Jazzèbre in English

Strass is an organization created in 1985. It produces the Jazzebre Festival, among other cultural events. For more than 30 years, Strass has chosen to develop a structuring project in the region of Perpignan, including a festival of international renown, a concerts season and cultural actions.
Through the Festival Jazzebre, Strass is mostly involved in the promotion of Jazz and World Music with a focus on French and European contemporary jazz creations. So far, Strass has welcomed on stage the most known French artists and others among the international historical characters of jazz music. The Festival also promotes the young scene and focuses on the visibility of new talents.
Moreover, Strass is also leading a season of concerts over the county, offering various dates from January to May linked with cinema, theatre and various artistic forms.
Meanwhile, the organization meets up with various publics. Through cultural and civic projects, it aims at fostering people to familiarize with different musical universes, develop musical skills, and train a critical regard upon cultural industry.

Next appointment with the Zebra during the 2020 season

A wandering season from January to May through the county, with concerts, plays, projections…

For many years, the association has been forging a privileged link with an artist per year by inviting him.her at least three times per year for master classes, various musical projects or meetings.
After the double bass player Helene Labarrière in 2009, it is the French-Syrian flute musician (traverse flute and nay) and singer Naissam Jalal, recently awarded at the Victoire du Jazz, who goes along with the zebra.
Regardless of her young age, Naissam travelled, played, studied and recorded around the world, in Paris, Damas, Cairo, Beyruth… An extreme sensibility, a moving sincerity and embodied resistance.

The Festival

Strass welcomed on stage the most known French artists and others among the international historical characters of jazz music:
Roberto FONSECA, Michel PORTAL, Youn Sun NAH, Gregory PORTER, Vincent PEIRANI, Brad MEHLDAU, Tigran HAMASYAN, Cesaria EVORA, Ben HARPER, Archie SHEPP, Tété MONTOLIOU, Randy WESTON, Louis SCLAVIS, André MINVIELLE, Yuri BUENAVENTURA, Renaud GARCIA FONS, Michel PETRUCCIANI, Ray BARRETTO, Bernard LUBAT, Rabil ABOU KHALID, Steve COLEMAN, Goran BREGOVIC, Ahmad JAMAL, Emile PARISIEN, Egbergto GISMONTI, Lisa SIMONE, MELINGO, Thomas de POURQUERY, Théo CECCALDI, Philippe TORRETON, Erik TRUFFAZ…
Jazzebre is also an unconventional spirit, aiming at conviviality and unexpected meetings. For its 31 years of existence, the festival floods concert rooms in Perpignan but also all over the Pyrénées Orientales, equally determined to offer poetics moment along with gorgeous sites and surprising moments. During the festival, walks and innovative musical picnics are organised every Sunday, events identified as a core moment of the festival.

Cultural Actions

Example :
For the past two years, Jazzebre has increased « cultural and civic actions » for a wide range of publics. In 2019, the main one was led with the band “Blanc” from August to October within the Perpignan’s Penitentiary Centre.
For two months, the band has helped a group of inmates to develop writing and performing skills in order to set up two concerts: one within the prison and another one during the Jazzebre Festival. This project was built up during six full days of workshop and three days of residency.
At first, we planned to offer the same show to both publics, with inmates and the band on stage. Unfortunately, we had to change the last set since none of the inmates obtained a furlough. We maintained a show anyway with the band performing the songs of the inmates.