Paris, France — There were the mythical venues like the Bilboquet, the Montana, venues in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood of Paris, a neighborhood where the greatest jazz men of the 20th century could be found performing and where the contemporary jazz scene continues to play on. Miles Davis, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, Sydney Bechet, Thelonious Monk were all there. Each year the Jazz Festival of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is held in various venues in the neighborhood and this year the festival, the 25th, is in full swing, reminding us that Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the historical cradle of jazz in Europe. The 25th festival celebrates love, the love of jazz and music, and is dedicated to Michel Portal, the French composer, saxophonist and clarinetist who was regarded as one of the architects of modern European jazz. He passed away in February at the age of 90. A documentary featuring the mythical musician will be projected at the Christine Cinéma Club in the Latin Quarter during the festival. Highlights of this year’s festival include a tribute to Frank Sinatra on May 22nd and a grand swing ball with the European Jazz Companions, a big band of 19 musicians on May 23rd. Some of the mythical venues on the agenda this year include the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the grand courtyard of the French mint on the banks of the Seine and the swinging houseboat, the Péniche le Son de la Terre, docked across from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. Additional reporting Sylvain Loire

Until May 24th. Tickets and program and you can also listen into some jazz and enjoy a video at: https://festivaljazzsaintgermainparis.com/en/