Nico Wayne Toussaint in Quillan

Quillan is an unremarkable town straddling the banks of the river Aude, in the foothills of the French Pyrenees.

Pronounced key-an or, in the local dialect key-ang it was home to a large Formica factory. Now bare wasteland is all that can be seen of the former industrial glory and the little town struggles to find a place on the tourist trail.

Remarkably they hold some extravagant summer festivals ranging from an annual bikers club meeting to an International Folklore Festival, and it was at the annual, three night Quillan Jazz Festival, that I had the pleasure to see Nico Wayne Toussaint, and his quartet, in action.

In previous blogs I have tried to describe the low key, relaxed, atmosphere of events in France and this event, in Quillan, typifies the very pleasant way of life in the south.

A stage had been erected in a riverside car park. Normally this car park is hardly noticeable to those passing by. A couple of hundred collapsible metal chairs had been set out and that was it. No bar, no stalls, NO CHARGE! Yes, it was completely free.

Nico is a southern born boy so it was no surprise to me that this Pyrenean town adopted him as one of their own. By 9pm the concert area was packed and when all the seats were taken people sat on whatever they could find, and when these places were taken people were happy to just stand.

The band, comprising of Michel Foizon (guitar), Sam Tchang (guitar), Antoine Perrut (bass and sax), and Vincent Daune (drums) got started just after 9.30pm with an instrumental warm-up and introduction – and then Nico was on stage and the show really got going.

Nico with Michel Foizon

Most of all Nico is a great bluesman. Nico Wayne Toussaint is a unique French blues artist. A master of the Blues Harp he is one of the rare artists to have created a completely personal vocal and performance style. His current musical universe goes way beyond his earlier influences.

Seeing his explosive concert and his sheer talent it is easy to see how he has built a solid reputation in France and around the world (he tours regularly all over USA and Canada). His on stage charisma is exceptional and his music is largely inspired by America's deep south and peppered with African, and jazzy spices.

This guy is a real showman and he’s so amazing every time he plays live. He puts life into his music with his unique personality and with his amazing energy, but he has retained the soul of the music that has been pioneered by the masters of the Blues. Always singing in the language the song was penned he shows his deep respect for the legend.

Switching to swing for “When the Bobcat Play” he was soon back to blues for “Living on the Highway”.

Sam Tchang

Sam Tchang gave Nico a break with his very impressive version of “Turpentine”. A master of guitar improvisation Sam also has a remarkable voice and showed it with his gutsy rendition.

Nico changed the mood by switching to songs, in French, that he has written for his album Blues Entre les Dents (Blues Between the Teeth). A superb album that I bought on the spot.

Of course Nico and his band had to reply to the cries for more and I was truly amazed at how anyone can sing, play harmonica, smile and laugh most of the time, and jump and dance, both on the stage and within the audience. Remarkable stamina and remarkably good blues music.

Nico Wayne Toussaint is constantly touring, from Europe to the USA, and is really respected for his impressive live performances. He’s considered by a lot of European blues magazines as one of Europe’s best blues singer and harmonica player. I can unreservedly recommend you buy any of his seven albums from Dixiefrog Records that include originals and covers but always recorded with his very personal touch and his energetic temper.

Nico is due to return to the USA early October but there is still time to see him at:

25 September               Tournon-d’Agenais, Lot-et-Garonne (47)

02 October                     Festival Blues en Vo, Deuil la Barre,

                                                     Île-de-France  (95)

April 2010

RAMBLINGS

Thanks to all those that are keeping me supplied with blues fodder, and a BIG thanks to YOU for reading this blog. I hope you like it. Any comments, advice, or ideas will always be appreciated . And do please pass the  blog link on to any friends. Thanks. 

In this issue we have news of Joe Louis Walker coming to Cahors. The wonderful voice of Connie Lush (see March 2010 issue) will be in France too. Nico Wayne Toussaint, harmonica fantastic, continues with his tour in France and Spain. Malted Milk are running around, and BB King will be in Cognac again.

Other news is that the UK government has announced that they want to put a stop to the illegal downloading of music. I cannot imagine how they will do that, it is all a bit too late, but I wish them luck - after all it is wrong. But then, so is fiddling one's expenses!!!!!!!!!!! What do you think about music downloads and copying? Has the music industry shot itself in the foot? Let me know your thoughts.

