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New HOTS Jazz Orchestra Tours
Southwestern France By: Jack Elder |
New HOTS Jazz Orchestra, a 1920s-30s-style hot dance band based in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, completed its third tour of France during the first two weeks in July of this year (2002). The tour began in Paris, continued through the southwestern Atlantic coastal region, and ended on the Mediterranean in Provence. Our previous tours in France covered Provence and the Côte d'Azure in 1997 and Paris, Normandy, and the Loire Valley in 1999.
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About half of the 25 band members, friends and family members who gathered at Dulles International Airport on Saturday, 29 June, felt a little "deja vu" in that they had participated in the band's February 2001 north island of New Zealand tour. Now, just 17 months later, they were back at Dulles heading out for another tour. |
This time HOTS was on its own - no official invitation, no sponsor, no hosts to help us find our way. Old hands now at touring overseas, HOTS' logistics were no problem. HOTS brought all its instruments and gear in their proper packing cases. The band was larger this year, too, having grown from ten to fifteen players. HOTS arranged its round trip airfares on Air France, rental vehicles, and hotel accommodations (double rooms with full bath), through Fairwinds Travel at a basic cost of $2000.00 per person for two weeks. Mighty hard to beat!
HOTS Director Jack Elder had arranged for the band to play ten concerts or dances during this 16 day trip by diligently pursuing over the internet the "Service Culturel" or "Festival Committee" in the cities on our itinerary and dance studios and swing dance clubs along the way. What did we ever do without the web and E-mail?
HOTS
enjoying an ample dinner at the
Sergeant Recruiter
HOTS departed Dulles at 5 PM on Saturday, 29 June and arrived at Charles De Gaulle in Paris early Sunday morning. The group picked up 5 air-conditioned manual transmission Renault Espace 7-passenger vans - one van per five persons, plus one larger cargo van and one sedan at the airport. We encountered our first bit of luck with the cargo van in that the "tradesman" size van we had reserved had not yet been returned, so we were offered a slightly larger brand new (only 60Km mileage) Mercedes "cab van" for no additional cost. This larger van easily accommodated all our instruments and gear along with their shipping cases, including the huge hard shipping case for the string bass "Ophelia" (belonging to Alice Mignerey of Rosebud Ragtime Theater). The van also held all our larger suitcases, thus freeing up space in the passenger vans.
After the first brief experience with driving in Paris traffic on the "Boulevard Peripherique", the group checked into the Kyriad LaVillette (a very nice and reasonably priced "businessman's" hotel) before noon. There HOTS met up with several individuals who had planned on joining us in Paris, including Auckland, New Zealand's "New Internationals" bandleader Brett Lowe and trombonist Arthur Finch. This brought the group up to a total of 28 persons. Of these, only ten had not traveled with HOTS previously.
Once we settled in to our hotel in Paris, part of
the group immediately headed for the Paris Metro (subway). Some went
to Notre Dame for Sunday mass, while others explored the west bank
Latin Quarter. Those who had not previously been to Paris hit the
art museums, the Eiffel Tower, the Opera, and the shops along the
Champs Elysées. Most reassembled around 4 PM for an ice cream cone
at Berthilottes, then dined at The Sergeant Recruiter on the Isle
Saint Louis.
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Monday began the intermittent cold rainy weather that haunted us throughout the trip and gave most everyone horrible colds. Despite the weather, after a morning of sightseeing the band members convened in the Jardins du Luxembourg and set up in an old-fashioned gazebo bandstand. We played a two hour afternoon concert for a relatively small (due to the rain) but very friendly and appreciative crowd - most of whom joined us in the gazebo. The crowd included several scouts from among the Paris swing dance scene, who liked what they heard, reported favorably and thus assured us there would be a good audience for our following night in Versailles. |
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We had intended to attend the Moulin Rouge Monday evening, but the show was sold out, so most of the group climbed up to the Sacré Coeur de Montmartre Cathedral. We dined at the nearby Chez Mere Catherine (complete with a French cabaret singer doing Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker tunes - and our tangoing among the tables). |
After more sightseeing in Paris on Tuesday, with some of the group heading out early to see Marie Antoinette's Palace (otherwise known as Versailles), we drove to the Restaurant Molière in downtown Versailles to play a swing dance for the Association Rockamadour. The band was given a fine chicken dinner before the performance. The dance was well attended, including, as promised, a large contingent from the Paris swing dance crowd. The audience was having such a good time our sponsor encouraged us to play an extra set, which we obliged. It turned out that our sponsor's husband is the talent booking agent for Euro Disney, and he expressed interest in having HOTS contact him if we should plan another visit to France; but that's another story.
HOTS playing in La Moliere
Wednesday saw HOTS play an afternoon "aperitif" concert for another swing dance group outdoors on the grounds of the "Chateau" in the Paris suburb of Cachan. Afterwards our sponsors joined us for a delicious "cold supper" with plenty of excellent wine.
