Tom Jones under the pines of Pinède Gould: an evening of voice, soul and summer jazz in Antibes
Tom Jones performs on July 9, 2026, at La Pinède Gould in Antibes, as part of the 65th edition of the Jazz à Juan festival. The evening program has been announced from 20:30, and it is the opening of a festival that has for decades brought together jazz, soul, blues, pop and other musical directions on the open-air stage in Juan-les-Pins.
For the audience, this is an encounter with a singer whose voice is recognizable after only a few bars: powerful, warm, rough when needed, and still flexible enough to give songs a dramatic arc. Tom Jones is not only a performer of hits from the sixties. His later phase, marked by albums of roots soul, gospel, blues and contemporary covers, shows an artist who does not live on nostalgia but on interpretation.
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Why this concert is special in the Jazz à Juan program
The evening with Tom Jones has been announced as the first evening of the 65th Jazz à Juan, and the same program at Pinède Gould also brings China Moses x José James with a project dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's album "I Want You". This gives a wider musical frame: before the audience surrenders to Jones's voice, the evening moves through soul-jazz, blues, pop and a contemporary approach to the classic repertoire.
Jazz à Juan is not a festival that relies only on a narrow definition of jazz. From its beginnings in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins, it has presented music that branches toward soul, blues, gospel, funk and popular song. In such a context, Tom Jones has a logical place. His career passes through pop, rhythm and blues, country, soul, gospel, rock and dance-pop, but what connects him most strongly with this festival is the way he turns a song into a live performance.
Tom Jones has been present in global popular music for more than six decades. A broad audience knows him for the songs "It's Not Unusual", "Delilah", "What's New Pussycat?", "Green, Green Grass of Home", "She's a Lady", "Kiss" and "Sexbomb". But the audience that follows his newer albums also recognizes another side: darker, more introspective, rooted in blues, gospel and storytelling.
A voice that connects generations
Tom Jones was born in Pontypridd in South Wales, and he achieved his worldwide breakthrough in the mid-sixties. From the beginning, his style was broader than one label: he sang pop melodies with the power of a rhythm and blues singer, built ballads like small dramas, and carried energetic songs with the physical confidence of a stage performer.
He received the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1966, in a period in which "It's Not Unusual" and "What's New Pussycat?" had already shown how easily his voice crossed the boundaries of radio pop. Later came new phases of popularity, including collaborations, television appearances, returns to the tops of the charts and a new audience that discovered him through talent shows and contemporary covers.
For the concert in Antibes, a varied audience can therefore be expected. Long-time fans come for the songs that marked decades of radio and television. A younger audience may experience him as an interpreter who does not approach old songs as museum pieces, but reshapes them through voice, rhythm and atmosphere. Lovers of soul and blues will get the most where Jones slows the tempo and gives himself over to phrasing.
- For long-time fans: the evening brings an encounter with one of the most recognizable voices of British and global popular music.
- For the wider audience: the repertoire naturally leans on hits recognized even by those who do not follow the entire discography.
- For lovers of soul and blues: the newer phase of his career shows Jones as a singer who relies on lyrics, groove and the emotional weight of a song.
- For festival visitors: the concert is part of an evening that connects soul-jazz, pop and the festival tradition of an open-air stage by the sea.
The newer phase of the career: "Surrounded By Time" and a return to the roots
An important context for Tom Jones's performances today is the 2021 album "Surrounded By Time". The album was co-produced by Ethan Johns and Mark Woodward, and it brought a collection of songs that Jones interprets as personal stories, not as a mere demonstration of voice. The list includes authors and songs connected with Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Michel Legrand, Terry Callier and other names from different traditions.
"Surrounded By Time" came after a series of albums that brought Jones back toward gospel, blues and a roots sound: "Praise & Blame", "Spirit In The Room" and "Long Lost Suitcase". These albums were not a simple return to the past, but a clearing of arrangements. The voice remained at the center, and around it space, rhythm, text and silence.
In 2021, the album entered the British album chart at number one. With this, Jones became the oldest male performer with a number one album on the British chart, as well as the oldest performer to achieve this with an album of new material. For the audience in Antibes, that fact is not only statistics. It explains why his current concerts do not rely only on the memory of hits, but also on a mature, late phase in which the songs sound more stripped down and serious.
