Banlieues Bleues is an iconic jazz music festival held every spring in Saint-Denis, a municipality in the Île-de-France region of France. Known as the primary jazz festival in Saint-Denis, Banlieues Bleues has been attracting jazz enthusiasts for over 40 years. This innovative musical event includes various concerts across various venues, including the iconic "Dynamo" club in the industrial wasteland of Lefaux at Quatre-Chemins Pantin. Throughout the month, the festival opens its doors to musicians creating jazz and related styles, as well as representatives of today's most innovative musical trends.
Featuring renowned jazz stars to emerging talents, the festival's diverse lineup focuses on the contemporary jazz scene and constant exploration of new styles, ranging from electronic music to pop and from jungle to bossa nova. Previous lineups of Banlieues Bleues included well-known names like Dizzy Gillespie, Django Reinhardt, McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano, as well as Nicole Mitchell, François Corneloup, Bruno Chevillon, Bernard Lubat, Marc Ribot, Ashot Noyel, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Han Bennink, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Tim Berne, Avery Brooks, Taylor Ho Bynum, Jacques Coursil, Vincent Courtois, Benoît Delbecq, Dave Douglas, Paul Dunmall, Andy Emler, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith, Alfred Harth, Mary Halvorson, Jaron Herman, Susie Ibarra, Sohailo Kinch, Stefan Koçoyan, Peter Kowald, and others.
This year, Banlieues Bleues visitors can enjoy performances by Sophie Solivo, Oan Kim & The Dirty Jazz, Laetitia Benjamin, Lov U Lov, Holly Cook, Estrellas del Caribe, Noel Akchote and Vesna Pisorovich, Sofiane Saidi, Maya Al Haldi and Saruna, Vie Farka Toure, Amaro, Freitas, Fabrizio Rat, Etienne Jaumet, Laurent Bolognini, Mike Reed, Ben Lamar Gay, Bitchen Bachas, Lagon Noir, Boolvar, Parasite Jazz, Folk Fantasy, and more.
Banlieues Bleues Festival was initiated by the Banlieues Bleues association, founded under the 1901 law in 1984 at the initiative of a dozen municipalities in Saint-Denis. Jacques Pornon founded the festival, and Xavier Lemettre is the artistic director. The festival takes place in multiple communities under different names. Since 2006, one of the most popular festival venues has been "Dynamo," which has focused on jazz and improvisational music forms. Over time, Banlieues Bleues has become one of the largest events in the region, offering a four-week exploration of the latest trends and the best jazz, world, and electronic music artists. Banlieues Bleues is funded by the Department of Seine-Saint-Denis and the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs of Île-de-France.
