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Les Nuits de Nacre Festival, Tulle - Franceby Rob Howard |
The 22nd Nuits de Nacre accordion festival took annually from September 17th to 20th in the town of Tulle, in the Correze region. The festival is spread over four days and includes eighty concerts and events, with most performances free and held outdoors. The programme begins in the late afternoon and finishes in the early hours of the morning. Les Nuits des Nacres features a variety of French and international music, including jazz, musette, rock, Celtic, swing, and Cajun. There were many memorable performers, such as ‘The Siberian Quartet’ (accordion and three balalaikas), who specialised in Russian and gypsy music, plus much humour. ‘Super Swing’, a local quartet, bounced with vitality, playing gypsy jazz and musette, while the café concert from Marseille duo ‘5 Avenues’ was mellow and reflective. A benefit concert for Kosovan refugees innovatively combined Islamic singing with French melodeon, while ‘Hinkala’ from Britanny brought a bit of Celtic flair to their rock-based performance. The festival also offered films, dancing, workshops, and free factory tours of the Maugein factory, France’s only accordion manufacturer. Tulle’s accordion museum was another attraction, whose exhibits include two accordions used by Marc Bonel, who was accordionist to Edith Piaf for many years. |