Les Jazz Rebels @ Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival - July 13

Jacques Boulan (trumpet, vocals); Jacques Montebruno (clarinet); Jean-Marc Ternois (trombone); Jean-Pierre Dubois (banjo); ? (double bass); ? (drums)

St Bride's Centre, tucked away in a residential side street, is but one venue pressed into action to accommodate some of the many concerts at the annual Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. The 2024 edition of the international extravaganza included appearances (plural) by Les Jazz Rebels. The French outfit, inspired by Claude Luter, Sidney Bechet, Chris Barber and others, enjoyed playing to a sold out Friday crowd at the Jazz and Jive Club. A matter of hours later the six-piece band took to the Saturday lunchtime outdoor stage at Grassmarket before heading to St Bride's.

Arriving at St Bride's Centre, Les Jazz Rebels' soundcheck was momentarily suspended as Jean-Pierre Dubois declared his banjo broken. Did one cheer or commiserate? A call went out to the Tenement Jazz Band's John Youngs who just happened to be busy dismantling the Grassmarket stage. Handing on the manual labour job to a festival colleague, Youngs came to the rescue, delivering his banjo, in person, to Monsieur Dubois. 

Overcast and drizzling, this typical Edinburgh summer's day (!) didn't deter the faithful. St Bride's welcomed a large crowd there to listen to the Gallic jazz of Les Jazz Rebels. Quite what they were rebelling against wasn't at all clear, perhaps 'renegades' would be a more accurate moniker with some of the musicians refugees from the likes of the famed Hot Antic Jazz Band, Haricots Rouge and Jazz à Bichon. Black Cat on the Fence, Fidgety Feet, 'Les Rebels' gave the audience what it had come to hear. Jean-Pierre Dubois' witty introductions did wonders for post-Brexit UK-France relations. Similarly trumpeter Jacques Boulan charmed the crowd, singing several numbers, in English, of course!

The set list could best be described as 'eclectic', I Love You, Samantha and My Cheatin' Heart unlikely selections. New Orleans Wiggle and Band Box Stomp hit the spot, as did What a Wonderful World, Dubois musing on the state of our 'wonderful world', wondering what Louis Armstrong would make of it. Little did we know that in a matter of hours world events would take a turn...

The audience wanted one more, Les Jazz Rebels obliged with At the Jazz Band Ball.                 

Set list: Harlem ?; A Precious Little Thing Called Love; Black Cat on the Fence; Crazy About You; Fidgety Feet; I Love You, Samantha; My Cheatin' Heart; New Orleans Wiggle; Band Box Stomp; What a Wonderful World; At the Jazz Band Ball