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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
8:58 AM 5th August 2014
arts

The Family Stone, Chic Feat Nile Rodgers - Jazz A Juan Juan Les Pins - July 2014

 
The beautiful setting of the Juan Les Pins Jazz Festival
The beautiful setting of the Juan Les Pins Jazz Festival
For the 54th edition of the Juan les Pins Jazz Festival this year's edition featured a strong line up that ranged from George Benson to Stevie Wonder.

The opening night started off with two of soul music's most influential artists. The Family Stone might be without Sly these days but the band is still as tight as ever. Dance to the Music and Family Affair still sound as good as they did back in the day. They were the perfect act to warm up the crowd for tonight's headline act - Chic featuring Nile Rodgers.

The Family Stone
The Family Stone
Rodgers influence on dance music over the last 30 years is undisputable with him coming full circle when he appeared on Daft Punk's worldwide Number 1, Get Lucky, last year.

He is greeted like an old friend by the audience as he signs autographs for the fans from the side of the stage whilst they also have their photograph taken with him. "Do you want photographs or music?" asks his tour manager to the audience as the signing session is now getting too over crowded. Naturally the audience want to hear those hits that have defined dance music over the years.

"We are not a tribute band" Rodgers informs the audience, "all the songs you hear tonight have been written or produced by Chic". We hear the Diana Ross tracks, I'm Coming Out and Upside Down, The Sister Sledge hits like We Are Family and Madonna's Like a Virgin not realising that all these tracks were written or co-written by Nile Rodgers.

Chic featuring Nile Rodgers
Chic featuring Nile Rodgers
The show is basically the same set that he played at The Magic Loungabout Festival 2 years ago in Skipton and at Bingley Music Live last year but as one of his songs says that he wrote for Sister Sledge, Rodgers is still lost in music. He appears to be enjoying every minute he is on stage with his excellent band. Dressed all in white they all seem to be as stylish as the French Riviera.

His love of the music and his genuine enthusiasm on stage is infectious. The crowd naturally respond. Few openings nights of the Juan a Jazz festival has been as good as this. Rodgershad set a high standard to follow.