What the audience can expect from the live performance
The setlist for the concert at Pinède Gould has not been confirmed in advance, so it makes no sense to guess the order of songs. Still, based on his recent performances and the profile of his current career, it is realistic to expect a combination of recognizable hits and newer interpretations. In recent years, Jones's concerts have often moved between big choruses, more acoustic moments and covers that sound like life confessions.
The special quality of Tom Jones live is not only that the audience hears songs it knows. More important is how he sings them. "It's Not Unusual" can become a short explosion of rhythm and smiles. "Green, Green Grass of Home" carries the narrative weight of a ballad. "Kiss", originally a Prince song, in Jones's version has recognizable charm and stage confidence. "Delilah" and "Sexbomb" belong to the part of the repertoire that the audience often experiences very directly, through shared singing and a reaction to the rhythm.
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In the open space of Pinède Gould, such a repertoire receives a different color than in an arena or theater. There is no closed distance between the stage and the evening air. The sound travels toward the audience under the pines, and the closeness of the sea gives the concert a summer, Mediterranean frame without the need for major production explanations. With a performer such as Jones, who relies on voice and contact with the audience, such a setting can be stronger than spectacular effects.
Pinède Gould: an open-air stage by the sea
La Pinède Gould is located in Juan-les-Pins, the coastal part of Antibes on the French Riviera. The park is known for its pine trees, promenade, proximity to beaches and the role it has in the festival life of the city. The southern part of Pinède, named Pinède Gould, turns every July into an open-air concert space. The key concerts of Jazz à Juan, a festival launched in 1960, are held there.
The place has a special symbolism for the jazz audience. Jazz à Juan in its first editions was tied to Antibes and Juan-les-Pins, and Pinède Gould became its most recognizable face. In its history, the festival mentions performances and connections with names such as Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Marcus Miller and many others. That is why Tom Jones's performance is not an isolated summer concert, but part of a space that has for decades connected great voices, improvisers and an audience that wants to hear music live.
Pinède Gould is not a closed hall, so the experience depends on the festival format: evening air, pine trees, the sea in the immediate vicinity and an audience that arrives earlier because of the entire program. Such an atmosphere especially suits concerts that do not rely only on volume, but on dynamics. Jones's voice has enough strength for big choruses, but also enough texture for calmer songs. In an open-air space, that change between energy and intimacy may be the most interesting part of the evening.
Basic information for visitors
- Event: Tom Jones as part of the 65th Jazz à Juan
- Date: July 9, 2026
- Start of the evening program: 20:30
- Venue: La Pinède Gould, Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, France
- Venue address: Boulevard Edouard Baudoin, 06160 Juan-les-Pins
- Same evening program: China Moses x José James with a project dedicated to Marvin Gaye's album "I Want You"
- Setting: open festival space under the pines, in the urban area of Juan-les-Pins and close to the beaches
Arrival by train, bus, car and plane
For visitors traveling to Antibes or Juan-les-Pins, the most practical option is to plan arrival earlier during the day. July is the peak of the season on the French Riviera, so traffic, parking and movement toward the coast can take longer than outside the summer months.
Juan-les-Pins station is approximately a 10-minute walk from the festival site. Antibes railway station has a TGV stop and a connection toward Juan-les-Pins, which is useful for arrivals from other French cities or from the surrounding coast. For arrival by bus, near Pinède Gould there are the stops Palais des Congrès, Pin doré and Régence, depending on the line and direction of travel.
For arrival by car, use the Antibes exit number 44 from the A7/A8 motorway, after which the direction toward Juan-les-Pins is followed. Parking is possible in several nearby garages and parking lots, but it is recommended to check availability in advance, especially because festival evenings attract a large number of visitors. The nearest airport is Nice Côte d'Azur, about 25 kilometers from Antibes, with numerous international connections.
- Train: Juan-les-Pins station is located about a 10-minute walk from Pinède Gould.
- Bus: nearby stops used are Palais des Congrès, Pin doré and Régence.
- Car: access leads through the Antibes exit number 44 from the A7/A8 motorway.
- Parking: nearby are Parking Palais des Congrès, Parking Port Gallice and Parking des Ambassadeurs.
- Plane: Nice Côte d'Azur airport is about 25 kilometers away.
