A not-to-be-missed festival on the jazz scene, Jazz à Sète takes place this year from July 15 to 21 in the sumptuous setting of the Théâtre de la Mer, but also “Hors les murs” at the Abbaye de Valmagne, at Dancing, at the médiathèque François Mitterrand and at Oh Gobie.
The Festival opens with a tribute evening to guitarist Sylvain Luc, a Festival regular who passed away on March 14, 2024.
Guitarist Louis Martinez has been the festival’s conductor for 40 years. It’s a long story, but let’s take a look back with him at some of the anecdotes that have marked the success and musical adventure of this meeting place for jazz enthusiasts the world over.
CJ : This is the thirtieth year of Jazz à Sète. Do you remember the initial motivation that led you to create this festival?
Louis Martinez : Actually, I founded the festival in 1985, when I was working for the municipality of Sète. That was 40 years ago. It was at the time of Yves Marchand, to whom I had proposed it just before he was elected mayor. I had dined with him on the occasion of a tribute to Brassens and Jazz, in which I was taking part because I am above all a musician and guitarist. I said to him, it’s a shame there’s no festival at the Théâtre de la Mer, because I used to go and see concerts there in the 70s. I told him it was a magical place, and that hasn’t changed since. And he said to me: “Listen, if I’m elected, come and see me”. And that’s what I did. And that’s how, while working for the town of Sète, I started Jazz à Sète as artistic director, but on a voluntary basis, during those years. And we soon had artists like Ray Charles, Didi Bridgewater, Paco de Lucia, Michael Brecker…
CJ : But we’re celebrating our thirtieth anniversary this year?
Louis Martinez : The festival was shut down for no real reason in ’91, even though I’d written the program. Then it really took off again in 1995 with the new municipality, which allowed me to take up the torch with a team independent of the town and a small subsidy. It may seem paradoxical, but with small means I decided to bring in some very well-known artists. It was a good strategy, and one that’s still valid today, since the evenings that are the most successful are the ones we sell the most tickets for. That’s how, over the years, the festival has acquired a notoriety that, I confess, is beyond me. It’s true that we’ve gone way beyond our borders in terms of notoriety.
CJ : In 30 years, what’s been the best edition of the festival for you?
Louis Martinez : I remember, for example, the concert by the duo Eddy Louiss and Richard Galliano. Eddy had become a friend because he came several times and we had a lot in common. He was beginning to have health problems. And it was so beautiful, this duet, I remember his eyes looking up at the sky, I saw a few tears flowing. It was so beautiful. But then, there were moments like that, magical moments.
Like the first time Melody Gardot came, which was splendid. Chick Corea, the last time he came, you could hear the flies flying. Brad Mehldau, the last concert he played, we ended the evening with his drummer. He said to me: “I think this is the most beautiful concert we’ve done since the trio was founded”, and it’s true that it was completely magical. That’s why I’m so passionate about continuing to program this festival.
CJ : Who was the most difficult artist to bring on board?
Louis Martinez : Without a doubt Diana Krall. She’s a singer I really like, and I’ve been following her since she started out. She’s less inventive than Mélodie Gardot (who cancelled her concert this year due to pregnancy – ed. note), but she’s still someone who’s got something. She was overpriced. One year, as I was going up to Paris to see Gérard Drouotwith my wife, who sadly passed away almost six years ago now, she said to Gérard: “Listen Gérard, Louis really likes Diana Krall, couldn’t we do a co-production with you for this artist because she’s way too expensive for us? That’s what we did! We did all the communication so that the tickets weren’t too expensive, because it’s true that with the capacity we have and the fee he was asking for this artist, we’d have had to charge more than 150 euros for tickets. I think we were at 84 euros and sold out four months in advance.
CJ : This year’s line-up kicks off with a tribute to Sylvain Luc, your friend who passed away on March 13. Who made the line-up for this moment?
Louis Martinez : Sylvain and I went through a lot together, so I knew which musicians he liked. I called his former agent Alexandre Lacombe, with whom he worked for over 20 years, and we came to an agreement. Obviously, we couldn’t take everyone. For example, among the guitarists, we thought it would be a good idea to take Louis Winsberg, since he’s made a magnificent album. Then Biréli Lagrène, with whom he has toured and recorded extensively. Sylvain was very fond of Thomas Dutronc, who will also be present. Then, of course, there will be his wife Marilyse Florid, who is an outstanding classical guitarist, who will certainly be doing a piece, but we don’t yet know with whom. The groups have not yet been formed. There will also be André Ceccarelli, Olivier KerOurio, Stéphane Belmondo, Lionel Suarez, Thierry Elliez, Paul Lay, Rémi Vignolo and Sylvain’s brother Gérard Luc. And then I had the idea of asking Lionel Eskenazi, as he’s here all week, to put a pedestal table at the edge of the stage, with a spotlight, and then, during the set changes, to ask the artists who’ve just played, to ask them a little anecdote. All in all, it’s going to be a great evening. It’s an evening that promises to be full of emotion too.
CJ : Which artist did you dream of inviting and still haven’t?
Louis Martinez : Well, one artist I’d dreamed of inviting, who unfortunately no longer performs because he’s paralysed in one hand now, but I’d been advised against taking him on, is Keith Jarrett. He’s a pianist I adore. He’s a genius. I’m also sorry I couldn’t get Ahmad Jamal to play. I tried several times, but it didn’t work out. At first it was a question of rates, then availability. Anyway, there were a few artists like that that I had trouble getting.
CJ : At Couleurs Jazz, we’re sensitive to color. If we had to give a color to this edition…
Louis Martinez : I’d say the green of hope, so that the festival can go on for many more years, fulfilling my dream of taking care only of the artistic side, leaving the organization and production to others.
Photographs Alain Resplandin and press kit
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