An instant success
The festival was launched in 1991 by a group of young Saint-Louisians with a passion for jazz and a desire to bring their city to life. Organized at the Chamber of Commerce in its first year, this musical event was initially only local in scope, hosting only two Saint-Louis groups. But it proved to be a great success, with nearly 250 spectators attending the inaugural edition, and the following year the Saint-Louis Jazz Association was created, with the support of the Centre Culturel Français, among others. The event took on a national dimension, with the participation of groups from Dakar, including Pape Niang's Quartet. With the support of a number of hoteliers, the association decided to make the festival a permanent fixture, in order to revitalize the city and boost tourism. The very first international festival was held in 1993, with major guests such as Roy Haynes and Archie Shepp performing in the old Peyrissac warehouse. Each year since, the festival has gone from strength to strength, attracting ever-growing numbers of jazz aficionados, and has become a not-to-be-missed rendezvous for this musical style. The budget was meagre in those days, but the big names turned out in droves, with then-president Abdou Diouf even making his plane available to transport musicians, technicians and equipment! The Place Faidherbe became an open-air stage, with more and more off-site events, conferences and exhibitions taking place alongside the festival, hotels fully booked, and headliners of note. Not to mention the significant economic spin-offs for the city of Saint-Louis, which regains its former renown. Since its inception, over 250 artists, including such greats as Randy Weston, Gilberto Gil and Wallace Roney, have thrilled Saint-Louis to the rhythm of jazz. Pure moments of emotion, now part of the intangible cultural heritage of the old city.
An ever more attractive off
Over the years, we've developed a high-quality off-site program that contributes to the Jazz Festival's cultural influence. Hotels and restaurants come alive with concerts by local bands of undeniable talent, the streets host fashion shows and film screenings, and fairs showcase local craftsmanship: the town is in total ebullience, right through to the early hours of the morning. Several of these events have become permanent fixtures, and are now recognized by Saint-Louis Jazz as a way of promoting the city and Senegalese culture. Such is the case of Saint-Louis FashionWeek, initiated by Saint-Louis stylist Maam Madeleine Niang in 2014, which promotes Senegalese designers. During the weekend of the festival, colorful fashion shows take place on the banks of the river, under the increasingly enchanted gaze of spectators. Or the vintage car parade organized by the Auto Retro/Sénégal club, which delights enthusiasts and collectors everywhere, as well as open-air film screenings. It's also an opportunity for partner associations to raise public awareness through conferences and debates on themes such as the environment and the preservation of local heritage. People with reduced mobility also have their moment to shine, with a handisport competition featuring sports disciplines such as javelin, shot put and wheelchair racing. Each year, the event attracts an ever-growing number of spectators. Not to mention the handicrafts fair showcasing Senegalese creations, or the processions featuring songs and dances from all ethnic groups, demonstrating the richness of Senegalese culture. Every corner of Saint-Louis is buzzing with activity.
The festival, revealing talents
In addition to the great jazz celebrities, the festival also surprises with majestic performances by African artists, less well known to the public, but who also offer great moments of emotion to the audience. At the Tennis Club, for example, which hosts the After Jazz, local artists such as Carlou D and Groupe Xalam take center stage, much to the delight of festival-goers who discover a wealth of new talent. In fact, thanks to the festival, some of them have been revealed internationally, such as Khabane Thiam, a Saint-Louis jazz icon, singer-griot Abdou Guité Seck and Ablaye Cissoko, the great kora player. This Saint-Louisian at heart, present since the beginning of the festival, today hosts the festival's second stage, around a jam session held at the Institut français. Entitled "Autour de minuit" (Around midnight), this "no-order" stage allows young artists to rub shoulders with the monuments of music," explains the talented korist. Storytellers, rappers, dancers and artists of all kinds follow one another late into the night, greeted warmly by the many music lovers who come to listen. For this is what the Saint-Louis Festival is all about: a cultural melting pot, where all instruments and voices intermingle in a pleasant euphony to create a magical festive atmosphere.
A threatened festival?
Although the Festival de Jazz de Saint-Louis has become a major jazz event throughout the world, it still faces organizational and financial difficulties. There are of course many public and private partners, patrons and sponsors, but for several editions now, budgets have been hard to come by, and financial difficulties have been piling up year after year, with some backers even withdrawing from the venture. Did the festival, eager to satisfy an ever more demanding public, think too big for certain editions? Whatever the case, the organizers have taken a new step in 2019, by transforming the organizing association into a foundation. This new status should ensure the festival's continued existence, while mobilizing sufficient financial resources to professionalize Saint-Louis Jazz in all sectors. Does the Jazz Festival still have a bright future ahead of it?
