Jazz & Gospel d'Oust

A breath of New Orleans in the Ariège Pyrenees

Every summer, the village of Oust, nestled in the Salat valley in the heart of Couserans, comes alive to the rhythm of jazz and gospel. Created on the initiative of the association Midnite Blue, based in Encausse-les-Thermes, the Jazz & Gospel d'Oust festival has, in just a few editions, established a strong musical identity: that of an authentic, warm, and accessible jazz festival for everyone, where the fervor of gospel meets the sophistication of jazz in an exceptional mountain setting. All concerts are completely free, making this event a popular and unifying gathering for the inhabitants of Haut-Couserans as well as for passing visitors.

Quality concerts and workshops for all

Each year, the festival's program brings together talented musicians, mixing gypsy jazz, gospel, blues, swing, and soul. Among the artists who have marked past editions are Esaie Cid, saxophonist and artistic director of the festival, Jeb Patton, a New York pianist, Emmanuel Pi Djob, a powerful voice of African gospel, Jean-François Bonnel, a figure of French jazz, and the Feelin's 9. Beyond the concerts, the festival offers jazz workshops led by professional musicians from the Midnite Blue school, open to all instruments and levels, as well as daily Lindy Hop introductions every afternoon, followed by swing dances in the evening.

A village celebrating at the foot of the Pyrenees

Oust is a mountain village of about 500 inhabitants, located at an altitude of 520 meters in the Salat valley, at the crossroads of the Garbet and Alet valleys. During the festival, the village square transforms into an open-air stage where concerts follow one another from morning to night. Food trucks offer local and African specialties at lunchtime, while meals by reservation allow attendees to support the organizing association. A children's area with games and rides completes the offerings for families. The atmosphere is that of a village celebration, where musicians and spectators mingle in a rare closeness, typical of quality rural festivals.

A festival rooted in the Couserans territory

The Jazz & Gospel d'Oust festival is part of the cultural dynamic of Couserans, a Pyrenean region rich in festivals and artistic initiatives. By setting up in Oust, the Midnite Blue association took on the challenge of bringing high-level jazz programming to a mountain village, far from large urban stages. This challenge has now been met: the festival has become an unmissable event of the Ariège summer, contributing to the cultural and tourist influence of the Salat valley and Haut-Couserans.