Edition #6 Jazz à Semur – July 2026
Looking Back at the Sixth Edition of the Jazz Festival in Burgundy at Semur-en-Auxois.
Overview
The 6th edition of the Jazz à Semur festival, organized by the JAS association from July 2 to 4, 2026, confirmed the growing success of this event, which has become a major cultural highlight for the Auxois region and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
Driven by an ambitious artistic program, a strong community spirit, and a clear commitment to inclusion, the festival achieved record attendance while preserving its identity as a human-scale event.
Record Attendance
The 2026 edition recorded 1,118 admissions, setting a new attendance record for the festival. Attendance figures break down as follows:
| Thursday, July 2 | 221 admissions | |
| Friday, July 3 | 323 admissions | |
| Saturday, July 4 | EMDAM concert | 150 admissions |
| Saturday, July 4 | 424 admissions |
Across the entire festival, there were 657 paid admissions and 460 free admissions, including 221 pay-what-you-want entries on Thursday evening and 40 partner invitations.
These figures reflect a significant increase in audience numbers and demonstrate the festival’s growing appeal.
A Primarily Regional Audience with Wider Reach
Analysis of online ticket sales (based on 342 tickets studied) reveals a strong regional presence.
85.4% of attendees came from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, while 69.3% were residents of Côte-d’Or.
Visitors from outside the region came notably from Île-de-France, Grand Est, Brittany, Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
These results confirm the festival’s role as a key cultural event for the region while also demonstrating its ability to attract audiences beyond its local catchment area.
Our Sixth Festival Poster
Programme
Jazz à Semur Festival 2026 Programme
An ambitious artistic programme featuring both local and international talent.
The 2026 edition presented ten concerts, bringing together established artists, emerging talents, and regional ensembles.
The festival returned to the iconic setting of the Semur-en-Auxois Town Hall Park, offering the close connection between performers and audiences that has become one of its hallmarks.
Once again, the line-up reflected the festival’s artistic vision: bringing together contemporary jazz, artistic creation, musical transmission, and openness to new musical aesthetics.Une programmation artistique ambitieuse, locale et internationale.
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Town hall park
CRR – Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Dijon / Dijon Regional Music Conservatory
8tet
Louane Charvet – violin
Antoine Boyer – trumpet
Noé Papszt – alto saxophone
Christian Gentil – tenor saxophone
Boris Arribert – guitar
Maxime Gagnant – bass
Jack McClune – piano
Julien Vuillaume – drums
7tet
Gabriel Zanlonghi – trumpet
Thadée Dancer – flute
Bercel Papszt – bass clarinet
Jean Baptiste Hutasse – double bass
Joël Kouakou Kouame – piano
Arnaud Cordelier – drums
Pierre Hervé Angilbert – bass clarinet
Concert by students from the Professional Orientation Cycle at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Regional de Dijon.
Town hall park
KLO&ANGE
Chloé Ducros – keyboards, vocals
Angel Gudin – drums
Inspired by the new British jazz scene, Klo&Ange combines machines, synthesizers, vocals, and rhythms in pieces where improvisation, nu jazz, and soul interact with electronic textures to create a powerful yet refined sound balance.
In partnership with Big Bang – Pôle de référence jazz en Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Town hall park
NINANDA
Nina Gat – piano, vocals
Ananda Brandão – drums, vocals
Mathieu Scala – double bass
Maxime Boyer – guitar
Led by Nina Gat and Ananda Brandão alongside Mathieu Scala and Maxime Boyer, four musicians from the current French jazz scene, Ninanda has developed a repertoire sung in Portuguese, Hebrew, French, and English, creating a fusion jazz with folk and poetic accents.
Friday, July 3, 2026
Town hall park
Philippe SOIRAT
Philippe Soirat – drums
David Prez – saxophone
Vincent Bourgeyx – piano
Yoni Zelnik – double bass
A renowned figure in French jazz, Philippe Soirat surrounds himself with a close-knit quartet for a repertoire combining compositions and reinterpretations of masters such as Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis. The group stands out for the finesse of its collective playing, the precision of its listening, and the intensity of its onstage dialogue.
Town hall park
Andy EMLER trio E.T.E.
