Swing in the mountains 2026
From August 9 to 16, 2026 Serre Chevalier will host the
23rd edition of the Swing in the Mountains Festival .
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Festival Program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A festival rich in programming and artistic diversity, highlighting swing, blues, gospel, soul, jazz, and polyphonic singing from around the world.
The festival will pay tribute to the great Jamaican artist Jimmy Cliff, who left us a musical legacy imbued with love and peace.
The festival's godmother is Emily Johnson, discovered by John McLaughlin and produced by Narada Michael Walden, the legendary Oscar-winning producer known for his work with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Mariah Carey.
Emily will give a performance titled "Emily Johnson Meets Whitney Houston" to close the festival in style on August 16 in Monêtier-les-Bains.
The female quartet Malincka will open the festival with polyphonic songs from around the world in Chantemerle.
We will then welcome the pianist Jo Kaiat, the great Jussanam who will pay tribute to Joséphine Baker, as well as Delphine Mailland.
Not forgetting the festival tradition: the free Master Class open to the public, which will be held from August 12 to 15, 2026, at the Salle du Dôme.
The participants form the choir Serre Che Gospel Singers, which has existed for over 20 years and is directed this year by Jussanam.
The program includes: gospel, swing, blues, soul, and also a few songs by Jimmy Cliff.
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Lineup : MALINCKA Quartet
📆 Sunday, August 9 - 8:30 PM
📍 Chantemerle – Salle du Serre d'Aigle
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The artists :
A concert by the female quartet; MALINCKA is a vocal and polyphonic journey around the world.
A cappella or accompanied (guitar, percussion, transverse flute, harmonium…), reinterpreting songs from secular oral traditions, borrowing musical arrangements from high-quality groups (Barbara Furtuna, Lo cor de la Plana, Evasion, Ando Drom, Chet Nuneta…) or composing their own pieces, they love above all to sing about peoples who live with the culture of traditional songs as a means of testimony, connection, and direct expression.
They are committed to conveying as sincerely as possible the revolt of an Italian protest song as much as the beauty of a Mexican legend, the emotion of a Gypsy song, or the depth of a Corsican mass…
In short, what deeply drives them is singing about humanity, its emotions and feelings, with a profound love for music that naturally creates a connection between them and the audience.
Video links : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cctkG9hxoFk&list=RDcctkG9hxoFk&start_radio=1
Lineup : Jazz Bossa, Jo Kaiat Recital featuring Jussanam (vocals - piano)
📆 Tuesday, August 11 - 8:30 PM
📍 Chantemerle – Salle du Serre d'Aigle
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The artist :
Born in Nice in 1960, Jo Kaiat dedicates himself to music, a realm whose limits are only those that one is willing to set. His sonic journey begins with jazz, but very quickly, swing proves insufficient to express all that he holds within. He then turns to Bela Bartok, Olivier Messiaen, Stravinsky, and the Impressionists. He spends his adolescence tinkering with chords in search of a mystery.
For Jo Kaiat, everything is a matter of encounters and dialogue. In fact, this is the title of one of the pieces from the Bamako trio, whose composition comes from a popular Guinean rhythm in Mali, the 'dundunba.' Jo Kaiat constantly builds bridges between different cultures: he brings together the Gnawas and the Bambaras (who share a common history) in 'Du Maroc au Mali'; connects the melancholic tones of Satie with those of India, and carves out a place for his Eastern influences in 'Lalit' and 'Cœur battant.' But he doesn't just settle for finding connections between his culture and others; he also spends his time finding links between his instrument and everyone else's. Video link: https://www.jokaiat.com/jo-kaiat-trio/
Tribute to Jimmy Cliff by Jo Kaiat & Jussanam and Serre Che Gospel Singers
📆 Wednesday, August 12 - 8:30 PM
📍 Chantemerle – Salle du Serre d'Aigle
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« Many Rivers to Cross », « I Can See Clearly Now », « You Can Get It If You Really Want »...All these songs rocked our childhood.
The Swing in the Mountains festival, the artists, wish to pay tribute to this great artist who passed away on November 24, 2025: Jimmy Cliff.
