Tag Archives: Cornouaille Jazz Band

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Quelle surprise

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The Cornouaille Jazz Band with Piers
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‘Would you like the jazz band to play on Play d’eau?’ asked Alain. Without even a micro-second hesitation we replied, excitedly, ‘Brilliant!’

Two years ago

It was two years ago that we’d tried to set this up but it hadn’t been possible. The marina was too full take us for the planned date.

Tonight’s the night

But now it would happen. 5 musicians would take up residence on the aft cockpit.

  • Jean-Aubert on banjo and guitar
  • Jean-Francois on tenor saxophone and clarinet
  • Alain on trumpet
  • Georges on drums
  • Michel on bass guitar

and last but not least, Jean-Michel (who sports the most magnificent bushy beard) – the band’s resident vidoegrapher.

The only player who couldn’t make it was Marc who played contrabass, alto and soprano saxophone last Sunday.

We need to prepare

The band warms up on the aft cockpit
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Notes to self: Check ship’s stores and wine cellar.

Peroni lager and white wine into the fridge. Red wine out of the bilge where it’s kept cool. London Pride (real ale) at the ready. Pastis in store, but out of whiskey. Must buy some.

For refreshments, we agree a version of stuffed eggs and plenty of nibbles. No time for anything else.

A walk to the small Carrefort in La Fôret Fouesnant secures said stores. Now to cooking.

The evening

At 7pm, the band begin arriving. All squeeze onto the aft cockpit. First problem – Play d’eau mains supply is through UK sockets. Not French. Alain runs back to his yacht to secure the extension leads and adaptors.

With everyone plugged in the warm up starts. Banjo and tenor sax tune to an A and the others follow. All set?

And off they go. Play d’eau rocks, not so much to the music but to the wakes other boats make as they pass. I announce sick bags are available.

Complete success

Jean-Aubert, band leader and retired heart surgeon, played guitar and banjo
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After some 10 pieces, it’s time to relax and for the band to sample British real ale, Italian lager, Scotch whiskey, Gordon’s Gin, Waitrose orange squash, and Play d’eau ice from Guernsey water.

Lin brings out the stuffed eggs on melba toast which disappear as fast as she can refill the tray. We’d used 14 eggs….

As the band departs amongst fond farewells and threats of making Piers play clarinet next year, we are left with the most magnificent memories possible.

We wonder if a jazz band has ever played on a Fleming before?

Piers and Lin
from the Green Room of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

(click on the photos below to enlarge, and use the left/right arrows)

Click here for a slideshow, or click on a pic and arrow left/right

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Encore, encore

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Alain Duhaut, trumpeter of the Cornouaille Jazz Band
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‘Concert at Port La Fôret, Sunday at 16 hours in the same place of there 2 years.’

Alain Duhaut sent me this email just as we leaving Audierne. Alain’s the trumpeter of the Cornouaille Jazz Band which we had the great pleasure of hearing two years ago.

So how exciting is that? His band was going to play again at Port la Fôret – and we’d be there. Quelle coïncidence.

Coast Guard

‘Play d’eau, Play d’eau, Play d’eau, this is Cross Étel. Over.’

We were on passage from Audierne and an hour from Port la Fôret. Why would the Coast Guard be calling me? Cautiously, I responded.

‘What is your destination?’ I was asked. ‘Port la Fôret, over.’ ‘Play d’eau, do you know a M. Alain Duhaut?’ ‘Oui,’ I said, even more cautiously this time. ‘M. Duhaut wants you to know he is monitoring your progress on AIS and will greet you when you arrive.’

The Coastguard relaying personal messages? Wow. But how totally brilliant of Alain.

Arrival

Play d’eau was berthed alongside the bandstand. Perfect.
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On arrival, we were allocated pontoon R just outside the marina. I was about to question this decision when I realised Pontoon R would place us directly opposite the band stand and only 20m away. Did I sense Alan’s hand in this?

We were just finishing putting Play d’eau to bed after the passage when a trumpet played God Save the Queen, followed by the Marseillaise.

