Sidney Bechet And His Orchestra - Festival Blues

Review by Seth Cottle

Festival Blues by Sidney Bechet and His Orchestra: A Jazzy Little Trip to 1959 France Alright, buckle up, because we’re diving into Festival Blues, the groovy little gem from Sidney Bechet and His Orchestra. Released in 1959 under the labels Trianon and Columbia (France proudly waving its beret), this album is a mix of jazz and blues that feels like sipping espresso at a smoky Parisian café while someone’s grandpa plays saxophone in the corner. It’s got charm, grit, and just enough oomph to make you forget your troubles for 40 minutes—or however long it takes to listen to an album on vinyl without spilling wine all over it. Let’s cut straight to the tracks that stuck with me. First off, there’s “Sugar.” Oh man, this tune is sweeter than a croissant dipped in chocolate. Bechet’s clarinet work here? Chef’s kiss. The melody bounces around like it’s late for something but doesn’t care because it knows it looks good doing it. There’s a playful swagger to the rhythm that makes you wanna grab a partner—even if they’re imaginary—and waltz through your living room like no one’s watching. And trust me, no one is. Then there’s “Festival Blues,” the title track. This one hits different. If “Sugar” is the life of the party, “Festival Blues” is the guy sitting alone in the corner nursing his drink, staring off into space, thinking about stuff. But don’t let that fool ya—it’s still packed with soulful vibes. Bechet lays down some serious emotion with his soprano sax, and the orchestra backs him up like a loyal best friend who lets you vent about your ex without judgment. You can practically smell the cigarette smoke and feel the creaky wooden floor beneath your feet as this one unfolds. It’s haunting, beautiful, and kinda makes you want to write bad poetry in a leather-bound notebook. The other tunes—“Coquette” and “Indiana”—are solid too, but honestly, I kept coming back to those first two. Maybe it’s nostalgia, or maybe my brain has the attention span of a goldfish, but hey, isn’t that what music’s supposed to do? Stick with you? Here’s the thing about Festival Blues: it’s not trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s not some avant-garde masterpiece meant to challenge your perception of sound. Instead, it’s comforting, like an old sweater that smells faintly of lavender. Listening to it feels like stepping into another era, where things were simpler—or at least seemed that way. So, would I recommend this album? Absolutely. Just don’t blame me when you start randomly humming “Sugar” during a Zoom meeting. And remember, life’s too short not to enjoy a bit of jazz now and then—even if your cat gives you weird looks while you try to explain why Sidney Bechet was basically the Beyoncé of his time. Final thought: Jazz might be old-school, but damn, it’s timeless. Like French wine, only louder. Cheers!

Download Sidney Bechet And His Orchestra - Festival Blues

Artist: Sidney Bechet And His Orchestra
Album: Festival Blues

France

1959

Rating: 5.0

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Filename: sidney-bechet-and-his-orchestra-festival-blues.zip

MP3 size: 31.2 mb
FLAC size: 235.6 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Indiana
Coquette
Sugar
Festival Blues

Video

Sidney Bechet - Festival Blues (VintageMusic.es)

Images

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Catalog Numbers

ETS 4360, 4360
ESDF 1045
ETS 4360, 4360 ets

Labels

Trianon
Columbia

Listen online

ouvir online
ascolta in linea
kuunnella verkossa
lyssna på nätet
écouter en ligne
escuchar en línea
online luisteren
lytte på nettet
online anhören

Formats

Vinyl
7"
45 RPM
EP

Companies

Role	Company
Printed By	Imprimerie F. Richir

Notes

Version reproduction?

Barcodes

Rights Society: BIEM P.F. DAY
Matrix / Runout (Runout A side): 7TCL 347 21 7TLT 126 21 M3 165709
Matrix / Runout (Runout B side): 7TCL 348 21 7TLT 127 21 M3 165710
Matrix / Runout (Label Side 1): 7 TCL 347
Matrix / Runout (Label Side 2): 7 TCL 348
Rights Society: BIEM
Matrix / Runout (Runout A side): 7TCL 347 21 M3 165709
Matrix / Runout (Runout B side): 7TCL 348 218 M3 223830
Other: P.F. DAY

About Sidney Bechet And His Orchestra

Name Vars

Sidney Bechet\tAnd His French Band
Sidney Bechet & His Orch.
Sidney Bechet & His Orchestra
Sidney Bechet & Orchestra
Sidney Bechet & Son Orchestra
Sidney Bechet & Son Orchestre
Sidney Bechet And Group
Sidney Bechet And His French Band
Sidney Bechet Et Son Orchestre
Sidney Bechet Et Son Orchestre
Sidney Bechet Groups
Sidney Bechet Orchestra
Sidney Bechet Y Su Orquesta
Sydney Bechet And His Band
Sydney Bechet Et Son Orchestre

Members

Sidney Bechet
Benny Vasseur
Zutty Singleton
Ernie Caceres
Dave Bowman
Jean-Pierre Sasson
André Jourdan
Henry Turner
Leonard Ware

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? Sidney Bechet, a jazz legend, released *Festival Blues* in 1959 while living in France. The album blends jazz and blues beautifully. It features tracks like "Sugar" and "Indiana," which showcase his signature soprano saxophone sound. Bechet's work with labels like Trianon and Columbia helped cement his legacy as one of the early giants of jazz. Cool, right?

Comments

sandeepnsalac

2025-03-19

No one played Blues like him....
With Gérard Bayol tp, Benny Vasseur tb, Eddie Bernard p, Jean-Pierre Sasson g, Guy De Fatto b, André Jourdan d. April 16 1949, first studio record in France.