aaamusic | On 07, Apr 2014

Saturday 29th March, Paris

Neal Black and the Healers promise you a road trip into the roots of one of America’s most popular music genres. These blues rock legends perform tonight at the Jazz Club Étoile in Paris’ 17^th arrondissement, to promote their new album Before Daylight released March 2014, under the French Dixiefrog label.

The venue, which has staged some of the greatest names in jazz, from Dizzie Gillepsie to Diana Krall and Dee Dee Bridgewater, now hosts (for more than three hours) one of the most dynamic and inventive blues rock acts. Neal Black is a Texas-born artist has lived between southern France and the US since 2004, , performing a lot of shows in Europe. His unique approach to lead guitar mixing Texan roots with a turbo-charged Chris Rea or Peter Green sound has won him many praises.

In the darkly lit room, with only a few colored spots here and there, the musicians appeared on stage plainly dressed and openly smiling. They started with ‘Stepping Out’, a punchy and classic blues rock track making a strong instrumental introduction to the night, on which Neal confirms right away his mastering of the guitar, full of an American open-road spirit. The public is already fond of them. The atmosphere of the night is very friendly and open; it is striking and heartwarming to see how happy the musicians are to be playing together and sharing it with the public – the drummer especially, Dave Bowler, who wears a constant smile on his lips.

The second song, ‘I’ll Fly Away’, is a country ballad on which Neal begins to sing with his distinct low and hoarse voice. We can just feel the Southern American roots alright here, and almost feel the sun on our neck and the dust in our eyes. The French harmonica player Pascal Bako Mikaelian joins them on the third song ‘Poor Boy’, perfectly fitting the whole country-blues rock mood. Bako gives a very nice solo using a broad tone spectrum. The music alternates well between solos and riffs, keeping the public’s attention and making it easier to follow and enjoy the concert.

After a presentation of the musicians, they continue with ‘Jail in San Antone’, a song that Neal wrote while in jail in Texas. It starts on a loud and happy 60s blues rock rhythm, and the singer starts interacting with the public, who repeat his “I said yeah!” happily, enjoying the fact that they’re contributing. Mike Lattrell then, on the piano, makes a fired up solo and is literally dancing on his keyboards. Rarely have I seen a band with such communicative enthusiasm.

Then enters another guitarist: Fred Chapellier, also French. He is a very close friend and colleague of Neal‘s. ‘Daily Bread’ is a song they made up together with Nico Wayne Toussaint a couple of years ago. Neal and Fred do a little guitar Q/A on this one, showing their perfect concord – we can read on their faces that they’re having a blast, and as it develops the public get all the more excited.

Neal presents the following song from their new album, ‘Before Daylight’. His overall lyrical content approaches more a bluesy version of Bukowski than classic country/rock, and the mood of this particular song somehow lifts you from the ground. You’re back on the ground quickly though with the following ‘Road Back Home’, a classic country song – you can absolutely picture yourself driving on a never-ending road after a long night at the bar, the sun rising on your back. Once more, Fred‘s second guitar begins to communicate with Neal‘s; the eager public begin to clasp their hands, and repeat the singer’s “I say yeah – oh yeah”, until a climax is reached and it all ends in furious cheering.

The song ‘Jesus & Johnnie Walker’, referring of course to the Whiskey label, sees Fred coming back on stage. Also extracted from their newest album, it is a very enjoyable song with funny and controversial (depending on where you stand) lyrics like “You gotta let Jesus, or Johnnie Walker, take your hand”, “Jesus and the Devil are the same ol’ man”. Equally profound is the following song, ‘American Dream’, a critical account of living in America and its disillusions – “as much as I love it….”, says Neal.

Next, ‘Who Do You Love’ starts very dynamically and at one point both guitars take on a slightly oriental, mysterious aura; a very nice change from the pragmatic country American mood. Another guitar solo definitely asserts an oriental touch. A pause in the song occurs where only Dave, on drums, and Kris Jefferson, on bass guitar, remain on stage and start playing together. It is one of the nicest surprises of the night: Kris masters his bass during a highly technical solo, and is clearly enjoying his little moment of glory – and rightly so! The public is gobsmacked by his controlled nerve, rapidity and creativity. After a very warm applause, everyone gets back on stage to end the song in style.

The following track adopts a calm ternary rhythm, and could make you think of an old gangster movie soundtrack. ‘I Don’t Get the Blues’ talks about a lonely life in Texas: “Down here in Texas / I’m on my own”, “I don’t get the blues / When I’m stoned”. Neal’s Voodoo-like voice on a background of harmonica greatly adds to the lone-cowboy style. Next, ‘Hurt So Bad’ sees a guest coming on stage: Bako’s daughter, Lucile Mikaelian. She has a powerful voice and a good blues feeling – she does not use a great range of nuances though, but she has good potential and there is no doubt that with time she will find her own personal style. At one point Dave begins his first solo on his drums, acclaimed by everyone, so wide-ranging and melodious it reminds us that drums really are a special instrument indeed; not only a supportive one. The night was one of getting back to one’s roots; even if they’re not properly our own, the band was happy enough to share them with us.

Marguerite Gallorini