Andy Emler – piano
Claude Tchamitchian – double bass
Éric Échampard – drums
For over twenty-five years, the E.T.E trio has been developing a unique language combining experimental jazz, improvisation, and pop influences. Each piece is a playground of sound, carried by contrasting moods and great freedom of expression, in music that is both demanding and playful.
Town hall park
Ludivine ISSAMBOURG
Ludivine Issambourg – flute
Arnaud Dolmen – drums
Romain Labbaye – bass
Nicolas Derand – keyboards
Basile Conand – trombone
Sylvain Fétis – tenor saxophone
Flutist Ludivine Issambourg explores jazz-funk in a repertoire combining compositions and covers, full of groove and nuance. Surrounded by a rhythm section and brass instruments, she deploys an original energy nourished by multiple influences. Between heritage and modernity, her project asserts a vibrant and resolutely contemporary sound identity.
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Free admission for EMDAM concert
Town hall park
EMDAM – Ecole de Musique et de Danse de l’Auxois Morvan
Concert by the EMDAM students’ jazz workshop, directed by Guillaume Orti
Muriel Asselin – trombone
Louis Chanu – alto saxophone
Joan Garcia – guitar
Gabriel Godemet – valve cornet
Guillaume Godemet – saxhorn
Joachim Journet – drums
Anass Kioueh – piano
Janine Pernette – alto and soprano saxophone
Marie-Estelle Ribes – violin
Éliot Sujat – trumpet
Archibald Sujat – tenor saxophone
Rose Thomas Latourte – trumpet
Guillaume Orti – baritone saxophone
At the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame
Andy EMLER
Andy Emler takes to the organ in a concert combining improvisations and original works. At the crossroads of jazz, classical, and experimental music, he brings his influences—from Bach to Ravel, Miles Davis to The Police, Stravinsky to Peter Gabriel—into dialogue with one another to create powerful and unexpected soundscapes.
“The Great Organ of the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame de Semur, built by RIEPP in 1752 and expanded in 1833 by CALLINET, is located in the gallery at the back of the nave. Listed as a historic monument, it was restored in 1992 by Jean DELOYE and tuned by Philippe HARTMANN. »
Source – https://www.valleeducousin.fr/spip.php?article296
Town hall park
Yumi ITO
Yumi Ito – piano, vocals
Nadav Erlich – double bass
Iago Fernández – drums
Alessio Cazzetta – guitar
Swiss-Polish-Japanese artist Yumi Ito crosses the boundaries of jazz, art pop, and contemporary music. Inspired by Ella Fitzgerald, Radiohead, and Joni Mitchell, she develops sensitive and introspective soundscapes, carried by refined songwriting.
Town hall park
EMILE LONDONIEN
Nils Boyny – keyboard
Théo Tritsch – bass
Matthieu Drago – drums
Hailing from the Strasbourg scene and the Omezis collective, Emile Londonien blends jazz, broken beat, house, and hip-hop. Influenced by the recent English scene, the trio develops a modern and inventive jazz, between improvisation and danceable rhythms. The group has established itself as a bold figure of the new generation of French jazz.
Parity as a Programming Objective
Sur les huit concerts professionnels programmés en 2026, quatre étaient portés ou coportés par des musiciennes : Ninanda, Ludivine Issambourg 6tet, Yumi Ito et Klo&Ange. Ce ratio, rare dans le champ du jazz, résulte d’un choix de programmation assumé.
A Concrete Commitment to Inclusion
The JAS association continued its efforts to make culture more accessible to audiences who are underserved or face barriers to participation.
Partnership agreements were established with several organizations to enable residents of nursing homes, people with disabilities, users of social and healthcare facilities, and individuals requiring specific support to attend the festival.
Among the participating groups were the ESAT de l’Auxois (12 participants), the Le Châtelot Mutualist Care Home (15 beneficiaries and 3 accompanying staff members), and the La Vie La Bella Senior Residence (7 participants).
This initiative is fully in line with the festival’s core values of accessibility, inclusion, and cultural sharing.
Heritage at the Heart of the Festival
The 2026 edition made full use of the Notre-Dame Collegiate Church, a Gothic jewel of the medieval town.
Andy Emler performed a concert on the church’s historic 17th-century organ, enhanced by the building’s remarkable acoustics.
