Les Jazzeries d'Hiver

Les Jazzeries d'Hiver: Jazz in the Heart of Saint-Étienne's Winter

Created in 2011 by the Gaga Jazz association, Les Jazzeries d'Hiver brings a touch of musical warmth to the heart of Saint-Étienne's winter every January. This traveling jazz festival unfolds over two to three weeks in various locations in Saint-Étienne and its surrounding area, offering concerts, cine-concerts, film screenings, and jam sessions to highlight the diverse forms of this music.

A Pioneering Jazz Association in the Loire Region

The Gaga Jazz association, founded in 2004 by passionate musicians and music lovers, was born from the observation that jazz was underrepresented on Saint-Étienne's stages despite a pool of local musicians and a receptive audience. In over twenty years of activity, the volunteer team has programmed more than 300 jazz concerts throughout the Saint-Étienne metropolitan area. In 2012, the association created the record label Gaga Jazz Music, and in January 2021, it opened Le Solar, a jazz venue and community space within La Comète, an artistic exploration center located on Avenue Émile Loubet in Saint-Étienne. Le Solar, with its 120 seats, hosts a demanding jazz program and open jam sessions every Monday evening year-round.

A Traveling Festival in the Saint-Étienne Metropolitan Area

The strength of Les Jazzeries d'Hiver lies in its traveling nature. The festival takes over various venues in the Saint-Étienne metropolis and beyond:

• Le Fil — Saint-Étienne's contemporary music venue, for headline concerts
• Le Solar — Gaga Jazz's jazz venue, for intimate concerts
• Méliès Jean Jaurès — Art-house cinema, for cine-concerts and film screenings featuring jazz
• L'Échappé — Cultural space in Sorbiers, a 255-seat venue
• Andrézieux-Bouthéon — Municipal and cultural venues
• Saint-Victor-sur-Loire — Nautical base and village halls

This itinerant approach allows the festival to reach diverse audiences and bring jazz to unexpected places, closer to the residents of the Loire region.

A Program Balancing International Artists and Local Talents

Each edition of Les Jazzeries d'Hiver features a mix of nationally and internationally renowned artists and local musicians from the Saint-Étienne and regional jazz scene. Among the artists who have graced past editions are trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, New York pianist Joel Forrester, the ethio-jazz group Ukandanz, guitarist Manu Codjia, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, and Argentinian percussionist Minino Garay. Jam sessions, music conferences, and cine-concerts complement the program, offering a rich and accessible panorama of jazz in all its forms.

An Accessible and Friendly Festival

Les Jazzeries d'Hiver stands out for its commitment to accessibility: over half of the events are free or low-cost, and the maximum price for concerts generally does not exceed 15 euros. This pricing policy, combined with the diversity of venues and artistic offerings, makes Les Jazzeries d'Hiver an open and generous festival, true to the spirit of sharing that has driven the Gaga Jazz association since its inception.