Paris Visit - suggestions, advice, etc?

Rob MacKillop

I'm looking forward to my trip to Paris round about the 16th April, to pick up my "Sweet Chorus" from Castelluccia. I'll be there for two or three days, and would like to check out the Gypsy Jazz scene. I might even try to organise a lesson, though sadly I only have the most very basic grasp of the language.

All suggestions and advice gratefully received!

crookedpinky

Rob, do a "Paris" search in the search forums box and you should find info on gigs, venues and teachers.

PapsPier

My favorite place in Paris is Les Petits Joueurs. There, you can really listen the best musicians with an audience and the bar attendants respecting the music. There is also L'atelier Charonne, but if you dont go there to eat, (just to drink and listen to the music) yo'll probably be disappointed: it is the opposite of Les Petits Joueurs. The violinist Daniel John Martin organised free concerts with top players (Angelo often) in a nice jazz club (usually the entrance fee of this club is 30e at least).

In the center of Paris, near Notre Dame, St Michel place, you also have La taverne de Cluny (there is a nice series of videos of Adrien Moignard in concert there on youtube) which sometimes offers gypsy jazz concerts.

You should read the article by Mitch
http://www.djangobooks.com/blog/gypsy-jazz-jams-in-paris/

Rob MacKillop

@PapsPier - I suppose you don't mean this lot: lespetitsjoueurs.com :-)

Ah, this looks more like it! auxpetitsjoueurs.com

Thanks for that! Looks perfect.

Any teachers in Paris who speak English?

PapsPier

I dont know, maybe you can contact Mitch, he may know some.

BluesBop Harry

RobMacKillop wrote: »

Any teachers in Paris who speak English?

Try Samy Daussat... Also check this out http://guitarejazzmanouche.com/ at the right of the page you'll see a listing of weekly concerts and jams.

Lastly, try to learn at least a little french before getting there, it makes all the difference

Rob MacKillop

Thanks, Harry.

Buco

I'll second on learning a few phrases in French. On my visit to south of France, as long as I introduced myself in French followed by saying I can't really speak French, people would go out of their way to help out, sometimes literally. This lady in Nice literally went out of her way with bags of groceries in her hands to show me and the wife the way to our hotel.
The only time I got a stink eye is when we were scrambling to catch a train we were late for and wanted to cut to the chase so I asked this guy straight out if he speaks English and he gave me an evil eye saying in English "no, can't you speak French"? :laugh:
He still showed us where to go in the end though.

I also higly recommend that blog article by Mitch, it's a trip taking you through the Parisian GJ jam scene with some of the best of the best sometimes casually showing up to play a few tunes. Aaah I so wish to visit someday.

Rob MacKillop

Well, I do have a basic grasp of the language, as I said, but not enough to sit through a lesson with a French-only speaker.

Who is this Mitch people keep mentioning? :-)

PapsPier

Mitch is a french member of this forum and of the french forum. He is responsible of a jam in Paris and he really knows the gypsy jazz scene (as indicated by all the information he gave in the blog article). Feel free to contact him by pm on this forum or on the french forum, if he has time he will prbably answer you

Rob MacKillop

Will do. Thanks!