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

Cahors Blues Festival - Day Five

Wednesday 14 July

I was excited, we'd had our night off and now I was ready for the shows that had drawn me to Cahors. Connie Lush, Nina Attal, Nine Below Zero – oh, that reminds me, it was still around 30°c - all yet to come. So sporting our “South Of France” 'T' shirts we again hiked our way up the charming Boulevard Gambetta to the festival village at the Espace Bessieres.

Almost precisely at 5pm the first band up on stage were:

The Honeymen (French)

It is very rare that I will by a CD on the back of a live session but these guys; brothers Jimmy and Elmore, lured me into parting with 12 euros for “High Rise Fever”.

Jimmy is the bald geezer with dark glasses, plays guitar and sings – the straight man. Brother Elmore provides great blues harp, vocals, and the humour. Oh, and Jimmy also bashes away at a pair of foot-pedal drums.

An all round true blues duo, great beat, great harping, that would be welcome at any gig or concert.

Jimmy sings in a gutsy American blues style that completely masks his natural accent (that always amazes me) plus a wonderful warm harp sound by Elmore, and his retro mic, became for me, a highlight of the week. Why the hell they were not one of the top billings in the main arena defeats me.

I’m playing the CD whilst I type this  and I’m finding it hard to keep still – 12 euros well spent. I’ll do a CD review in a future blog.

Kevin Texas Band (French)

I really wasn’t sure of what to expect from this band and the Honeymen were going to be a hard act to follow. The programme read ‘do not miss on any pretext’ and I’m pleased to say that the advice was sound – they were good entertainment and a great way to spend the last rays of a warm sun whilst supping an ice cool beer – or two!

If I say they were not exceptional I do not in any way want to imply they were not good. A young band of competent musicians they were clearly having as much fun as their audience – and isn't that what it is all about?

The sound was rock ‘n’ blues at its best with great sounds from Kevin Gueganon lead guitar and vocals, Julien Cormier on blues harp, Bruno Breton on bass, and Yves Louet on drums.

An unlikely looking front man for a blues band Kevin toured the audience during a his guitar solo and especially spent time to captivate (and hopefully inspire) the kids. However, he called on Julien Cormier to join him on his sojourn but a harmonica without a remote mic is just lost in a crowd.

I did appreciate their music and think it is great to see young people that can both enjoy and play real music.

Nina Attal (French)

After a short break for some nourishment it was back to the festival village but this time into the paid concerts area for the big stage, and the big build-up for Nina Attal.

Nina is gaining cult status in France and I wanted to see what this was all about – I was not at all disappointed. The girl can sing, in at least French and English - perhaps other languages too, she can certainly play guitar, she is bright and charismatic, and she has surrounded herself with good band of musicians.

At just 18 years old she is a pretty, bubbly, little thing with bags of talent – but not much of a wardrobe!

But it was not Blues. Soul, Funk, Popular, it may have been. Good it certainly was, but it was not Blues.

Frankly it was all pitched a bit too high for me and her two brass players (trumpet and sax) did not help with this. Towards the middle of the second hour my eardrums were beginning to complain and although she is a fantastic artist in what she does I was quite glad when she completed her second encore and stopped.

The audience, however, loved her and without a doubt she has a remarkable music career ahead of her.

Connie Lush & Blues Shouter (British)

This wonderful, lovely woman is stark raving bonkers. Mad as hell but it is this, and being Britain's diva of the blues, that makes Connie Lush sooooo appealing.

Voted Best UK Female Vocalist (5 times!) and European Singer of the Year (2002) in the French Blues Trophies (twice) puts Connie Lush top of her class – and boy does it show.

One minute my eyes were searching amongst the, yet to be used, paraphernalia that is strategically placed around the stage and then the next moment my eyes were fixed only on Connie. Dressed in a kind of 'wife of Fagin' outfit she made her big entrance and stole the scene. The crowd went mad and Connie's strong voice rattled every window in town. Her audience loved everything she did. They lapped up “Send Me No Flowers” and “Blues Is My Business”, and I just loved her version of “Feeling Good” - and I was!

Lubricated by frequent slurps from a rather large glass of Bergerac(!) rosé wine she kept up a stunning performance for a full two hours. I'm not so sure that boasting about drinking Bergerac wine, on stage, in Cahors went down quite so well with the traditionalists but how could anyone not love her – and they did love and enjoy this amazing eccentric, talented, English woman.

The dynamics of the performer/audience relationship created a positive exchange of high voltage energy. To say that she is a hit in France is just slightly an understatement! The French love her.

And, she had another little surprise up her voluminous sleeve, Connie stopped the show and she introduced a young, home-grown, harmonica player and singer in the form of Rachelle Plas. Strangely, I had seen a single poster in the town advertising Rachelle Plas to be playing in a restaurant on Friday evening and, being as I have an interest in harmonica playing, I had booked us a table. Now we were going to get a preview!

It was pretty obvious that this situation had not been rehearsed but Rachelle managed to find the beat with the lads of Blues Shouter and came up with some pretty impressive harp playing. What was very clear was that Connie and Rachelle hit it off and were having a ball.

More on Rachelle Plas later.

Blues Shouter are a good band and support Connie well. Pete (?) gave us some jaw dropping solo guitar licks and hubby Terry was brilliant on bass – not often we see a bass player who shows he is having a good time!

Seeing Connie Lush & Blues Shouter was an absolute treat and I can't wait to see them again – soon – but I do have to admit I was wrong in my March 2010 blog. I had previously likened Connie Lush to Tina Turner and Gladys Knight. Well, perhaps they just sound a bit like Connie -  because she is no copy. She is unique and sounds like no one except Connie Lush – because she is …...... Connie Lush.