WHAT'S ON?
April

01   Eric Bibb is at salle Grappelli, Nice (06)

02   American Gospel Connection is at Palavas les Flottes

02   Eric Bibb is at Mainvilliers -­ Salle des fêtes

03   Connie Lush is at Regneville-Sur-Mer (76)

03   Eric Bibb is at St Rémy-Les ­Chartreuses -­ Jazz à Toute Heure
06 - 10  Nico Wayne Toussaint is at Hotel Meridien, Paris  
15   Nico Wayne Tousaint is at Ruel Malmaison (92)
17   Little Bob is at Le Mans (72) - Circuit 24h Moto
23   Pura Fe is at Merville (59) - Espace Culturel

23   Malted Milk is at Le Thor (84) -­ Le Sonograf   
24   Malted Milk is at Périgueux -­ Les Toquets
25   Pura Fe is at Grande-Synthe (59) - Centre Culturel
25   Malted Milk is at La Roche Posay ­- Festival Images en Scènes

BLUES NOTE

Joe Louis Walker adds to the line-up of magnificent blues artist to perform at the Cahors Blues Festival in July 2010.

Starting out in his teens, in San Francisco, Joe Louis hung out with guitarist Mike Bloomfield and jammed along with visiting bluesmen in the local clubs.

At some stage he moved to gospel and sang with the gospel quartet, the Spiritual Corinthians which, at the time when blues was more clearly defined as ‘Delta’, ‘Chicago’, or ‘West Coast’ seemed to confuse his listeners. But by the mid 90’s he was becoming more consistent and set about setting himself new challenges. Great Guitars (1997), with leaders like Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Ike Turner is an interesting feature of his work and reveals his wide knowledge of the blues.

Multiple Grammy and WC Handy award winner, Joe Louis Walker, is now a ‘must’ to see and hear. A guitar legend and a singer/song writer he now relentlessly tours the world spreading his unique style of his blues passion. He now has 19 solo albums and countless compilations with guest appearances.

Joe Louis Walker is truly keeping the legend alive and he is coming to the South Of France this year. Don’t miss him.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

John Lansley - Musician

John’s first visit to the Aude (11) was more than 4 years ago, when he and his then musical partner made the long trip down from Luxembourg to play at a birthday party. Seduced by the south of France, he has now made his home here and has started to get actively involved in the music scene.

South Of France Blues – What is your musical background?

JL – I started at the tender age of 13 and within a few years was serving my apprenticeship in various bands playing everything from Cream to Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath to Genesis, Pink Floyd to Yes. Over the years I have graduated from what might be termed English Blues through ProgRock, experimental music, reggae, and latterly back to the blues.

South Of France Blues – Guitar favourites and influences?

JL – Early on I guess it was Clapton, Rory Gallagher, Tony McPhee (The Groundhogs), then people like Santana, John McLaughlin, Steve Howe, Bob Fripp, Allan Holdsworth, Mick Ronson. But stand out influences are Peter Green and Jeff Beck – both have superb sense of touch, dynamics and melody, originating in blues forms, but taking the original ideas forward rather than churning out the same riffs.

South Of France Blues – What are your plans now?

JL – I love playing live and have been trying to find suitable opportunities here in France. I also love playing with interesting musicians who are involved in different types of music, and seeing what happens. So creating, writing and recording are also very important to me.

It is clear there are some good musicians in the area, and lots of people interested in listening to live music, but there seems to be relatively few venues capable of providing for the demand. I’m involved with a group of people trying to address this. Watch this space!

South Of France Blues – Aha! Do tell us more...

JL – Well its early days but we’d like to set up a sort of Blues Association which would help put musicians in touch with each other, publicise and even arrange gigs, help with recording projects and so on. But we’ve got some work to do before we’re ready to launch it. Anyone interested in helping should get in touch with me (john.lansley@yahoo.co.uk)!

South Of France Blues – So you’re a professional musician? Or (dare I suggest it) retired?

JL – Ha ha. Neither. I have always wanted to have fun playing and made the decision not to rely on music to pay the rent. My ‘day job’ is in the investment planning field – I was a tax consultant advising expatriates around the world and over the last 20 years have also been specialising in helping people invest their money tax-efficiently, deal with pensions, inheritance issues, and related financial matters. I am a member of the Spectrum IFA Group (www.spectrum-ifa.com) and will gladly discuss either music or finance with anyone!

At the time of this Blog chapter South Of France Blues is working with John to find a suitable venue in the Aude (11) for blues events and for ‘open mic’ jamming sessions. Anyone who can also assist in this direction, or is interested to play, can contact John on the link above or through the comments link on this page.

Loads more gigs coming up in May. Keep watching this space. As the South of France starts to warm up so will The Blues.

A bientôt

February 2010

RAMBLINGS

Wowwee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A huge thank you to all those who have viewed South of France Blues. You are part of a group of interested readers in France (many), the UK (just as many), Spain, Denmark, and the good old US of A. The response has been overwhelming and it is clear that there is a real desire to keep The Legend alive.

However, don’t forget, this is your site too. If you play I want to know, we all want to know, about your experiences, your likes and dislikes, and where you play so that we can all come and hear you.

