An article in the July ’24 issue of The Syncopated Times about a French jazz festival caught my eye. “We really try to put the emphasis on young bands,” it said. As the director of the Wahington, DC-based Potomac River Jazz Club’s youth trad ensemble, the Capital Focus Jazz Band, I wondered whether this might be an excellent performance opportunity for the group, so I contacted festival director Trevor Stent and sent him some recent videos. “Bravo!” was his reply, and although the 2025 festival was almost fully booked, he squeezed CFJB into the schedule.
Many rehearsals later, we found ourselves in the remote village of Chateauneuf-du-Faou (pronounced approximately “shat-toe-nuff-doo-foo”) in the Brittany section of France, eager to perform in the 20th annual Fest Jazz along with such heavyweights as Tuba Skinny and Gunhild Carling. The festival housed us in a couple of “gites” (pronounced “zheets”), tiny rental units located near the stages along the steep banks of the Aulne River. An adjacent central lodge served as the dining hall for the musicians and the many festival volunteers, with fare ranging from crepes to gumbo to pot roast.
The band was thrilled to play for large, enthusiastic crowds, earning sustained applause and encore demands, with the audience clapping in unison. The French festivalgoers ate up the CFJB’s interpretations of “Grandpa’s Spells,” “Exactly Like You,” “Red River Blues,” “Stevedore Stomp,” “Froggie Moore,” and other classics. In addition to the sets on the riverside stages, Trevor booked the band to perform on the grounds of nearby Chateau Trevarez, a late-1800s castle, surely one of the most impressive settings the band has played in.
In between its sets, the band was able to soak up the trad jazz sounds (and other musical genres) of the pros. All the music was of a very high order. Besides Tuba Skinny and Gunhild Carling, we heard great sets by pianists Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi, Ladyva (a boogie-woogie star), and Jean-Baptiste Franc; trumpeter Malo Mazurie; and Swing That Classic (an interesting take on jazzing classical themes). We were particularly knocked out by the Fried Seven, an amazing group from Amsterdam doing blazing-hot authentic 1920s/30s repertoire, reminiscent of the Fat Babies/Chicago Cellar Boys in this country.
A proud moment for me was walking back to the gites one afternoon and finding the CFJB self-rehearsing to polish up the routines for that evening’s festival set. Their dynamite set proved it was time well spent! Trevor came up to me with a smile and said “They were brilliant!” (Actually, he added a word for emphasis before “brilliant” that can’t be printed in The Syncopated Times!)
A big bonus was a sightseeing excursion to Quimper (pronounced approximately “camp-air”), generously arranged for us by the festival staff, complete with lunch at an excellent restaurant. Here we wandered among beautiful medieval scenes and gothic cathedrals, and stumbled upon a band playing Breton music in the plaza, involving sax, bombarde, bagpipes, guitar, and drums.
Adding to the fun were the late-night jam sessions at the dining hall, where my young band members had the opportunity to jam with Gunhild, Ladyva, and members of Tuba Skinny and the Fried Seven. Other memorable moments included the gathering of vintage MG sportscars at the festival entrance, and seeing Gunhild play “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams” on trumpet at the dining hall with her six-year-old nephew banging out chords (the right ones!) behind her on the piano.
Trevor emailed me after we got home: “Such a fine band! They were very popular at the festival, their performances were much appreciated but also they were liked for their charm and warmth. A nicer bunch of young people you could not possibly meet!” CFJB cornetist Aiden Interrante emailed me too: “Thank you for the incredible opportunity. It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life. Our second set really was magical, and was some of the most fun I’ve had playing music, ever. The festival was incredible and it was such a great week.”
A doff of the hat to Trevor and his staff and volunteers for producing an amazing festival! The Capital Focus Jazz Band was honored to participate.
Dave Robinson has directed the Capital Focus Jazz Band since its formation in 1988. He is an active jazz performer, historian, and educator. Visit the Capital Focus Jazz Band atcapitalfocusjazzband.com andFest Jazz atwww.fest-jazz.com/welcome.