Thursday July 4th was a travel day, with the group heading out of Paris toward Cognac in the southwest region of France. Most stopped to see the cathedral at Chartres. Some stopped at the Vouvray wineries, some drove to see the walled citadel of Parthenay, while others arrived in Cognac early enough to take the Martell tour.
| Thursday July 4th was a travel day, with the group heading out of Paris toward Cognac in the southwest region of France. Most stopped to see the cathedral at Chartres. Some stopped at the Vouvray wineries, some drove to see the walled citadel of Parthenay, while others arrived in Cognac early enough to take the Martell tour. |
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| Because of major riverfront reconstruction and associated road detours, it took us a while to find that evening's gig in a popular jazz club "Le Comptoire du Jazz" in the "abbatoires" beside the river in Bordeaux. After a great dinner in the club's restaurant, HOTS played from 10 PM until 1 AM at for a packed house of French zootsuiters who did a spectacular "Shim-Sham". |
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Saturday morning HOTS was scheduled for an early (6:30am) departure to drive over to and tour the famous prehistoric Lascaux II caves near Montignac in the Perigord, then canoe or kayak on the Vézère River, then dine at a very special country restaurant. Only a hardy few made the trip to Lascaux, but those who did felt it was worth their efforts and lack of sleep. We dined at the exclusive Restaurant Le Peyrol-les-sols in tiny Sergeac. One of the major advantages of touring with HOTS is the opportunity to leave the tourist trail and visit authentic places popular with and known only to local inhabitants.
Most of the group slept in and then spent the late morning doing laundry and/or taking a walking tour of Bergerac, including seeing the statue of Cyrano de Bergerac and the Saturday street market.
Late Saturday afternoon HOTS regrouped in the nearby village of Lalinde, in time for the band's sax quartet and flute ensemble to entertain in the market hall for the opening ceremonies of Lalinde's annual Strawberry Harvest Festival. Members of the medieval guild "Confrerie des Frais du Perigord" attended the opening dressed in red velvet robes and green spiked caps which made them resemble giant strawberries. The reception featured plenty of strawberries and white wine. The Lalinde grown strawberries are probably the best we have ever tasted.
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After the opening ceremonies our hosts in Lalinde fed us a great supper at the Restaurant La Forge featuring the regional specialty "foie gras truffée" and more strawberries. HOTS then played a three-hour formal evening concert/dance for the festival organizers before heading back to our hotel in Bergerac. |
Sunday morning a
second van load
drove to Montignac
to visit the Lascaux
II Caves. Others
drove through the
beautiful Perigord
region along the
Dordogne River to
visit the Josephine
Baker's Chateau Des
Milandes opposite
Beynac. This
charming Chateau is
well off the beaten
track and contains a
fine museum
portraying
Josephine's career
and displaying her
Casino de Paris
costumes - including
her famous banana
skirt - only 17 gold
lamé bananas! An
unexpected highlight
of our visit was an
exhibition of
falconry on the back
garden of the
Chateau, which
overlooks a
spectacular view of
the valley below.
Setting
up for the Brass
Band parade in
LaLinde
HOTS returned to Lalinde Sunday evening where we were treated to an excellent "cold picnic" meal with the festival organizers. Several members of the group were invited into private homes for an aperitif. We then paraded through the town "a la Brass Band" and through several restaurants and shops before setting up for a 2 hour outdoor concert adjacent to a small lake adjoining the town center.
Sunday
night concert in
LaLinde
Immediately following the concert there was a spectacular fireworks show over the lake. We were surprised that for a small village festival the fireworks went on for approximately an hour and rivaled the 4th of July display on the Mall in Washington DC. On Monday HOTS drove south through "Three Musketeer" country - Gascogny. Surprisingly, the band members avoided a "group photo" in Condom. Along the way we drove through the woodlands of the "Landes de Gascogne" and visited chateaux and abbeys in the towns along the way. Some of the group stopped at local farms in the region and sampled "Armagnac". Everyone arrived at our hotel in Pau in time for the group to head into the old town for yet another excellent supper. There are beautiful views of the Pyrenees from Pau - but rain had socked HOTS in again.
On Tuesday, the group drove through the French Basque country over to the Atlantic coast. Some drove into the Pyrenees to walk the gorges, while others had lunch by the sea in sunny (at least during mid-day) St. Sebastian, Spain. We toured the coastal resort towns north from the French boarder, arriving at the Vieux Port in Biarritz where we were scheduled for an evening concert.
After the
concert we had
been promised a
traditional
Basque meal of
sardines. As a
precautionary
measure, many of
the group
grabbed a quick
pizza before the
concert. A cold
rainstorm
suddenly blew in
off the Atlantic
just as the
stage was being
set up,
canceling the
concert - and
allowing HOTS to
avoid the
sardines. (Maybe
next trip?)