Antibes and Juan-les-Pins as a concert frame
Antibes is a city on the French Riviera between Nice and Cannes, with a historic core, marina, beaches and museums, while Juan-les-Pins is its coastal part known for its summer rhythm, hotels, terraces and evening outings. For concert visitors, this means that the event can easily fit into a wider stay: arrival in the afternoon, a walk by the sea, dinner nearby and then entry into the festival space.
Pinède Gould is located in an urban setting, but the impression is not the same as in a classic urban hall. The park, pines and closeness of the beach create the feeling of an open summer amphitheater. In such a space, the audience does not come only to "listen through" a concert. It comes to spend an evening in an atmosphere that is remembered as much as the performance.
For those traveling from other countries, it is useful to count on summer crowds in accommodation and traffic. Juan-les-Pins is very lively in July, and the festival additionally increases movement around the coast. The calmest plan includes arriving earlier, avoiding the last moment for parking and checking return connections after the end of the program.
An evening for fans of hits, but also for listeners seeking a voice with character
The greatest advantage of Tom Jones's concert in Antibes is the range it can offer. There are few performers who can, in the same performance, combine a pop chorus everyone knows, blues weight, a soul phrase and a song that sounds almost like a monologue. With Jones, that range does not feel like a catalogue of styles, but like a biography told by voice.
In the context of Jazz à Juan, it is especially interesting that his performance takes place on an evening that already has a strong soul and jazz line. China Moses and José James bring a project tied to Marvin Gaye, one of the key names of soul, while Tom Jones represents a performer who over the decades brought soul energy into popular song, television spectacle, club feeling and large stages.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
The audience that comes for "It's Not Unusual" or "Sexbomb" will probably get moments of shared singing and recognition. The audience that wants to hear the later phase of Jones's career can pay attention to songs from the period of "Praise & Blame", "Spirit In The Room", "Long Lost Suitcase" and "Surrounded By Time", where the emphasis is less on the shine of the chorus and more on the weight of words and the color of the voice.
Practical tips for a more pleasant evening
Going to an open-air concert requires a little more planning than going to an indoor hall. July evenings on the French Riviera can be warm, but by the sea the temperature and wind can change. Light clothing, comfortable footwear and earlier arrival make a difference, especially if one wants to walk around Juan-les-Pins before the concert or find a place for dinner.
Since the evening takes place in a festival setting, it is good to check current information about entry, safety rules, permitted items and accessibility immediately before arrival. For people with disabilities, reserved places and access options are listed, but it is best to check the details before traveling because organization may differ according to ticket category and festival schedule.
- Arrive earlier if you plan dinner, a walk or parking near the coast.
- For arrival by train, check the last evening connections toward your return destination.
- For arrival by car, count on increased traffic in July.
- For accommodation in Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Nice or Cannes, check the distance from railway connections.
- For an open-air concert, bring what is allowed by the entry rules and adapt to the weather conditions.
Why this evening has wider significance
Tom Jones at Pinède Gould is not only a nostalgic encounter with a singer of great hits. It is an encounter with a performer who has survived changes in taste, formats, industry and audience, while remaining focused on what made him famous: a voice that gives a song a body. His performance at the opening of the 65th Jazz à Juan naturally fits into the festival story that since 1960 has connected legends, new interpreters and an audience ready to listen to different forms of jazz and its musical neighbors.
In Antibes, several layers will therefore meet: the history of the festival, the summer scenery of Pinède Gould, the soul-jazz program of the same evening and the career of a singer who, from "It's Not Unusual" to "Surrounded By Time", has remained recognizable, but not trapped in one era. For visitors who want a concert with songs they know, but also with a voice that can surprise them, this is one of the most interesting evenings of the festival summer in Juan-les-Pins.
Sources:
- Jazz à Juan - used data about the 2026 program, the date of Tom Jones's performance, the Pinède Gould venue and the same evening program with José James and China Moses.
- Antibes Juan-les-Pins - used data about the opening of the 65th Jazz à Juan, the start of the program, the performer profile and the role of Pinède Gould in the festival.
- Tom Jones - used data from the biography about musical range, key songs and career development.
- Official Charts - used data about the album "Surrounded By Time" and the record on the British album chart.
- Recording Academy - used data about Tom Jones's Grammy award and nominations.
- Jazz à Juan, practical information - used data about arrival by train, bus, car, parking and the distance of Nice Côte d'Azur airport.
- Antibes Juan-les-Pins Tourist Office / Pass Côte d'Azur - used data about the address, accessibility and surroundings of Pinède Gould.