Cahors Blues Festival - Day 7

Le Blues Dans La Ville

The main theme of this Friday night was for various bands, including some that had been in the Festival, to play in restaurants and bars throughout the town of Cahors.

With more than a dozen venues advertised it should have been hard to choose but I had previously noticed, during the week, a solitary poster in a shop window. It was advertising Rachelle Plas and the poster read (in English) "A Girl, Her Harmonica, and Her Voice". No contest. This was the one for me. But more of this later.

Bad To The Bone (French)

Back in the Festival Village there were two more free shows in the early evening. The 5pm one we could see - the 7pm one we could not as we had booked the restaurant for 19:30.

Bad To The Bone, I think, were having a bad day. Rather embarrassingly they had to apologise for the absence of their keyboard player. Whether this phased them or not I don't know (I'm sure it did to some extent) but they were not impressing the audience that bothered to turn up.

What they played was mostly rock and I've hard much better. Sorry lads. Maybe another time.

Rachelle Plas (French)

If you have been reading the previous blogs on the Cahors Blues Festival you will know that Rachelle Plas made an impromptu appearance with Connie Lush & Blues Shouter and this was a great preview for me.

Tonight she was playing at the Food & Beverage restaurant which is situated in a beautiful old square in the old quarter of Cahors town. It's a strange name for a French restaurant, especially as it is owned and run by a Frenchman who speaks no English. I will prefer to call it the F & B restaurant. Its a charming place with almost tropical gardens behind a high wall, and this is where we were seated on this warm evening for both our meal and the show.

Rachelle had set herself up with a small band; keyboards, guitar, and drums - and herself on harmonica and vocals.

We were not at all disappointed. Rachelle is both a talented and an accomplished blues harp player - and she has an excellent voice to suit the music too.

While we finished a superb meal she got our feet tapping to a mix of blues, soul, and just a little jazz. I particularly liked her versions of "Sir Duke" and "I Can't Stand The Rain". A table of fans, of similar age to Rachelle, got up and were dancing to the music that was drawing crowds to peer through the gate and over the wall. The meal was turning into a party!

This girl, from Paris, with her harp and voice, is going places. Look out for her. You will not be disappointed.

In fact, she will be playing at the National Harmonica League, Bristol (UK) at the end of October.

Sadly, my camera started to play up and the lighting in the restaurant garden was not placed to shine on dear Rachelle. Therefore, I have had to rely on web sourced images in this instance. But there will be another opportunity.

So that's it. That's all the bands and artists I got to see in Cahors this year (2010). There was a final night but the Tour de France was passing my house the following day and I did not want to miss it and the massive BBQ party that was to follow.

Cahors Blues Festival was a massive event and extremely well organised and very successful. Bags of credit must go to all who arranged and helped to provide such excellent entertainment. 

However, I will say that I found the volume levels often unnecessarily high. I was staying more than 1 kilometre away from the Festival Village, and the two shows I did not stay to the end, I could still hear very clearly from that distance. 

I am not adverse to jacking up the volume when listening to my blues or rock - at home or in the car. It is, after all, important to feel the music. But care must be taken not to distort the music, it must be respected - and so too are the rights of those that, for whatever reason, may not wish to share the same music. I do feel that being able to hear the words of a song 1 kilometre away rather excessive.

Despite my one or two negative comments my complete admiration goes to all who performed. Although some were better than others they all had to be good to be there.

And this brings me to my list of favourites. To name who I thought was best is not possible because of the diverse talents and different styles. So, I will list them in the order that they appeared:

• Viktor Huganet - Rocker extraordinaire
• Malted Milk - A real blues band
• Cisco Herzhaft - Fantastic entertainment
• The Honeymen - I bought the CD, they must be good!
• Connie Lush - The belle of the Festival
• Nine Below Zero - Great blues, great rock, great fun
• Rachelle Plas - One to watch

Oh, and the Tour de France? It was won by Alberto Contador.

Coming next : Dr Feelgood, JJ Milteau, Mannish Boys, and Alex Henley Band

A bientôt

Cahors Blues Festival - Day Six

Thursday 15 July

The problem is that by this stage of the game anyone who comes on stage has got to be more than just good, and I'm afraid the next performer, first of this night, should have been on earlier in the week.

Jean Chartron (French)

In comparison with Cisco Herzhaft (see Tuesday 12 July) Jean was a dull performer. Picking away at some Delta Blues and then feeding in some French numbers there was just no zest. He even tried “Stand By Me” but could not make people listen.

This was not helped by his need to stop the flow for a few puffs on a cigarette. Each time he stopped he lit up a fresh ciggy, took a couple of casual puffs, and stamped the rather large butt out – on the stage!

When he finished his repertoire of songs the audience hardly noticed and many just carried on talking. He then asked those that had realised he had come to an end, if they wanted him to continue for an encore. Clearly he needed to finish the whole packet of fags before leaving the stage!

He vaguely continued on and, to be fair, his audience did give him a warm clap and encouraged him into his second and final encore.

I'm probably being very unfair to the man but I will say again, he should have been on earlier in the week. The expectations at this stage were too high.

Nina Attal (French)

Very obligingly Nina was doing the 7pm slot of the free shows which was good because she obviously appeals [also] to a younger audience that would not always be able to pay for the later shows (see Nina Attal – Wednesday 14 July).

For this showing I was joined by friends Alex, Mick, and their two lovely daughters, who live near to Cahors, and this seemed an excellent time and place to meet up.

Being on a smaller stage the band had dropped the brass section and the amps were set at a more comfortably volume, which greatly improved the tone. In my opinion a much better performance and I (we) were able to appreciate her extraordinary musical abilities.

