Nice Jazz Festival to Launch Miami Edition October 2012
The Miami Nice Jazz Festival, an extension of the internationally celebrated Nice France Jazz Festival, one of Europe’s largest and most significant jazz events of its kind, is scheduled to take place for the first time in the United States this fall. The festival, finding its stateside home in downtown Miami, will be a three day jazz celebration beginning on October 26, 2012.
The first Miami Nice Jazz Festival is a partnership between Sister Cities Nice, France and Miami, Florida, joining forces under the leadership of the festival’s founder and CEO, Philippe Pautesta-Herder. The festival takes place at downtown Miami’s historic gem, the Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts. “Downtown Miami provides the perfect backdrop for the festival as Miami is a city rich in historic heritage and culture parallel to that embodied by the festival, its musicians and its patrons,” said festival founder Philippe Patuesta-Herder.
The festival kicks off Miami French Week, a week designed to promote French culture in South Florida. “The Miami Nice Jazz Festival is the first and only jazz festival of such international significance to come to South Florida and I am extremely grateful to be a part of such an iconic occurrence,” said Philippe.
The lineup will showcase an eclectic mix of both straight-ahead and Latin jazz performances, highlighting legendary artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater
Dee Dee Bridgewater
b.1950
vocal
(Festival Ambassador), along with Florida debuts of bassist Kyle Eastwood
Kyle Eastwood
b.1968
bass
, Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri
b.1936
piano
& his Latin Jazz Band and French drummer Andre "Dede" Ceccarelli
Andre "Dede" Ceccarelli
b.1946
featuring Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood
(former lead singer of Santana
Santana
).
Also scheduled to perform at the festival will be the Florida International University Big Band featuring vocalist Sally Night and The South Florida Jazz Orchestra with Chuck Bergeron featuring Nicole Henry. Jazz student bands from Florida International University and University of Miami will also animate the Gusman Center each night when doors open at 7:00pm.
