Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra @ UNESCO, Paris, 22 Oct 2019

Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra @ UNESCO, Paris, 22 Oct 2019

 Un concert unique précédé, à 18 heures, d’une discussion sur le thème de Culture et diversité avec le réalisateur, acteur et musicien, Emir Kusturica, notamment Palme d’or du Festival de Cannes en 1985 et en 1995 – Discussion en anglais.

Un événement organisé par la Délégation permanente de la République de Serbie auprès de l'UNESCO

Petite soirée à l'Unesco organisée par la Serbie, pays d'origine d'Emir Kusturica.

Cela commence par une discussion politique avec Emir.

Puis un concert du groupedans la grande salle.

Habillés comme des bandidos (militaires)  mexicains Emir et son groupe vont tentés de mettre le feu dans cette salle pleine de diplomates.
Cela commence bien avec un premier titre sur lequel il essaye de les faire chanter et répéter à de nombreuses reprises "Fuck You MTV". Tout en indiquant, non sans humour, que le public avait été plus bruyant au siège des Nations Unis à New York.

Puis le groupe déroule son concert habituel, comme on peut l'entendre dans ses films, en n'oubliant pas d'aller jouer dans les allées de la salle, au milieu du public qui n'a pas hésité, des le début du concert, à se lever et aller danser devant la scène.
Un concert entrainant avec un public au taquet, qui l'eut cru ?

,

Soirée très agréable.

 

archives

 Journée internationale du jazz @ Unesco, Paris April 27 2012

 

Evening of Solidarity with Mali @ UNESCO - Feat: Rokia Traoré, Angelique Kidjo, Inna Modja... Paris Feb 18 2013

 

 International JAZZ DAY in Paris, April 30 2015

Evening of Solidarity with Mali @ UNESCO- Feat: Rokia Traoré, Angelique Kidjo, Inna Modja... Paris Feb 18 2013

Evening of Solidarity with Mali @ UNESCO - Feat: Rokia Traoré, Angelique Kidjo, Inna Modja... Paris Feb 18 2013

Irina Bokova

 No Rock'n Roll tonight as we were invited to attend an eveving party of Solidarity with Mali @ UNESCO in Paris featuring some singers from this African country that's been fighting the islamists withn the help of France.
We've been a few times to the UNESCO in Paris to attend parties when promoting countries I didn't know they even existed (half joking !) AND a great day for the Journée Internationle du Jazz  with masterclasses Feat. Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Marcus Miller, Hugh Masekela and many others last year.

Our seat

Rokia Traoré

Yamina Benguigui

Claudia Cardinale

Angelique Kidjo + Inna

Cheick Tidiane Seck band with Rokia Traoré

Inna Moja

The whole cast (almost)

As always there are lots of speeches between acts but they kept it short so they can get the stage ready for the next artist who all performed from one to two songs. Angelique Kidjo was the MC for the evening and was fun each time she spoke. Irina Bokova the Director of  the UNESCO , of course, was more serious, talking about the mausoleums that's been destroyed and the books burned by islamists. Our own Minister of Francophonie Yamine Benguigui was laughable, not only she needs two people to get on and off the stage as she's wearing high heels that she can barely walk with. She had so much plastic surgery on her face that she's looking like a cross between LaToya and Mickael Jackson, but most important she can barely read her speech, it was like having an 8 year old kid reading in public for the first time ever.
Everybody felt sorry for her.
An iman from Tombouctou talked about the history of Mali and all the saints that are buried in the mausoleums of the city making everybody laugh when he said that there was a new saint in town: François Hollande, I guess he was dead serious.

 

Bafing Kul & The Appolo Band

We had some great music With Rokia Traoré playing some guitar on her known, that is sounding like an early "blues" song from Africa (Robert Plant would appreciate). Some Regggae with Bafing Kul & The Appolo band. African Percussions & music with Maliden , Pedro Kuyaté & Cheick Tidiane Seck.

Last musician was the very sexy Inna Modja, who had the whole cast grooving including the Director General of UNESCO. Too bad Claudia Cardinale and Manu Dibango who were seating not too far from us didn't come on stage.

Great evening !

Journée internationale du jazz @ Unesco, Paris April 27 2012

Journée internationale du jazz @ Unesco, Paris April 27 2012

Featuring Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Hugh Masekela, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, China Moses...

Herbie Hancock (far left), Hugh Masekela (left), Marcus Miller(right) Manu Katche/Hugh & Marcus @ rehearsals

First International Jazz Day @ Unesco headquarters in Paris.
All day event with lots of masterclasses feat. all those great Jazz musiciens or singers
First we had a speech by Herbie Hancock, UNESCO goodwill Ambassador & Irina Bokova the Director General Of the UNESCO.
Then we left for another room to attend Herbie Hancock's masterclass, in fact it wasn't really a masterclass, as he didn't play any piano, it was an interview, interesting nevertheless.
Dee Dee Bridgewater was next in the same room but we left for Hugh Masekela's masterclass, this was a real one, as he taugh us to sing a tune, that was fun.
Barbara Hendricks was next.

There was so many things going on at the same time it was hard to go and see everything as there were several rooms filled with musicians performing small gigs in each room.
There was also screenings of Montreux Jazz Fest footage, a photo exhibition, some jazz"talks"...


After having lunch nearby we went back for the Marcus Miller's masterclass, that was the coolest thing we saw today amix of question/answer and bass demonstration. Some music were played by Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central Station & so on and Marcus told us in which way each bass player (Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, Pastorius) influenced him... The impact of Miles Davis on his life...He had a standing ovation and even tough we had extra time with him, those 40 min we spent with him felt like 10.

We made our way to the main room to attend the rehearsals for the evening show where Marcus Miller was already playing with Hugh Masekela & Manu Katche on drums.

4:30 pm that was the end for us before tonight's show with Herbie Hancock & friends.

Evening show:
That was the main event for the day and a tough one to get tickets, thanks to the PR of the Unesco for this one.
Lots of musicians on the main stage , each band is playing one or two songs: Dee Dee Bridgewater, China Moses, Hugh Masekela, Bireli Lagrene, Dominique Fillon,Tania Maria, Barbara Hendricks...& many others. some good, some very good and some less interesting
We had an impressive Marcus Miller.
Herbie Hancock joined the house band for the last 2 songs doing one with Dee Dee Bridgewater & China Moses.
Of course taking pics was strictly forbidden except for the encore, cool as George Benson is a guest for a 10min+ rendition of "on Broadway" with the whole cast (but Barbara Hendricks).
great concert that was broadcasted live on Arte Live web

Herbie & George Benson + Dee Dee Bridgewater & China Moses

The whole cast "on Broadway"