitarist Eric Bibb (July 3), and DJ Logic with ex-Living Color guitarist Vernon Reid (July 4), all at midday. Evening concerts begin July 5 with Brazilian electro-jazz trio Zuco 103 and Scandinavian trumpet virtuoso Nils Petter Molvaer, followed by Buddy Guy’s Chicago blues and drummer Roy Haynes’ “Tribute to Charlie Parker” on July 6 & 7 respectively, at 8:30pm.

June 24 to July 7 (times vary), La Défense, M° Esplanade de la Défense, info: 01 47 29 34 53 or www.epaladefense.fr, free

Festival de Jazz Django Reinhardt
A tribute to “that French gipsy” featuring more than 80 musicians, including guitarist Joscho Stephan, singer Anne Ducros, Italian pianist Stefano Bollani, American vocalist Beverley Jo Scott and the Claude Tissiender quintet with saxophonist Teddy Edwards.

June 25-30 (times vary), Ile du Berceau, Samois-sur-Seine, transport: Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau/Avon, info: 01 64 24 86 45 http://django.samois.free.fr, three-day pass: 50E, daily pass: 25E


Festivals in France
Les Eurockéennes
One of the biggest music festivals in France, Les Eurocks is staged on a lakeside peninsula in Belfort, eastern France. Comprised of four stages (one of them “on the beach”!), 55 live acts and 80,000 fans, this year’s lineup promises to be the strongest in France. On Friday: Buju Banton, Pleymo, Noir Désir, Archive, Anti Pop Consortium, Soulfly, The Herbaliser and Alec Empire. Saturday: Rival Schools, Aston Villa, Tarmac, Gomez, Miro, Air, Frederic Galliano, The Chemical Brothers and Miss Kittin & The Hacker. Sunday: Hawksley Workman, The Notwist, DJ Logic, Travis, Trio Mocotó, Muse, Gotan Project and Rammstein. Plus many more…

July 5, 6 & 7 (times vary), La Presqu'île du Malsaucy, Belfort, info: 03 84 22 46 58 www.eurockeennes.fr, three-day pass: 63E, daily pass: 29E

Jazz à Juan
Since 1960, Juan-les-Pins has been the hometown of French jazz. Among the pine trees on the fringe of the Mediterranean’s Côte d’Azur, the cream of international jazz have played their hearts out under the southern sun. And this year will be no different. Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack deJohnette play the first night (July 16), succeeded by Maceo Parker (July 17), Omara Portuondo, the diva behind the Buena Vista Social Club (July 18), Joe Cocker (July 19), Eric Truffaz and the Ladyland Quartet (July 21) plus many others.

July 16-23, 8:30pm, Pinède Gould, Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, program and prices: 04 92 90 53 05 or www.antibesjuanlespins.com

compiled by Neil Atherton