Souillac en Jazz stamp - 50 years

It all began on February 14, 1975 with the lecture "From the Slave Coast to Salle Pleyel". Organized in Souillac by the local Unesco club, it was presented by American academic Sim Copans. Famous for having popularized American music in France, he presents the historical and cultural journey of jazz. Following this event, a group of enthusiasts got together to create a jazz festival. The "Association pour le festival de jazz de Souillac" was registered on January 7, 1976. Sim Copans became artistic director, and from the very first edition, he set about showcasing emblematic jazz figures: blues singer Memphis Slim and gospel singer Marie Knight. This success encouraged the association to propose a second edition. The association was chaired by Jean Calvel, Jean-Pierre Bailles, Sim Copans and Robert Peyrillou, who was appointed artistic director by his predecessors in 1985. Over the years, the festival has been enriched by new influences, opening itself up to a veritable melting pot. Instruments such as the oud, koto, guembri, snake, tabla, kemençe and qanûn broadened the sound landscape and aroused the curiosity of spectators. This festival, run exclusively by volunteers, could not exist without their enthusiasm and commitment. Alongside them, they rely on other players who have supported them from the outset: private partners, patrons of local businesses, public partners (Mairie, Département, Région), as well as loyal service providers. It's this alchemy that brings Souillac en Jazz to life through a variety of events, including cinema, hiking, exhibitions, free concerts in the streets and, of course, magnificent concerts where musicians and spectators come together in the prestigious setting of the Abbey Church of Sainte-Marie.

Timbre-poste (offset) : création DOZ d'après photo (c) Festival Souillac en Jazz