If you like to listen, tell us what you like to listen to and why. Let us all know about that favourite track or album that we can all add to our collections. And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do tell me about gigs coming up soon in your area – wherever you are.

One of the nicest emails I have received since creating this site was from a French blues artist who wrote “Thank you for putting the light on us french blues players. We need more recognition”. That makes it worth doing – doesn’t it?

BLUES NOTE

My next blues legend has to be Memphis Minnie and what a lady of blues she was.

Born in 1897 and named Lizzie Douglas she spent her early years growing up in Louisiana, near to New Orleans. She then moved to Walls, Mississippi, south of Memphis, and by her early twenties she was playing and singing on the local streets.

By the time she was thirty she had moved to Chicago and was playing the clubs with Joe McCoy as Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie (original eh?). However, this only lasted until 1935 and then in 1939 she married guitarist Ernest Lawlars (Little Son Joe). They worked together to produce some potent blues, much of her songs crying out events in her life in true blues style.

Arguably the best example of this period in her life can be heard, on YouTube, with “In My Girlish Days” – and you gain the benefit of a mildly saucy video clip too! But do concentrate on the music, please.

“In my Girlish Days” and 24 other fabulously gritty songs can be found on her album “Me And My Chauffeur Blues”. A must for any serious collection.

As a singer/songwriter and instrumentalist she was the only female blues artist that matched her male contemporaries, and boy, did she do it good.

Minnie was a warm favourite well into the 50’s. Retiring and spending her remaining years back in Memphis. She died, aged 76.

THE COLLECTION


Ever since I saw Jimi Marshall Hendrix, around 1967, in London at what was said to be his last UK performance (he did do others later on), I have been a fan of his everlasting music. However, I had not thought of him as a blues man – until now.

“Blues”, by Jimi Hendrix, has proved to me that he was not influenced from the planet Zogg but that he was   beautifully weaned on blues legends Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and the like.

The more I play this album, well ……. the more I play it.

  I just love the acoustic version of “Hear My Train A Comin’” (Track 1) this is real    country blues that he performs remarkably well. There is an ‘electric’ version of the same song which definitely has an “Are You Experienced” feel about it. Not my favourite track but the others more than make up for it.

Other great tracks are “Red House”, “Voodoo Chile Blues”, and “Bleeding Heart”, all undeniably blues and all undeniably Hendrix.

It will be a long time before I stop playing this one.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Nico Wayne Toussaint is from Toulon, just east of Marseille – one of my favourite parts of France – and he found The Blues when he was just 15. Music was in his blood. His father played jazz and Cajun country music on piano and even helped Nico form his first band, Vent du Sud.

Nico now spends his time performing, on tour, in the USA, France, Spain, Switzerland, and elsewhere, playing over 100 gigs a year.

Track him down and you will find his music pleasantly lively, full of the passion you would expect from a southern boy, and wonderfully influenced by Muddy Waters and James Cotton, in the Chicago Blues style.

All music to my ears, and I wanted to know more about this great French Blues Man.


South of France Blues: "Hi Nico. You are now living in Miami, USA. Does this mean that we will not see you performing in France"?
 
Nico: "No, of course not. I play a lot in France and will be on tour during 2010. I'm in BORDEAUX this month"!
 
South of France Blues: "Do you write your own music and where do you go for your inspiration"?


Nico: "Yes, I like to write my own music and have done so for some of the tracks on my albums. I still am influenced by the great blues players like Muddy Waters but also by Parisian French singers as Brel or Brassens".
 
South of France Blues: "Tell us about your albums Nico, what is your favourite"?
 
Nico: "I have 8 albums available, all through Dixiefrog Records. I loved 'My Kind of Blues', and 'Transgender' has a special meaning as it was written for a good friend. My 'Blues Entre Les Dents' is my latest album and I love it. It is the result of many years of hard work and has 70% of the songs in French. I hope you like it".
 
South of France Blues: "I certainly do like it. Thanks Nico. Keep blowing that harp (I wish I could play just half as well!!), and we look forward to seeing you on tour.
 

Awesome. I love the green suit!!
 
Do try to see Nico. His full tour is listed on his website and, if you can't make it, you can find all his albums on Dixiefrog Records. Either way you will not be disappointed.
 
WHATS GOING ON ?


12 February           Nico Wayne Toussaint at Comptoir du Jazz, BORDEAUX (33)             

13 February          Nico Wayne Toussaint at Salle Jeliot, OLORON SAINTE MARIE (64)

13 February          ZIA at Les Pratx, GINESTAS (11) 0468 33 90 76                                  



10-17 July                The Cahors Blues Festival, CAHORS (46)                                      
22 July – 1 August    Cognac Blues Passions, COGNAC (16)                                                  
I hope you liked the Blog. Keep your comments and ideas, and gigs near you, coming in.

Cheers