European Jazz Festivals (2015)?
 

DH and I will be turning a frightening, round number of years old in 2015 and hope to console ourselves in Europe for 2-3 weeks. Would love to find him a great jazz festival somewhere nice that I'd also enjoy for the surroundings. Know about Montreux of course, and saw the thread re: fests in France for 2014.

Would appreciate some info and recommendations re: locations of other good fests, kinds of jazz, and rough timing. He likes almost any kind of jazz except maybe Dixie and some forms of contemporary "pop" stuff.

Since one of us turns ancient in April and one in Dec., we can pretty much split the difference and go anytime, although prices get higher for the summer, obviously. But I figure that's when most of the jazz festivals are. Right? In general we prefer traveling May- June or Sept.-Oct., but that may not work with the festival circuit season.

The North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam should keep you cool in July.

Jazzfests.net has a list of festivals.
North Sea Jazz has a mixture of genres, including more pop/rock/funk performances. If you buy a passe partout you can visit most of the halls and performances. For some I believe you need a separate ticket.
My son does the TV coverage every year and loves it.
Earlier in the year (April/May) is the Cheltenham Festivals which includes jazz.

Jazz San Javier, Murcia, Spain!

Jazz à Marciac, France (in July usually, however)

hetismij2:
Thanks very much for that nifty festival guide.

Thank you all - and hetismij2 for the guide.

Getting interested in North Sea Jazz but DH also very interested in Marciac. Wondering how we find out about tickets to events -- any passé partout would be a godsend, but wonder how tricky it'll be to get special events tix from the States, esp. with no idea what the venues look like.

I know he's going to go to the respective websites, but any 'insider' tips re: tickets or the arrangements -- multiple events in multiple venues or mostly on one central stage (a la the old Newport Fest.) with outdoor seating, etc.

North Sea Jazz is at the Ahoy in Rotterdam. They use several rooms/stages.
If you go to northseajazz.com you can see who is on this year, and details of tickets etc.

Jazz à Toulon ! Free entrance festival (possible combo with Jazz au Fort Napoléon (La Seyne-sur-Mer) and Jazz à Porquerolles (Hyères).

Or Jazz à Juan (Antibes, French Riviera). Let's see the 2014 programmation on http://www.jazzajuan.com/en-us/2014programmation.aspx

Thanks all - a very helpful set of responses