Martha Reeves & the Vandellas @ New Morning, Paris May 07 2014

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas @ New Morning, Paris May 07 2014

 Rehearsals

We went to the new Morning a little bit earlier than usual as we were not sure to attend this gig as we had to go to Sharon Jones & The dapkings playing Canal+ L'Album de la Semaine. We were just on time to attend the rehearsals, luckily enough she almost played for an hour going through most of the songs that she will play tonight with a host of French Players. Great to hear her sing in an empty club just for us.

Then we went to Canal+ and came back as soon as we could, once again we were lucky as there were two support bands and Martha didn't play before 10:00 pm. We didn't miss a single minute of it.
lively atmosphere on stage and in the audience with Martha making the show, leading the band with some of her most famous songs (see setlist for details), having a couple of guys on stage and making jokes between songs. Her first show in Paris for 20 years I've been told.
So nice to hear "Dancing in the street", "Jimmy Mack", "Heatwave" and a few others that so many bands covered...
Afetr the show she gladly signed, chated and had a drink with the audience...

 setlist

 

John Mayall @ New Morning, Paris April 18 2014

John Mayall @ New Morning, Paris April 18 2014

Legendary Blues man JOHN MAYALL is playing a sold-out concert @ the tiny jazz club New Morning.
First there is the sound check, he's putting his own setlist on his keyboard , then he's setting up the merchandise table (on his own) with a nice stole and cardboard that he probably designed himself so that it looks good. He's doing everything...
He has a couple of interviews for France 3 tv and for Soul Bag blues Magazine.
Then before the doors opened he's going to the merchandise table to welcome customers... well in fact to sell his brand new cd, (20 euros straight in his own bag.) and sign it but only the new cd. Don't dare asking him to sign an old vinyl... "After the show only" !
Funny, Never seen that before...he may be 80 years old but he's in charge, he's the boss.
5 minutes before the show he's going backstage.
8:00pm show time, once again he's doing (almost) everything:  singing, playing mouth harp, playing keyboard, many times all three in the same songs.
When he's not doing this he's singing and playing the guitar... nicely.
No need to tell you that the musicianship is high: great guitar player, bass player and drummer.
I mean,  the guy revealed to the world Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and a few others...
Lots of great blues songs,  some of his own but mainly covers including a great 10 min rendition of jazz song "California".
Not only he plays Keys, guitar and  sings he's also the MC introducing the musicians and each song -which is very helpful to write down the setlist ;-) -

The amps are still red hot that the whole band is going to the merchandise table to sell more cds, each musician has his own. You're allowed to have your old vinyl sign this time.

I guess that the best way to have things done perfectly is to do it by yourself and that's what JOHN MAYALL is doing every night.

SETLIST: 1) Dirty water, 2) Big Time Playboy 3) Oh Pretty Woman 4) Gimme one more day 5) Some for Something 6) A special light 7) This one will disappear 8) Help me 9) Have you heard about my baby 10) California  // Encore 11) Howling at the moon

The Animals + Steve Cropper @ New Morning, Jan 24 2013

The Animals + Steve Cropper @ New Morning, Jan 24 2013

Lots of people tonight at the tiny New Morning Club, in fact it was SOLD-OUT a few weeks ago. I gues most people are here to see STAX legend Steve Cropper.
First we have a band playing some original material, not bad.

After a short break we  have The Animals... well, hard to call them the Animals as there is only the drummer (John Steel) from the original band and a keyboard player (Mickey Gallagher) who played one year with them.
In fact it's more an honest cover band playing blues (John Lee Hooker's "Dimples" & "Boom Boom") and Animals songs (see setlist for details).
Then the 'plat de resistance' with legendary STAX guitar player, co-writer of many STAX hits with Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and Booker T & The MGs, Blues Brothers man STEVE CROPPER.
Unfortunately he probably drank too much Whiskey before getting on stage, each song is introduced with a very loooong anecdote which is getting on people's nerves who'd  rather see him playing than talking, he's also singing his songs ( see setlist for details) and he's not a great singer so...

I guess I was expecting a bit more than a cover band and some on and on talking...
Very average gig !

The Blues Brothers will be back in Paris this july for a show

See our reviews of Past BLUES BROTHERS gigs in France:

With Eddie Floyd @ Olympia in 2008

@ Enghien les Bains in 2011

SETLIST

 

Leon Russell @ New Morning, Paris march 19 2012

Leon Russell @ New Morning, Paris march 19 2012

I can't tell you if Leon Russell has already played in Paris before, maybe in the 60's or 70's so tonight's show at the tiny jazz club New morning is a "must see".

French female singer Jain is opening on acoustic guitar, sounds like Selah Sue to me, enjoyable.

Leon Russell arrived @ the New morning in a wheelchair but get on the stage with his cane to sit down behind his keyboard for the whole of his 90 min set.
White long hair and beard , sunglasses white cowboy hat and brown leather jacket: cool look.
Maybe his "hawaiian" shirt with the big flowers is not up to the standard ;-)
Anyway we heard some of his most well-known songs tonight and many covers from other bands
setlist included : Delta lady, Rollin in my sweet, stranger in a strange..., sweet little angel, lady blue, kansas city woman, takes a train, let the good times roll, hard rain, I've just seen a face, lucky ol' sun, song for you, a medley of jumping jack flash-papa was a rolling stone-kansas city (here on video) and a few others.
The voice is a bit frail but the piano playing is intact some of the songs were re-arranged like the up-tempo version of The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses".

I would have prefer more of his songs and less covers but I guess that he's more well known for his contribution for other artists he worked with than for his repertoire even though he had huge hits with his own songs.
Very good show, better than expected.

signed by the Master

Medley:

Beth Hart @ Virgin Megastore, Paris Feb 20 2012 6:30 pm

Beth Hart @ Virgin Megastore, Paris Feb 20 2012 6:30 pm

Beth Hart LIVE

New sensation Beth Hart is playing a free showcase @ Virgin Megastore on the Champs Elysées to promote her latest album.
Her cover of the Tom Waits' song is played on radios over here, her next show @ New Morning club in March is sold-out & another one is planned at the much bigger Cigale theater in June.
So everything's fine for Beth Hart in France these days.

setlist (TBC) & lovely reporter from BFM TV

Lots of people this evening to see Beth, she's getting on the tiny stage on time @ 6:30 for a 50 min set of blues-soul songs on acoustic guitar or on piano.
Her voice is soulful and powerful, she may have changed a couple of songs from the original setlist, she played "Monkey man" (Am I right? ) on request.
That's her second show in Paris as she already opened for Scorpions @ Paris Bercy in 1996.(on Nov 11 to be exact)
Great set

signing & smiling