‘Alain!’ both Lin and I shouted as we jumped off the boat to very warm greetings.

The day arrived

With my camera rolling, the Cornouaille Jazz Band began. For two hours, the audience was rapt and children danced. We were gloriously entertained by the six enthusiastic players.

I’ll let the photos tell all.

Piers and Lin
from the recording studio of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

(click on the photos below to enlarge, and use the left/right arrows)

Click here for a slideshow, or click on a pic and arrow left/right

Living aboard Play d'eau

The trumpet shall sound

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Alain’s yacht
© Alain Duhaut
click to enlarge
The phone rang. It was a French number. I answered cautiously. ‘Allo?’

Alain, the Trumpeter, on pilgrimage

It was Alain, the trumpeter from the Cornouaille Jazz Band! He’d arrived in St Peter Port from Port La Forêt in his 6m yacht and could we meet.

Parking on St Peter Port’s Victoria Pier there was no mistaking Alain’s bright red yacht. He told me that 40 years ago his father had sailed with him to Guernsey in this very yacht.

Not having been back in all that time, he felt it was right to make the pilgrimage and at the same to meet Lin and I again.

An audience

After some delicious Breton Cidre, Alain produced his piccolo trumpet. ‘Just for you,’ he said.

Alain played on the back of Play d’eau…
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Alain played and played, ending with the British National Anthem. Cries of ‘Encore’ and ‘Bravo’ came from the impromptu audience that had gathered on the adjacent piers.

A visit to Play d’eau

The next day, Alain joined us on board Play d’eau. Jason, a Frenchman who lives in Guernsey and keeps his yacht, Bullet, next to us, joined the party to ensure we didn’t miss any conversation.

Lin had made some delicious canapés, and with bottles of Guernsey cider we toasted Port la Forêt and the Cornouaille Jazz Band. When the cider was exhausted, rosé appeared.

Before leaving, Alain produced his trumpet again declaring it was only right to play on Play d’eau, in Beaucette.

Alain played his heart out. His piccolo trumpet echoing around the Beaucette’s quarry walls. Again, an audience appeared. After many encores, it was, sadly, time to go.

A two-way promise

…and the whole of Beaucette was rewarded
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We promised to return to Port la Forêt and in return Alain promised to bring his band to play on Play d’eau en masse.

One condition. Breton Cidre.

Piers and Lin
from the bandstand of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

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No Jazz today – we’re full

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Alain, the band’s Trumpeter
emailed to say the group would like to perform on Play d’eau
click to enlarge
With Port La Forêt having no space for us on our return from Port Louis in Lorient, we had to forgo a treat we’d been looking forward to so much, for two months.

You may have seen the post we made about the Cornouaille Jazz Band. It was an unexpected delight to see them perform when we visited Port La Forêt on the south-bound leg of our cruise down the west coast of France in June.

We’ll meet again

Following our visit I was contacted by trumpeter Alain who graciously emailed me saying how much the group had liked the photos I had taken and given them before we left. Alain continued the email exchange by saying that if we returned to Port La Forêt the band would like to come and perform for us on Play d’eau!

How brilliant would that be? What major fun! We’d find a way to fit them on. Some in the aft cockpit, some on the flybridge roof – we’d make it work.

We were so looking forward to this and were planning to stock up with Pastis, biere et Cidre Breton.

Jazz on Play d’eau

Jazz on Play d’eau was bound to turn into a major pontoon party as well. There would be riot of boaters from all over the marina converging on the pontoon to see and hear the group. Raises the question of how many boaters does it take to sink a pontoon?

But it was not to be. Port La Forêt was full.

Maybe, just maybe

Our exploration of the west coast of France has shown us just how glorious and special this part of France is. So much so that we are considering whether to change our 2014 plans from the Baltic to another exploration of France. So much more to see and do.

Would Port La Forêt would have room for us next year? We wonder, we dream.

Meanwhile, our thanks must go to Alain and the Cornouaille Jazz Band for their kindness and willingness.

