DOOMED & STONED IN FRANCE (VOL. II)

Sorry if you were not aware yet, but France is not only the country of culture, champagne, tasty gastronomy, social rights and impetuosity (I made it short, you can complete the list… hahaha), for quite some years now it’s also a growing source of heavy and doomy sounds!

I hope, Volume 1 already proved to most of your ears this new solid trait ! Now I tried to push this volume 2 even further in terms of quality, diversity and with some nice surprises for the occasion (like a special comeback, songs in avant-premiere).

From doom/death to harsh sludge, while not forgetting stonerized or psychedelized stuff and naturally more traditional Doom spheres, you’ll get here a pretty dense and diversified inventory of the underground scene I’m succumbing for…

Now enjoy your journey in our tortured yet beautiful soundscapes and please SUPPORT our bands !

Steph LE SAUX 07/2023

Buddy Guy on The Blues

“I’d pay anything to make sure this music does what it’s always meant to do: Let people know they ain’t alone. See, we all got the blues. That’s the human condition. But those blues don’t mean we got to grieve. Those blues will warm your heart. When the groove gets to your gut, those blues, brother, turn sad to glad.”Buddy Guy

When it goes out of shape…

Just remember, never show your hand. So if you didn’t feel 100% about your performance, and we never do, don’t let the audience know. Let them decide how you played and how much they enjoyed it. I think you’ll be surprised in their version of events compared to yours as a player.

Matt Warnock

The dog charity gig was interesting……..
We set up under the lovely shelter they had erected for us. Then there was a downpour and we were flooded out! We moved to higher ground and set up again. It wasn’t ideal, I couldn’t hear the other guys very well, and I wasn’t happy with my sound. However, I resolved to play like I meant it, and look like I was enjoying the best concert ever. The bass player and the drummer didn’t really know the set that well so we were a bit ropey to say the least. But we tried, and it was fun.
At the end of the afternoon, the woman who booked us came over and said……get this….”So you’re Serge Bardot! You are bloody fantastic!”…..She went on to tell us how much she had enjoyed it. How much better we were than any other band she’d booked, and, booked us again (with a fee) for another gig at a private party. We also had a geezer who runs an internet radio station asking us if we had any recordings as he would love to do a feature on us on his show! On top of that a string of people complimented us and thanked us.
So there you go. I have no idea how that works……but it does.

Solo Guitar philosophy by Joe Pass…

“A lot of people think that your’e playing like bass notes at the same time your’e playing chords at the same time your’e playing melody, and it’s not like that. It’s an illusion. Your’e playing a bass note sometimes your’e playing a chord sometimes your’e playing the melody most of the time and your’e filling. So it’s all done by doing something with motion. If you try to play a bass note on the chord on every beat, you’d be working for 8 months on one song and then once you learn it, thats the only way your’e gonna play it.” Joe Pass

I had to let that sink in a while…..

The Beautiful One has left us…

It is with a heavy aching heart that I tell you that our beloved Princess has left us. She had been ill for a while. She started to go downhill really quickly. All too soon, she was gone. At least we were there to say goodbye….I held her in my arms.
She was twelve and a half years old. She had been with us for 11years. She had a good life. Wanted for nothing. We always put her first. We loved her. We miss her so much.

I hope that in time we will come to remember the good times, of which there were many. At the moment we are numb.

Is Jazz old peoples music?

Jazz Guitar

No, jazz is not just old people’s music. While jazz has its roots in the early 20th century and was popularized by musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Parker, it continues to evolve and be relevant today. Jazz has influenced and been influenced by other genres such as rock, hip hop, and electronic music, and continues to attract young audiences and new artists. There are many contemporary jazz musicians who are creating innovative and exciting music that appeals to people of all ages. Therefore, jazz is not just old people’s music, but a vibrant and diverse genre that continues to evolve and inspire new generations of musicians and fans.

Well then, do you have to be old to play jazz?
No, you do not have to be old to play jazz. Jazz is a genre that can be played by musicians of any age. Many great jazz musicians started playing at a young age, such as Wynton Marsalis, who started playing trumpet at the age of six, and Esperanza Spalding, who began playing bass at the age of 15. There are also many young jazz musicians who are making a name for themselves today, such as Joey Alexander, a pianist who gained recognition when he was just 11 years old. While jazz has a rich history and many legendary figures who were active in the genre in the past, it is also a genre that continues to attract and inspire new generations of musicians, regardless of their age.

So, how is jazz doing, as a genre?
Jazz continues to be an important and thriving genre of music. While it may not receive as much mainstream attention as some other genres, it has a dedicated and passionate following around the world. Jazz festivals continue to draw large crowds, and there are many clubs and venues that specialize in jazz music.

In recent years, jazz has also been experiencing a resurgence in popularity among younger audiences, as more and more young musicians are incorporating jazz elements into their music. Jazz has also been embraced by hip hop artists, who have used jazz samples and instrumentation in their music.

In terms of the industry, jazz has faced some challenges due to the decline of physical album sales and changes in the way people consume music. However, many jazz musicians have adapted to these changes by finding new ways to connect with audiences through live streaming, social media, and other digital platforms.

Overall, jazz may not be as prominent in the mainstream as some other genres, but it remains a vibrant and important part of the music world, with a dedicated following and a bright future ahead.

Friday’s Child Album

Six years ago we released this album. We had such great fun making it. If you didn’t catch it first time around, here’s your chance.

Our first album together!
“Each day we went into the studio with an idea, a notion, a catalyst. We emptied our minds and prayed that the Gods of music might express themselves through us”…

This album is dedicated to the glory and majesty of mother earth
Recorded in France 2016. all rights reserved.

Feedback…..
John – Interesting, diverse, mesmerising and most of all extremely listenable. Loved the way the cultures mix and blend superbly on Go-Go-11. That bluesy Stay in bed is a great tune and beautifully handled, however, the best gem amongst all has to be for me, FNIK, that’s awesomely good.


Peter Jezukiewicz Fab album with lots of great ideas and playing.If you start running production coaching courses I’ll sign up!


Steve Trotter – It’s very well recorded….. the content wasn’t what I expected !!! Nevertheless I can hear the work that has been put in to produce such varied tracks … chapeau BenBros for an interesting musical voyage. Hints of Ravi Shankar …Cream …. Al Jarreau …. Alain Caron.

Piers Lane Only had opportunity to listen to the Bhangra track so far. Love it – good drum/percussion sound and lovely freedom to it. Reminds me of Afrocelt Sound System in terms of rhythm/vocals (tho of course different culturally!). Good stuff.

Ernest Taylor What a super eclectic mix of tracks, Steve – very well performed and recorded. Hats off to you and your Bro.

credits

released April 1, 2017

We give thanks to the following musicians for their inspirational contribution….
Madamne Blanc, Tina Chachevski, Rev’ Dave Seward, Serge Baudot, Vihaan Nair, Tim Bragg, The Immaculated Imitators .