Morty Jazz Festival

The smallest jazz festival in France, in the heart of Valois

Nestled in the garden of the Mortefontaine town hall, a charming village of 228 inhabitants located in the south of Aisne, the Morty Jazz Festival proudly claims to be "the smallest and friendliest jazz festival in France". Born in 2003 under the poetic name "Songes d'une Nuit de Jazz", this summer event was imagined by a group of young enthusiasts from Mortefontaine (Aisne) and Feigneux (Oise), eager to liven up their rural area with music.

A unique outdoor atmosphere

What sets the Morty Jazz Festival apart from its counterparts is its intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Spectators are seated on comfortable outdoor sofas, amidst the trees of the communal garden, a few meters from the musicians. This proximity between artists and the public creates a rare complicity, conducive to exchanges and improvisations. The rural setting and the "guinguette" atmosphere — with wood-fired pizzas, homemade burgers, vegetarian dishes, and craft beers — make Morty Jazz an extraordinary moment of sharing and conviviality.

An eclectic program focused on discovery

True to its philosophy of discovery and openness, the festival each year offers a program mixing jazz, funk, soul, blues, gypsy jazz, improvised music, and fusion. Morty Jazz favors regional bands and emerging artists, while also welcoming established groups. The 2024 edition (22nd) notably featured &fusion, Wib Organic Trio, Cécile L. Recchia, Zahrza, Inner Ways, and No Water Please. The 2025 edition (23rd) hosted Ludivine Issambourg – Above the Laws, Le Gros Tube (funk/jazz), the Fabien Enger Trio, the Pierre Durand Quartet, Sophie Darly Quintet, and the Leviathan Gipsy Band.

Free concerts and activities

Beyond the evening concerts in the town hall garden, the Morty Jazz Festival offers free concerts in the town center and at the markets, a jazz workshop, jam sessions, and activities for all audiences. This expanded program makes Mortefontaine and its surroundings vibrate to the rhythm of jazz throughout the summer weekend.

A human-sized festival driven by volunteers

The Morty Jazz Festival relies entirely on the commitment of passionate volunteers who work year-round to organize this event. For over twenty editions, the festival has retained a loyal audience from Valois, Soissonnais, Paris, and all of Picardy, seduced by this summer musical interlude in a preserved setting, just an hour from the capital.