Born in 1948 in St. James, Jamaica, under the name James Chambers, his first musical influences were the idols of his childhood, and as is often the case, they came from the United States: the great stars of soul music, but also Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and many others. He released his first single at 14 after boldly going to Leslie Kong's shop and singing a song he had just composed a cappella. This attempt proved successful, as Mr. Kong had him record right away "Hurricane Huttie," a track whose lyrics talk about a hurricane that devastated everything in its path...
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrHxhQPOO2c&list=RDtwf7LhQIBkQ&index=2
Jussanam pays tribute to Josephine Baker
📆 Thursday, August 13 - 8:30 PM
📍 Chantemerle – Salle du Serre d'Aigle
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The artist :
Jussanam is a South American singer deeply inspired by the life and work of Josephine Baker. Having fallen in love with this extraordinary figure, she chose to pay tribute to her on stage by retracing her exceptional journey through a performance full of emotion.
Originally from Brazil, Jussanam primarily admires Josephine Baker's humanist values: her love for others, generosity, commitment, and profound respect for people. It is this aspect of the woman as much as of the artist that she now wants to share with the audience through her performance.
She will be accompanied by Jo Kaiat on piano.
Video Link: Jussanam WITH Josephine Baker - Songs: Me Revoila Paris / Monte Carlo
Gospel Evening "Assumption Special"
Group : Serre Che Gospel Singers - and Delphine Mailland
📆 Saturday, August 15 - 8:30 PM
📍 Le Monêtier les Bains – Salle du Dôme
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The artists :
The choir Serre Che Gospel Singers has been performing at the festival for more than 20 years.
It is made up of 15 to 30 singers, passionate and professional, from different backgrounds and from all over the world. They will perform gospel classics, soul music, and songs by Jimmy Cliff for a well-deserved tribute.
Delphine Mailland, a singer with an unusual journey. Despite her Corsican roots, she started out performing Edith Piaf and Barbara. A meeting with jazz musicians naturally led her to write and self-produce an album, "Blue Notes": there, she talks about the world of prostitution, audiovisual media, nightlife, and even madness. Her voice captivates, and her path is dotted with numerous wins in France's most prestigious singing competitions. She was noticed by Bruno Berberes from THE VOICE, which led her to appear on the show in front of coaches Zazie, Pagny, Fiori, and Garou. She also caught the attention of France 2's production, opening the doors for her to appear on the show La Voix des Stars.
Final concert :
Emily Johnson Meeting Whitney Houston
Line-up: Emily Johnson and 7 musicians and backup singers
📆 Sunday, August 16 - 8:30
📍 Le Monêtier les Bains – Salle du Dôme
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The artist :
Emily Johnson, godmother of the Festival, will perform the final concert on Sunday, August 16 at 8:30 PM at the Dôme hall in Monêtier-les-Bains. The international soul artist returns to the stage with a brand new show: the launch of her second album titled “POT,” a work deeply influenced by her recent travel experiences in Asia and by the emotional connection she developed with the cultures and people she encountered.
Singer, songwriter, and performer, Emily Johnson was discovered by John McLaughlin and produced by Narada Michael Walden, the legendary multi-Grammy Award-winning producer, known for his work with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Mariah Carey.
Emily Johnson offers a performance where her own soul-pop creations blend with a moving tribute to her lifelong idol, Whitney Houston.
Surrounded by her 7 musicians and backup singers, each concert becomes a unique moment, a celebration of art, humanity, and the music that unites us all.
During this concert, Emily pays tribute to Whitney Houston. A moment of pure emotion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esak_jzKQ5I&t=16s
Link to an excerpt from her first album produced by Narada Michael Walden, "Open Your Heart." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlNusiSr-dI
Masterclass
Director : Jussanam
📆 From August 12 to 15 - from 5 PM to 7 PM
📍 Le Monêtier les Bains – Salle du Dôme
Offered by the SIM festival (Swing In the Mountains), the Master Class is free and open to all, enthusiasts as well as professionals.
Location: Dôme Hall – Monêtier-Les-Bains
Schedule: from 5 PM to 7 PM
Program: gospel, swing, blues, soul, and also some songs in tribute to Jimmy Cliff.
Registration :
only by email : swinginthemountain@gmail.com
or by SMS : 07 76 50 76 74
