Jazz – Oloron then Marciac

First time at the Oloron jazz festival where we (Pete, Jude, Sam, Richard) saw the Charly Rose trio – a local band that is getting national acclaim, followed by the well-known Robert Fonseca piano trio. The first set was fast and furious, navigating original and demanding material with confidence. The second was very accomplished but for me rather formulaic, and with too much “Are you having a good time? … “I can’t hear you …” from the stage.

In spite of Covid, the Marciac festival did go ahead, – albeit on the thin side, with fewer American or European bands than normal. Masks and distancing measures and the Pass Sanitaire required, and the town was much quieter than usual. The middle of the square where bands play throughout the afternoon was caged off, somewhat detracting from the atmosphere. Still, we met up there, sat for a while enjoying, among others, a meteoric alto player, whose name we didn’t get and who even did the Roland Kirk trick of playing 2 saxophones at once, skilfully harmonising the melody in thirds.

The main act, however, was the great Brad Mehldau playing later in the Chapiteau tent in his classic trio (Larry Grenadier on bass, the ever inventive Jeff Ballard on drums). A dazzling set, combining standards, Lennon and McCartney (And I Love Her), and original material. It started raining heavily half way through, so his choice of Here’s That Rainy Day as an encore raised a laugh!

I was staying, as usual, in the very pleasant and shady Camping du Lac, using the bike to get in and out of town, and – in the absence of the van – experimenting with sleeping in the car – a bit of a squeeze but fine for the odd night. Before the concert we ate, as custom demands, at the legendary Chez Cédric pop-up restaurant. Sam and I shared the epic shoulder of lamb, charred on the outside, pink in the middle …

All in all, a really memorable festival visit.