One of the highlights of the evening came when he invited Guillaume Orti, one of the most acclaimed saxophonists on the French jazz scene and a resident of the region, to join him for an improvised dialogue between organ and saxophone.
Attendance exceeded expectations. Additional chairs had to be brought in as all the pews in the collegiate church were fully occupied.
By opening this historic monument to new musical aesthetics, Jazz à Semur helps showcase Semur’s cultural heritage while strengthening the connection between culture, tourism, and local development.
Prevention and Social Responsibility
The festival also strengthened its commitment to prevention and awareness initiatives.
On Friday morning, a workshop on Sexist and Sexual Violence and Harassment (SSVH) was organized in partnership with the CIDFF 21 (Information Center for Women’s and Families’ Rights), with support from Acolyt. Two local associations from Semur also took part in this initiative.
In addition, an awareness stand operated in collaboration with the Association de Prévoyance Santé (ADPS) informed festivalgoers about hearing-related risks, various forms of addiction, as well as sexist and sexual violence and harassment.
This civic and educational dimension helps position Jazz à Semur as a socially responsible cultural event.
The Jazz Village: A Hub of Community Life
Located on Place de l’Ancienne Comédie, which was pedestrianized for the occasion, the Jazz Village served as a lively gathering place throughout the festival’s three-day run.
The food and refreshment area, showcasing local producers and businesses, proved highly popular with both festivalgoers and residents of Semur-en-Auxois. Initial results indicate particularly encouraging sales figures, confirming the success of this convivial space and its role in enhancing the overall festival experience.
Exceptional Digital Reach
One of the standout achievements of the 2026 edition was its impact on social media.
The festival recorded a record-breaking 586,561 views, reaching more than 466,000 people and generating nearly 55,000 interactions. One particular reel surpassed 503,000 views, with more than 92% of viewers not already following the festival’s social media accounts.
These figures are particularly remarkable for an independent festival of modest size. They demonstrate the festival’s ability to extend its influence far beyond the local area and to engage new audiences through an effective and dynamic digital communication strategy.
Excerpt from the 2026 Press Release
“A Vibrant, Rooted, and Diverse Jazz Festival”
In the summer of 2026, Semur-en-Auxois hosted a new edition of Jazz à Semur, a festival now recognized for both its artistic excellence and its human-scale atmosphere.
The festival has developed a distinctive identity through a programme that brings together acclaimed jazz artists and leading figures of the contemporary scene in a remarkable heritage setting that fosters close connections between performers and audiences.
Organized by the JAS (Jazz à Semur) Association, the festival promotes a vision of jazz as a living, constantly evolving art form, attentive to the diversity of musical backgrounds, experiences, and aesthetics. The presence of both women and men musicians is a key element of the artistic project, reflecting a concrete commitment to a more inclusive music scene.
Each evening features several concerts in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with food and refreshments available on site. The deliberately limited capacity encourages attentive listening and genuine encounters between artists and audiences.
Jazz à Semur embraces an open approach to jazz: a space where tradition, contemporary exploration, and the power of live performance come together.
Jazz à Semur offers an ambitious yet generous programme, a friendly welcome, and evenings designed to bring together generations, musical influences, and curious listeners in a spirit of discovery and exchange.”
Key Highlights of the 2026 Edition
A three-day format featuring multiple concerts each day, encouraging audience immersion and fostering continuity throughout the festival.
A strong emphasis on stylistic diversity, ranging from contemporary jazz and soul to electronic music and world music.
A balanced programme combining emerging artists and internationally renowned musicians.
An ongoing commitment to supporting regional talent and developing partnerships.
An intimate festival atmosphere, creating close connections between artists and audiences.
Summary
The 2026 edition of Jazz à Semur stands out as the festival’s most successful and accomplished edition since its creation.
With a record attendance of 1,118 admissions, a programme widely praised for its artistic quality, a strong commitment to cultural inclusion, an innovative enhancement of Semur-en-Auxois’ heritage, a vibrant and well-attended festival village, and exceptional digital visibility, the festival has firmly established itself as a leading cultural event in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
Despite additional investments in infrastructure and artist hospitality, the festival achieved a balanced budget. Jazz à Semur thus demonstrates that it is possible to combine artistic excellence, audience engagement, social responsibility, and regional attractiveness within a sustainable cultural project.