the Saint-Germain-des-Pres Paris jazz festival wrapped up with a Nuit Electro-Jazz...and it was a sweaty night under the Pont Alexandre III. i got there late (because i never expect a jazz concert to start on time...i know, i know, i should get places earlier) and managed to catch the last few minutes of EOL trio (three brothers, more on them soon because they'll be playing at the restaurant Dans Le Noir, a neat idea.)
after a quick break (enough time to get myself a gin & tonic), next up: Aronas...this time Aron Ottignon had a real piano (see April entry) and killer percussion. Aron's from New Zealand, and the band includes South Pacific drums. He's a fine pianist: first won New Zealand's award for new jazz talent, then moved over the larger continent and won their award for young jazz talent. (forgive the photo failure...not sure why the powers-that-be decided to put the press section on the side of the space, so the only good sightline was right on the edge of the stairs. i tried fighting my way through the central crowd, but it was waaaaayyy too hot...) Aronas seemed like some kind of witches brew of funk, jazz, free jazz and straight out punk rock, and the crowd loved it. It was great to see such a huge crowd coming out for a jazz event.
the last part of the evening was Beat Assailant--cheerful jazzy hiphop: the lead is from Miami but is now hunkering down in Paris, where he's acquired a fab brass section. good way to wrap up the soiree, and the festival.
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