I'm back on my blog with the first of my summer 2023 posts showing Paris in festive mode.

I took the first photographs at the annual Fête de la Musique on 21 June. I started the evening at the wonderful "café associatif", Collective Parisienne  #collectiveparisienne in Paris's St Paul / le Marais district where Nancy Murillo and Juan Carlos Murcia entertained us with hits from the Fania All Stars days!

Then I attended a concert by rapper Eesah Yasuke organised by the Ministry of Culture at the Palais Royal. This was the first time I'd experienced a concert which gave priority to people with hearing impairments, low vision and those in wheelchairs, providing signers who interpreted the lyrics. 

On my way to the Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaïsme where the group Assafir was to take us on a musical journey to Thessaloniki and Ioannina. Zig-zagging through the Marais I got sidetracked by the guys at the Rriad Bar before taking my place in the museum's Cour d'honneur for a concert featuring poignant songs of exile, heavily influenced by rembetiko! 

Sunday 24th brought a change of mood with the Ratha Yatra festival at La Chapelle in Paris. I continue my world travels in my home city!