Aretha Franklin in Antibes

Created in tribute to Sidney Bechet, who adored Antibes, the Jazz à Antibes festival remains imprinted on the memory of jazz lovers. The 60s represented a golden age – icons of American jazz came to play in the French coastal town each summer, including Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Coltrane, Ray Charles … But it was the general atmosphere that made it special: hotel bars hosted up-and-coming quartets and the streets and beaches attracted brass bands. 

It was within this milieu that a young Aretha Franklin came to perform. In her late twenties, she was already an international star, having spent several years with Columbia Records before moving over to Atlantic, where she became a hit machine: “Respect,” “(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” “Son Of A Preacher Man” and more timeless classics were released in the two years running up to this 1970 concert. Whereas Columbia had failed to understand her gospel roots, Atlanta unleashed them in a pop blend that perfectly captured the zeitgeist. 

This is a rare concert that pictures Aretha at the top of her artistic powers, already earning her place in the pantheon of history’s greats. She performs her top hits as well as covers of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “Eleanor Rigby.”