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31st July 2010
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 Cahors Concert - Thousands Raised For HaitiFebruary 2010 Concert When pianist and jazz-singer Judy Blair saw the plight of the Haiti earthquake victims, her response was immediate: she started organizing a benefit concert. Just as she had for the Katrina disaster. The musicians she contacted, including Gary Brooker - founder of Procul Harum and composer of the most broadcast single of all time were enthusiastic.The Katrina benefit concert had been in the 350-seater auditorium of the music school in Cahors; this time she aimed higher, and obtained permission to use the 700-seater Espace Valentré. She called for help from the Rotary Club in organising the concert, and a team of volunteers swung into action. The resulting concert exceeded all expectations, attracting more than 700 people, who braved a blizzard to be there, and raising more than the targeted 10,000 euros for Haitian orphans.  And what’s more, it was a musical treat.The evening got off to a lively start with folk/blues duo Mark Newman & Michel Griffin, who combined humour, impressive guitar-playing and soulful singing to deliver a memorable set, full of variety and wit – including a zesty arrangement of Davey Graham’s “Angi”, a beautifully sung “To Love Somebody” and a hilarious version of Michel’s “Dreams Like Bubbles”. Francesca Graziano and Limmie Snell were up next, accompanied by Judy Blair on keyboards. Limmie was playing what looked like a guitar but sounded like a bass, while Francesca, who has a fabulous voice, regaled the crowd with some lovely ballads, including a spine-tingling version of Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross”. The first half was brought to a foot-stomping close with Les Toubibs, a New Orleans-style trad-jazz band of six musical medics from Toulouse, who ran faultlessly through a series of standards, including “That's Why They Call Me Shine” and “Le Temps d'une Chanson”.  The deservedly popular blues duo Rag Mama Rag – Ashley & Debbie Dow – opened the second half, and garnered enthusiastic applause for a set of songs ranging from “Ball & Chain” via Ashley’s own “Waiting for my girl to call” to “Going Down to Brownsville”. Ashley’s powerful vocals and driving guitar were, as ever, amply complemented by Debbie’s harmonica and percussion. Rag Mama Rag’s sound is unique, and yet thoroughly authentic. They always sound so much more than a duo. And the audience loved them.It was time for Judy to bring on her quartet – with Judy’s swirling Hammond organ being accompanied by Peter Antaki on bass, Alain Bouvelle on guitar and Christian (Ton ton) Salut on drums. Modestly, they performed a single number – Judy’s own delightful composition “Sunshine” – before asking Gary Brooker to join them on stage.  Charisma is hard to define and impossible to manufacture – but Mr. Brooker has it in spades. He took his place behind the piano, and the band went straight into B.B. King’s “Let the Good Times Roll”. And for the next hour and twenty minutes, that’s exactly what they did ! From the natural ease with which the music flowed, it was hard to believe that they hadn’t been playing together for years. Whether on the medium-tempo ballads such as “Rock Me baby”, or “Blueberry Hill”, or on faster material like Ray Charles’“Unchain My Heart”, or accompanying Gary Brooker through the dizzying key-changes of their version of “Parchment Farm”, the band were as together as a honeymoon-couple. Procul Harum fans were not disappointed, either, with “A Salty Dog” and “Homburg” joining “Grand Hotel” on the playlist – the latter delivered.as an eloquent solo by Mr. Brooker at the piano. After an excursion into classic rock with a version of Chuck Berry’s “Rock & Roll Music”, it was time for THAT song. Its composer elegantly acknowledged his debt to J.S. Bach before swinging into the swirling opening chords of “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, in a version that perfectly evoked the original.  And the crowd went wild, giving the band a 2 minute standing ovation. There were two encores, with Rag Mama Rag, Francesca Graziano, Limmie Snell and the last-minute MC Mick Gardiner joining the group on stage for rousing versions of “All You Need is Love” and “Stand up for Your Rights” to bring the evening to a close.Special mention must go to all the selfless individuals, from the Rotary Club and elsewhere, who contributed so much to the evening’s success – and especially to Laurent Casas, who provided and engineered the sound-system. An essential role, rarely acknowledged. And finally, if proof were needed that the concert was a success, it already has its own channel on YouTube – Haitis SOS on YouTube - where you can go listen to excerpts. © Rob Staples Photos © Ian K. Maclean www.iansongs.com Links Procul Harum Michel Griffin & Mark Newman Francesca Graziano and Limmie Snell Les Toubibs Rag Mama Rag – Ashley & Debbie Dow Holidays and Leisure Home Page |
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