He created the festival Jazz in Noyon in 2020, an event which brings together more and more spectators every year in October. 1,400 unique spectators last year. But Philippe Laredo, who finances part of his festival with his personal funds “as a patron”, is also an angry man.
Like all associations in Noyon, Jazz in Noyon has not escaped the drastic cuts in the municipal budget in 2024. Quite the contrary. Also, learning that the mayor LR from Noyon Sandrine Dauchelle affirmed during the last municipal council that all the associations of the city had received their 2024 subsidy, knocked it out of its hinges. “At the start of the year, we were supposed to receive 5,000 euros, then, with the new budget, we suffered a drop of 80% since we were only supposed to receive 1,000 euros, and of these 1,000 euros, we did not “We had absolutely nothing,” says Philippe Laredo (interview conducted Monday, January 20 evening, Editor’s note).
“She’s lying, I can prove it”
For the creator of Jazz In Noyon, the mayor of Noyon “simply indulged in fake news, she is a liar: and if she refuses to show her accounts, I can show mine and prove,” says the one who decided to send a registered letter each month to the elected official to demand payment of the voted subsidy.
But Philippe Laredo goes further, accusing the mayor of Noyon of being partial in the allocation of municipal subsidies, and of pursuing a policy at the head of the client. “It is still curious to note that the ACCN, an association chaired by my wife (Laurence Laredo, Editor’s note), an association which tries to promote actions with people in the neighborhoods, has not received anything either,” says -he. For the president of Jazz in Noyon, the matter is also political: “It is no secret that we are not politically on the same line as Madame Dauchelle,” he euphemizes, “however is that should be taken into account?” Philippe Laredo is a man of the left.
The ACCN, Association of Citizens’ Councils of Noyon, and its manager Laurence Laredo details: “While we are still asking for 5,000 euros – which we regularly had under Patrick Deguise –, Sandrine Dauchelle has so far only allocated us 2,500 euros (except in 2023 and an extension of 1,300 euros). In 2024 it granted us 10% less at the start of the year with 2,250 euros, a subsidy reduced to 1,500 euros in July. And finally: “We still haven’t received anything,” confirms Laurence Laredo.
“She attacks culture head-on”
As a lover of music, jazz in particular, and culture in general, the president of the festival also sees it as a war waged against culture. “Our association has suffered one of the biggest declines of all associations,” he explains, “and we see that it is also attacking the Noyon cinema where school children can no longer go and in waging war for a long time with its director Orlando Gomes. We can also recall that since Sandrine Dauchelle, we no longer have a folk festival, it is starting to do a lot: she claims to want to dedicate the year 2025 to culture while she is tackling it head-on,” asserts he.
Philippe Laredo thus believes that “Sandrine Dauchelle’s thoughts are completely in line with the thoughts of the extreme right”. “His motto could be: when I hear the word culture, I take out my revolver,” he adds. A famous quote, attributed – rightly or wrongly – to Hermann Goering, a high-ranking Nazi dignitary of sad memory. “I think she has made an alliance with the far right, and that ultimately, they will sweep her away, that’s for sure. We must resist, and culture, music, these are precisely means of resistance.”
After having, during the municipal council, declared that all the associations had received their subsidies, Sandrine Dauchelle, who did not respond to our requests, assured the Picard mail on this subject that “all grants will be received”. It’s not quite the same thing.
A first concert this year: Cosmi Dolls, Thursday January 23
The Jazz in Noyon association also offers monthly concerts, in addition to the 50 to 60 artists hosted each year in October. She tries to organize around ten every year.
This year, the association will “start the year with a jazz rock concert by musicians from Soisson,” announces Philippe Laredo. The Cosmic Dolls group claims non-jazz influences from Franck Zappa, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull, Manu Dibango. “It’s a flautist and three men for the keyboard, the guitar, the bass, the vocals, the percussion, they are good, very good,” assures the president of Jazz in Noyon.
A concert to see tomorrow Thursday January 23 at the restaurant Le Stromboli opposite Noyon station. Reservations on 03 44 36 78 13
Article edited at 1:40 p.m., Wednesday January 22: added details regarding ACCN grants
