Rencontres du Jazz — Escale'N Jazz

Escale'N Jazz: The Jazz Festival of La Ville-du-Bois

Founded under the name Rencontres du Jazz and renamed Escale'N Jazz over the editions, the jazz days of La Ville-du-Bois are among the most established musical events in the Essonne department. For over twenty years, this annual event has brought together hundreds of music lovers every spring around an eclectic program that gives pride of place to jazz in all its forms.

The Espace Escale: A Club-Atmosphere Venue

The festival takes place in several locations in La Ville-du-Bois: the municipal library for free afternoon concerts, and the Espace Escale (14 chemin des Berges) for evening concerts. This versatile hall, with its intimate capacity and warm ambiance, offers an ideal setting for jazz and related music. The public can experience the atmosphere of a Parisian club just a stone's throw from home.

The Woodtown Orchestra and the Music'all du Bois Association

The soul of the festival, the Woodtown Orchestra, is the major jazz ensemble of the Music'all du Bois association, founded in La Ville-du-Bois. Composed of high-level amateur musicians, this ensemble offers high-quality orchestral jazz, paying tribute to American jazz standards, French chanson, and Latin music. Its participation in each edition of Escale'N Jazz is a moment of collective emotion awaited by regulars.

An Eclectic Program

Beyond the Woodtown Orchestra, the festival annually invites professional artists who bring their own color to the programming. Vocal jazz, soul, funk, Latin jazz, blues, chanson jazz: styles follow one another throughout the concerts, ensuring a variety of atmospheres suitable for all audiences. A choreographic dance evening often completes the program on Sunday, highlighting the links between jazz and dance.

The 2025 Edition — 20th Anniversary

The 20th edition of Escale'N Jazz was held on April 5 and 6, 2025. For this twentieth anniversary, the festival offered a festive and memorable program. On Saturday, April 5th at 4 PM, the group Roots of Blues performed a free concert at the municipal library. In the evening at the Espace Escale, the Woodtown Orchestra accompanied guest singers before giving way to the Grand Orchestre du Splendid, a rhythmic and iconoclastic show that electrified the hall. On Sunday, April 6th at 5 PM, choreographic encounters concluded the weekend with dance troupes of various styles.

The 2026 Edition

The 2026 edition of Escale'N Jazz is scheduled for spring 2026 in La Ville-du-Bois. The program, currently being prepared by the town's teams and Music'all du Bois, will be announced on the website escalenjazz.fr and by the Town Hall's Cultural Department.

Accessibility and Friendliness

Escale'N Jazz is a resolutely accessible festival. Afternoon concerts at the library are offered free of charge, and evening concerts at the Espace Escale remain at modest prices (€18 full price, €6 for 6-12 year olds, free for under 6s). This pricing policy reflects the municipality of La Ville-du-Bois's commitment to democratizing access to jazz culture for all residents of the area.