Samois 2015 Anyone Going?

norwegianatsamoreau

I intend to go this year also. Earlier years I seem to remember the campsite at Samoreau opened at April 1, and would not answer the phone before that.

Has anyone seen the program for the festival yet?

bohemewarbler

This will be my first time at Samois, but I've been at campsite jamming festivals before. For those of you who actually like to jam for long periods, but still like to get a restful sleep at night, Fontainebleau might be a healthy option. My family and I will be staying in Fontainebleau. There are 3 bicycle rentals in Fontainebleau. Weather permitting, I plan on bicycling back and forth between the festival and Fontainebleau, carrying a jamming guitar in a soft case for this purpose (It's supposed to be about a 20-minute ride, but I'm a regular bicycle commuter and am used to that sort of thing). According to the Django festival website, there will be a regularly running bus shuttle service between the Fontainebleau train station and the festival, but not sure at this point how late the shuttle runs.

My family and I will be staying in the Marais for a week before Samois. We state-siders should try to meet up at least once to do some jamming in Paris. The Place des Vosges in the Marais is a comfortable place for street musicians to perform. Might even be able to pick up some extra spending money, although we'd probably would make more money if we spoke and looked French. Last time I was there, there was a GJ band, Borsalino, that was making a good deal of spending money through the appreciation of tourists and by selling their CDs.

EmmettRay

I'll be making my 8th trip there this year all the way from HI. No idea where I'm staying yet... I prefer staying in Fontainebleau and renting a car or bicycle. The campsites are awesome too but hard to bring enough gear where I'm coming from.

AmundLauritzen

I'm hoping to make this years festival the first I attend. I'll go primarily to jam because the situation here is like in most other places in the world: the players of this style are scattered over the country and meeting up is difficult to arrange.

I know the campsite is where it's happening, but it seems to be a pain to get in contact with the people who manage it, and to play it safe for the first time I go, I intend to go with hotel. Not having a drivers licence, I'll have to figure out a way to get to and from the campsite. Bike rental seems like a nice option.

I have gotten the impression that most of the jamming actually happens the week before the festival begins, at the campsite.

I hope to make it there this year!

Micheal Irwin

Looks like Birelli has been added to the program with his "Gypsy Jazz Project" performing June 28.

DjangoJim

I figured since we'll be in Mass. for DIJ, it's just a short jaunt to Paris, so we will be checking out our first Samois. Still debating whether I want to bring my Dupont or just buy a cheapo and throw it in a gig bag. Any thoughts?

Jazzaferri

Fun to take it but one has to constantly be aware of where it is and travel with a good case. Don't forget to slack the strings on the airplane. Insurance is a good idea too.

bohemewarbler

I bought a Cigano GJ-10 and Boulder gig bag from Michael. Very nice looking and decent sounding guitar, and I won't have to worry about it much on the trip. The gig bag, being relatively slight of stature, ought to ease it's way on the plane with you and into overhead for safe keeping. Some of the damage proof type gig bags I've seen are larger than hard cases, feel like hard cases, and could draw more negative attention in getting it on the plane with you, possibly increasing the chance of having it placed in the cargo hold. Wim pointed out to me that If you like to travel, and like playing GJ enough to have a guitar with you as you travel-to join a jam or whatever-it might be a good idea to have an extra cheapo guitar as a traveler guitar. However, make sure you call the airlines ahead of time and let them know you're traveling with a guitar in a gig bag and will be bringing it on the plane with you. Check your layover times as well. You don't want to be late getting on the plane. There is some good advice on this thread.

DjangoJim

I suppose insurance would make traveling with my precious a lot less stressful. But I also think I just want an excuse to buy another Gypsy guitar, cheap or not. They're all fun.

webelvis

I ll be there at Samoreau