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On
Wednesday,
we drove
to
Toulouse.
Along
the way
some
more of
the
group
went up
into the
Pyrenees
to do
some
kayaking
and
hiking
while
others
visited
Lourdes.
The
Lourdes
complex
is very
attractive
and is
laid out
to
effectively
handle
the
large
number
of
visitors
that
pass
through
daily.
Outside
the
gates of
the
church
grounds
is
another
story,
as,
except
for
several
hospital
or
nursing
facilities
adjacent
to the
complex,
the
surrounding
town is
composed
of
nothing
but
souvenir
shops
for
several
blocks
in all
directions.
We found
the
Lourdes
cathedral
grounds
and
grotto
miraculously
well
worth
the
visit. The group reconvened in Toulouse in time to tour "downtown", visit the Basilique de St-Sermin (the largest Romanesque basilica in Europe), and find another good restaurant for supper on the town square. |
On Thursday, the group visited the cathedral and Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in Albi. The cathedral in Albi is the largest un-reinforced brick structure in the world, and is especially interesting because most of the original interior paint and murals are intact, and the "Choir" area behind the alter is open to the public
| We then drove to the medieval town of Cordes-sur-Ceil. Cordes is a fortified "bastide" high up on a hilltop. No cars are allowed in the town (except our equipment van) so everyone had to hike up the steep cobble stone streets to the covered market square. During our late afternoon concert, the local children thoroughly enjoyed wearing our "Nobody Here But Us Chickens" hats and dancing to our hot dance tunes while the sun set. |
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Jack leading the "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" dance
On Friday HOTS drove to Montpellier. Once again the group split up and followed several different routes. The cargo van drove through the Gorges of the Tarn, while another van headed south to see the independent state of Andorra (a small ski resort in the Pyrenees reminiscent of Aspen,Colorado in size and wealth) and returned through Roussillon. Others visited the walled city of Carcassonne, then went for a swim in the Mediterranean among the beach resorts at Sete. Time on the beach was once again cut short by another rain squall passing through the area.
One of the many sunflowers in Southern France
Driving through the center of Montpellier the influence of the large Algerian immigrant population was very much in evidence. Our hotel was located on the edge of town just outside the "old town" section. Once again the group gathered in time to walk over to the "old town" for supper and wine. As a university town, Montpellier has a very lively nightlife with numerous sidewalk cafes on large open squares, with street musicians and entertainers, and a large college crowd.
Saturday we drove to the walled city of Avignon on the Rhone. Avignon marked our much-anticipated return to the places we visited during the first HOTS trip to Provence in 1997. We drove through Nimes and saw the Roman era canals, Jardin de la Fontaine, Amphitheater, and the Maison Carrée. Most of the group went on to the Pont du Gard and had a short swim in the river under the famous Roman Aqueduct.
Jack leading the band (struggling to see him over the sunset)
After finding our hotel in Avignon, we drove to Chateauneuf-du-Pape for a "return" concert at sunset in the town square. Our 1997 French hosts who had given us so much support during our first trip were gathered to greet us. After the concert, we then joined them for an elegant meal at the restaurant "Le Pistou". Their excellent local red wine, i.e, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, accompanied the meal. HOTS re-discovered the little known and seldom exported Chateauneuf-du-Pape white wine.
On Sunday, Bastille Day, HOTS rose early to return to Chateauneuf-du-Pape for wine shopping, then made it's way into Avignon to participate in the annual Festival of Theater, Music and Art. HOTS visited the Papal Palace, danced on the "Pont d'Avignon", and watched the street entertainers from the "Off".
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HOTS had its turn performing a two-hour concert in Square Agricole Perdiguier. For the first time, HOTS experienced "Le Mistral" - a strong, cold wind that blows in spurts from all directions. During our concert "Le Mistral" would subject us to blasts of blown dust and succeeded in upsetting several music stands. |
Back at the hotel, we did our final packing and (those who went to bed) rose at 2:30 AM on Monday morning to load the vans and drive to Marseilles for our 7:30am return flight. Air France was expecting HOTS, so the logistics burden was greatly eased. All our baggage was routed directly to Dulles. We had no conga line to move our baggage between terminals at Charles De Gaulle, as we had experienced on our previous trip!
| HOTS returned to Dulles in Washington DC at 1:00 PM on 15 July - another successful band tour and a unique vacation experience, even though we were all thoroughly exhausted. Too much in too little time, but who would have it otherwise? It takes strong people to have so much fun. |
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While we could easily repeat this trip without seeing and doing the same things, HOTS will be going someplace new next time - Britain? Italy? Germany? Scandinavia? Or possibly back to New Zealand to see South Island?
If you have any questions regarding HOTS and this article you may contact the band's director, Jack Elder, at jackelder@aol.com. Check out our web site at www.newhotsjazz.com
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