Here's an item that dares to confront one of the burning issues of our time: namely, can Frenchmen play the blues? Recorded in 2006, this concert finds a whole passel of French hommes du blues—including no less than five guitar players, and that's before Americans Larry Carlton and Robben Ford even show up—cramming the stage at Paris' New Morning nightclub to play this quintessentially American music. These Gauls have the gall to take on some of the genre's real chestnuts—“Got My Mojo Working,” “Stormy Monday,” “Rock Me Baby,” “Reconsider Baby”—and while the results are occasionally a bit weird (as in “Down in Meessisseeppi”), by and large the music is performed with considerable skill, authenticity, and aplomb by talented guitar players and singers (the best of the latter is an organist who goes by the delightful moniker of Slim Batteux). Still, the whole vibe is ratcheted up a level or two when longtime veterans Carlton and Ford take the stage (not together, unfortunately). Of course, Ford has been making blues albums since his teens, while Carlton's hundreds of recordings include some immortal solos on Steely Dan songs such as “Kid Charlemagne” and “Third World Man.” But there's also a certain je ne sais quoi that American musicians bring to this music, a combination of chops and feel that the French just can't quite match. Then again, they'd no doubt say the same thing about our cooking, n'est-ce pas? Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Autour Du Blues Meets Larry Carlton & Guest Robben Ford: New Morning—The Paris Concert
(2006) 101 min. DVD: $19.95. Music Video Distributors (avail. from most distributors). Volume 23, Issue 4
Autour Du Blues Meets Larry Carlton & Guest Robben Ford: New Morning—The Paris Concert
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