 

What really came across; here was a group of young musicians on the threshold of fame and glory but still thoroughly enjoying being on stage.

Friend Mick, who is a formidable musician himself, seemed to be totally absorbed in these young talents and it was good to see that his eldest daughter was too.

I really hope that Nina Attal and her band go on to even more success. It would be so good for popular music at a time when real talent in commercial music is very thin on the ground.

Nine Below Zero (British)

Stemming back to 1979 in South London, Nine Below Zero are one of the oldest and best known 'pub rock n blues' bands with a huge following in the UK and Europe.

Associations with The Blow Monkeys, Dr Feelgood, and Rory Gallagher have seen the original band move on. The band of 2010 comprises of Dennis Greaves (lead guitar and vocals), Mark Feltham (harmonica and vocals), Gerry McAvoy (bass guitar and vocals), and Brendan O'Neill (drums).

But the audience didn't care too much who they were, they just loved the music. Fast, bluesy, and good – real good. And how could it not be – these guys are the tops.

Mark Feltham

Dennis Greaves put on a stunning performance and really drew the crowd to him and, Mark Feltam – wow!! As one of the pre-eminent blues harmonica players in the world this was not just a treat but a privilege. His playing was without bounds. Resourceful, gutsy, blues at its best. He sung pretty  damn good too.

All together a great performance and I cannot wait to see Nine Below Zero again – soon.

Coming Soon - Dr Feelgood at Althen des Paluds (Avignon) 

Liz McComb (USA)

I was looking forward to a change in pace. Something different. And I do like a bit of gospel from time to time.

A Steinway piano was wheeled onto the stage and lots of time was spent setting up mics and adjusting sound. This was going to be good, I thought.

Liz came on in full diva style – escorted on the arm of – I'm not sure who. He went off and Liz struck up a gentle gospel blues tune whilst the other members of her band slowly took their places on stage. An impressive start.

Liz then went on to bellow into her microphone with such power she was instantly drenched in perspiration. It was pouring off her. 
 

I have every reason to believe that she was playing and singing superb gospel music but it was ruined by volume and subsequent distortion.

Again, as I have said earlier in the Cahors Blues Festival review, expectations probably did not help but I had in my mind that I was going to be wooed with gentle praising and a few hallelujahs. I thought there was going to be several gospel singers led by Liz McComb, all singing about happy days. I got it wrong I suppose and what I actually got I did not really like that much. I stayed for about an hour and then decided I needed some paracetamol.

Shame really.

Next: Le Blues Dans La Ville Avec Rachelle Plas

Day Three - Cahors Blues Festival

Monday 12 July

The future of the legend !!!

Cisco Herzhaft (French)

The programme described him as one of the last of the authentic blues pickers which is undoubtedly true, even if that “one of the last” encompasses several hundreds of bluesmen and blueswomen!

However, what a lovely warm, talented entertainer this man turned out to be. Seated comfortably he picked away at his steel slide guitar, sang well, and constantly hit the beat with a stomp-box*, he took us on a tour of The Blues and all its derivatives – Delta, Chicago, Rag Time, even American Indian, and Irish influences. He even managed to fit in a blues stylised version of “Apache” (Shadows).

He had his packed audience in the palm of his hand. Hands and feet were following his beat as his left foot never stopped its mesmeric drumming.

A great show by a real bluesman. He is well up on my list and I will want to see him again.

* (I've looked up how to make one - its easy!)

We didn’t stay for the 7 o’clock show with Fred Chapellier as he was to be playing later so we took the opportunity to head into town and sample some of the excellent cuisine for which this region is famed.

Roland Tchakunté (Cameroon)

As you will know from one of my previous postings I have sampled some West African music in its raw state so I was keen to see what this guy could do. Well, he could do well and was by far, in my humble opinion, better than the other two acts that were to form a melange as the night wore on.

His tribal music with blues influences put out a gutsy performance and I would have been quite happy if he had filled the rest of the time that evening.

This especially as his companion guitarist, Mr Mick Ravassat (French I think), was absolutely brilliant and worthy of a place amongst Bonamassa,and the likes – yes, really! Mick also has his band 'Mick Ravassat & The Blue Team'.

Mathias Bernheim, percussion, was good too - making a well rounded and interesting trio band.

Roland and Mick worked exceptionally well together and I would gladly like to see either of them again – together or on their own. A good show lads.

Amar Sundy (listed as Touareg)

Whilst researching gigs, concerts, and events for my monthly list of “What’s  On In France”, I have often found Mr Amar Sundy and, knowing he is of North African origin (another region I have spent some time in) I was again most interested to hear his style.

I suppose I fit a minority opinion but I found him to be a kind of  middle east Popa Chubby but nowhere near as skilled. His improvisations left me confused and often I was convinced he had lost his way. I was looking for much more, something very different.

I suppose I was expecting, hoping for something like the style of Cheb Mami  (Ahmed Khelifati Mohamed) but sadly Mr Sundy’s Saharan roots where nowhere to be seen. Disappointing.

Fred Chapellier (French)

In retrospect I think we should have opted to have seen Fred on his earlier performance. Without doubt he is a fine bluesman with a very fine band (Rhythm, Bass, Hammond organ and Drums) but having seen so much previous talent – and it was still only the 3rd day of the Festival – his light just did not shine for me.

And then they all got on stage together! Frankly I was not impressed. Fred is obviously a professional and experienced performer, and can hold his own but it looked to me that Roland was beginning to wish he had gone home whilst the going was good.

Amar wanted to dominate the stage in that infuriating way some people try to be magnanimous whilst really seeking attention for themselves.

I would love to see Roland Tchakounté again and my ‘man of the night’ by far was Mick Ravassat.