Joly Jazz en Avesnois

Jazz travels through Avesnois

For over 25 years, the Joly Jazz en Avesnois festival has been taking its audience to discover jazz and contemporary music through the landscapes and heritage of Avesnois, a rural and hedged farmland in the south of the Nord department. This traveling festival, supported by the association Bougez Rock based in Maubeuge, has created a unique link between music and a territory by offering concerts in unusual and remarkable locations.

Concerts in exceptional venues

The uniqueness of Joly Jazz lies in its choice of concert venues. Each edition takes over various surprising sites that offer an intimate and poetic setting for the music.

MusVerre in Sars-Poteries

MusVerre, the departmental glass museum in Sars-Poteries, is one of the festival's emblematic venues. Concerts take place there in a contemporary architectural setting, amidst collections of art glass, creating a fascinating dialogue between music and visual arts.

Farms, orchards, and bandstands

Concerts also take place in Avesnois farms, orchards, parks, and bandstands. These everyday places are transformed into ephemeral stages for the duration of a concert, offering rare proximity between artists and spectators in a bucolic setting.

By the water

Some concerts take place by a lake or body of water, such as at Val Joly, offering a particularly soothing and contemplative atmosphere. The surrounding nature then becomes an integral part of the musical experience.

An open and eclectic jazz program

The Joly Jazz program explores jazz in all its forms, from standard to contemporary, including swing, bebop, and improvised music.

Jazz and swing

Swing jazz holds a special place in the program, with bands like The Westcoasters getting the audience moving to catchy rhythms. This joyful and danceable music is in perfect harmony with the festive and friendly spirit of the festival.

Contemporary jazz and new music

The festival also features contemporary jazz and new music, hosting ensembles like Thomas Gonzalez and the Dreamcatchers who explore the boundaries of jazz with creativity and boldness.

Avesnois, a territory to discover

Joly Jazz is also an invitation to discover Avesnois, one of the most preserved territories in the Nord. This landscape of hedgerows, forests, and orchards, classified as a Regional Natural Park, offers a remarkable natural setting for the festival's concerts. Between performances, visitors can explore charming villages, hiking trails, and gastronomic specialties of this little-known region.