Piers and Lin
From the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

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Jazz on the Bandstand & ‘au revoir Port La Forêt’

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A hot sun in a clear blue sky with a cool breeze and a sea mist rolling up the estuary, set the scene for the Festival of Jazz at the bandstand on the last day of our extended visit to Port La Forêt.

The six jazz musicians of the Cornouaille Jazz Band on the bandstand at Port La Forêt
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…and they played

With the crowd ready and waiting, the Cornouaille Jazz Band’s six musicians and vocalist assembled their various amplifiers and instruments and put their heart and soul into playing blues, trad, and Chocolat ‘River Rat’ syncopations, using their array of saxophones, trumpet, clarinet, banjo, guitar, bass guitar, drums, and the occasional voice.

After two hours of fun the crowd didn’t want them to stop. ‘Encore, encore!’

We loved it.

So pleased we stayed that extra time at Port La Forêt.

Au revoir Port La Forêt

We’ve had a ball here.

Glorious walks, a beautiful local village, an outrageous Creperie, excellent quaffable cider, fresh croissants and Petit Moulé loaves from a Boulongerie that cares for perfection, swooping terns ducking and diving to snatch unwary fish for supper and to top it all off, Jazz on the Bandstand with the Cornouaille Jazz Band.

Au revoir Port la Forêt. À la prochaine.

Piers and Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

The Trumpeter, who played and played and played
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The vocalist sang ‘Let my people go’ (in French, of course)
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The bass guitarist
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Proficient on banjo and guitar (sounded just like Johnny Depp)
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The clarinetist played clarinet and sax
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The clarinettist plays his preferred instrument
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The drummer never had a break
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Always waiting for his big moment to go crazy!
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The bass sax was almost as tall as the player
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The saxophonist with his array of saxaphones
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The bass guitarist with one of the sax players in the background
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The Trumpeter, my point of contact
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Cruising

Port La Forêt – we’re staying a while

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The eccentric Creperie Quartier d’été, with equally eccentric and delicious crepes
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By now you’ve probably gathered we like it at Port La Forêt. So much so, that instead of moving on after two days we’re staying until next Monday or thereabouts.

Why are we staying on?

So many reasons.

The village (or is it a tiny town?) of La Forêt-Fouesnant is a lovely half mile walk away around a lake. Counter-clockwise, you walk by the forest; clockwise, you walk on the small road by lovely houses and the Crêperie Quartier d’été with its wonderfully eccentric owner just waiting to delight you with his crêpes and Fouesnant cidre served Breton style in pottery cups.

Jazz on the band stand

Behind our pontoon and hidden by trees is an old fashioned bandstand. Two days ago, we heard a small jazz band practising. I went to investigate – with my camera. The four musicians played trumpet, bass guitar, banjo and sax and rather than mind me taking pics they asked me to come on stage to take more!

Members of the Cornouaille Jazz Band were practising on the bandstand ready for Sunday’s concert
(lick to enlarge)
If you’ve seen the film Chocolat with Johnny Depp the type of jazz they were playing was very similar to that played by the River Rats – syncopated, catchy, innocent and fun.

I learned they were some of the members of the Cornouaille Jazz Band, practising for Sunday’s 4pm concert and they insisted I returned to take even more photos! I will, but I must learn how to take good pics which have a strong backlight without using flash. Back to the new camera’s manual.

La Forêt-Fouesnant’s Boulangerie

Now here’s a treat. The Boulangerie is also a Patisserie and a Chocolaterie, with chefs that delight in precision cooking. It’s hard not putting on weight just by looking.

La Forêt-Fouesnant’s École des Chefs

Would you believe there’s a Chef School in La Forêt-Fouesnant, specialising in crêpes? We were only just saying how we’d love to learn how to make buck wheat crêpes (galettes de blé noir) the way Monsieur Quartier d’été makes them, so thin and lacy. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll sign up for a course….

So Play d’eau will be staying for the next few days. An added bonus is that the sun is out and forecast to stay out. Good call.

Piers and Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

The chocolates made by the Chocolatiere
look so gorgeous
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…and there were more….
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The cakes were glistening so seductively
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…and there were more….
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