Succession named for Alex Dutilh at France-Musique

Alex Dutilh‘s show Open Jazz on France-Musique, broadcast from 6pm to 7pm CET, Mondays to Fridays from late August until the end of June is one of the cornerstones of the French jazz scene, and among the most influential jazz radio shows in the world. It has been in existence since 2008, and Alex has had more than four decades at the station.

This is the week of the handover, the details of which were announced on yesterday’s show. Our understanding is that the actual “farewell” will happen at the Marciac Festival, which takes place in his native region.

Alex Dutilh had both his successor and the station’s controller Marc Voinchet as guests. What will happen is that the 6pm slot will pass to Nathalie Piolé‘s show Banzzaï and a newcomer to the station, Nicolas Pommaret, will host a new 7pm show, programme title TBC. He will start on 26 August (or “September” as they say in French).

This feels like a good moment to mention Alex’s deep knowledge of the UK scene and his tireless promotion of it, across generations and styles. It deserves huge plaudits. His tribute to Tony Coe, for example, was probably the best anywhere … and his Frenchified pronunciation of names such as “Ant Law” is priceless!

There can be few people who approach this music with such levels of knowledge, love and listening, or who construct shows with such a confident sense of connection and flow. He is a truly great broadcaster. He has also been a consistent friend and supporter of LJN/UKJN. Our thanks and best wishes to him.

Here is yesterday’s Press Release

(Release begins)

“A torrent of positive emotions…” says Nicolas Pommaret, the new voice of jazz on France Musique.

Nicolas Pommaret will join France-Musique in September 2024. A member of the Académie du jazz, he has been producer of the Declectic Jazz programme since 2011 on Déclic Radio in Tournon-sur-Rhône in the Ardèche, a programme broadcast on 37 radio stations. He trained as a pianist at the Valence Conservatoire before specialising on the tuba. He also studied history at Lyon University and has been teaching in secondary schools since 2000. He plays regularly in wind and symphony orchestras, brass and jazz ensembles, and with the Banda de Santiago de Cuba.

From Monday 26 August, Nicolas Pommaret will present his new jazz programme from 7-8pm, Monday to Friday, with Nathalie Piolé joining him in the 6pm slot with Banzzaï.

Alex Dutilh will be do a handover live on Open Jazz on Wednesday 26 June at 6pm. As the culmination of his 16 seasons of broadcasts and 43 years with France Musique, Alex Dutilh will bring his term at Open Jazz to a close on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June with his most intimate choices, and talk about the sources of his passion for the music.

Marc Voinchet, Director of France Musique: “We welcome Nicolas Pommaret to the France Musique jazz team, Nathalie Piolé, Jérôme Badini, Emmanuelle Lacaze and Fabien Fleurat. And all my gratitude and admiration to the great Alex Dutilh, who has built up a strong community of listeners to the great benefit of France Musique”.

(Release Ends)

UPDATE: In an interview on 28 June, link below, Alex Dutilh explained that he will be keeping the name “Open Jazz for a range of podcasts and other activities which he will undertake from September.