Comic-Book Concert NJP: Émile Londonien x Pierre-Henry Gomont

Jazu Kissa, the spirit of Japanese listening cafés

Jazu Kissa is an invitation to travel, at the crossroads of the worlds of the jazz band Émile Londonien and comic-book author Pierre-Henry Gomont. The project draws on the iconic Japanese kissa, the cafés and listening rooms that appeared in the 1920s, where people came to savour great American vinyl in near-ritual silence. Back from a trip to Japan, sketchbook in hand, the artist wanted to share the fragility and happy accidents of the creative process. From this encounter is born a hybrid show, where music and line move forward together.

Drawing and music, live

On stage, the creative process unfolds in real time before the audience's eyes. Through drawings projected on the spot, the illustrator brings to life neon-lit alleyways, hushed interiors and wisps of smoke. Echoing this, the trio Émile Londonien engages in a musical dialogue by turns meditative and incandescent. Together, musicians and illustrator push the boundaries of their mediums in a burst of total improvisation: each performance is unique, shaped by the moment. An immersive experience where you no longer know whether the line follows the note, or the reverse.

Émile Londonien, a nu-jazz revelation

Often hailed as one of the revelations of its generation, the trio Émile Londonien moves with ease between jazz stages and electro clubs. Its nu-jazz, fed by groove, electronic textures and live energy, makes it an ideal companion for a show that lives in the moment. In Nancy, the group brings to Jazu Kissa this rhythmic flexibility and this ability to switch from gentleness to fever. For the audience, it is a chance to discover a jazz of today, open and accessible, far from dusty clichés: alive, danceable and deeply contemporary.

At L'Autre Canal, during NJP

The comic-book concert takes place at L'Autre Canal, Nancy's contemporary music venue, 45 boulevard d'Austrasie, east of the centre. It is part of the Nancy Jazz Pulsations (NJP) line-up, a leading Grand Est festival that takes over the city each autumn. To attend Jazu Kissa is to dive into the festival's buzz while experiencing a rare proposal, halfway between concert and graphic arts. For exact times, prices and booking, head to the festival's official ticketing. An evening to circle for any stay in Nancy at this time of year.

Questions fréquentes