BLUE BUËCH : The Association

2002

The Association was created in 2002 by a group of 10 volunteers and friends, jazz enthousiasts with strong links with the Pays of Buëch Valley. Their objective was to create an annual jazz festival in Serres, village with 1200 inhabitants, situated between Gap and Sisteron, in the beautiful site of the Open Theatre of La Germanette.

2003

The first festival takes place at La Gemanette. The programme included well known musicians with long experience, André Jaume, Alain Soler, as well as young artists such as Tigran Hamasyan and Antoine Simoni, Three concerts over 2 evenings attract more than 500 people.  In addition, an exhibition on the great names of Jazz at the Tourist Office and an art exhibition of drawings by the jazz critic and drawer Jean Buzelin met a large audience, as well as the street concerts by a jazz band from the "Atelier Jazz Impro" of Gap at the lively Saturday morning market in Serres.

2004

Encouraged by their first success, and supported by the Municipalité de Serres and the Communauté de Communes du Serrois, Blue Buëch organized a second Festival. The saxophonist Eric Barret joined Tigran Hamasyan trio, Nuages de Swing invited the manouche guitarist Sébastien Félix for a tribute to Django Reinhardt, and last but not least, Sergent Pépère jazz band concluded the Festival on a high note. The 3-day concert finished with an all night jam session in the medieval cellar of l'Entre Pots. In addition, an exhibition about the History of jazz, together with sculptures about the greatest hits of jazz and the Buëch was presented at the Tourist Office. Street concerts were held in Serres and neighbouring Laragne, by the saxophonist François Giuliana.

This second Festival attracted more than 800 people and an unforgettable jam session concluded the Festival, in l'Entre Pots, the new place created by  Jacques et Isabelle Arnoux.

2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008

Were a great success... so

2009

Serres Jazz Festival has just been granted "l'Accordée", label, which group 8 music festivals, based on the high quality of the programme. Serres Jazz is now officially recognized as one of the great festivals of the region, together with Musique en Dévoluy, Musicales Internationales Guil-Durance, Messiaen au pays de la Meije, le Festival de Chaillol, le Festival de Briançon, les Rencontres Musicales de Serre-Chevalier and Musiques en Ecrins.

After an unforgettable preliminary concert on May 2 :  Fanny Azzuro, Tigran Hamasyan classical music meets jazz : two young pianists amongst the most talented of their generation,  Blue Buëch wellcome you for the 7th Summer Festival from 20 till 26 July 2009.