We receive the American artist Natalia M King for the release of his new album Woman Mind Of My Own and Elliot Murphythe most French of Americans, in duet in this album on the title Pink Houses of John Mellencamp. They are our guests in the #SessionLive as well as 2 journalists who have agreed to present them: Francis Dordor and Laurent Bachet.
Portrait of Natalia M King by Francis Dordor.
Born in New York in the late 60s, Natalia Maria King grew up in Brooklyn, in a single parent family. Her mother, of Dominican origin, works as a service woman in a school canteen. In the 70s and 80s, New York was a wonderful melting pot and Natalia’s ears were solicited by a wide range of music: rock, disco, soul, salsa, rap. But for all that, can we speak of influences, in the case of an artist who will for a long time contrive to erase all belonging, seek to break with everything that preceded her, to invent her own language, her own sound? , find your own truth.
His life is thus made up of many ruptures. The first takes place at the University of Rochester where she devotes herself to the thought of the philosopher John of Salisbury, a medieval humanist to whom we owe this quote: “We are dwarfs, sitting on the shoulders of giants“.
If studying philosophy takes her out of her native environment, allows her to know a little more about herself and her place in this world, she does not intend to stay seated for long, even on the shoulders of others. ‘a giant. In a tradition that owes as much to Arthur Rimbaud as to beatnik authors, she then hit the road, crossed the United States from East to West, aboard a bus, accumulating food jobs along the way, she washed dishes in restaurants, delivers pizzas, drains engines and takes advantage of his spare time to fill a notebook with snippets of poetry, the beginnings of his songs. After toiling aboard a trawler off the coast of Alaska, she heads for California where she becomes a taxi driver in Long Beach. It was in California that she really discovered music, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Doors, which made her say “I don’t believe in intergenerational conflict..
We find it in 1998 in Paris, a city that had been a refuge for many black American artists including Miles Davis and Archie Shepp, who were no longer required to take the service entrance to access a room. From there, she skips the steps, and metro corridors where she sings accompanying herself on the guitar for a few songs, finds herself in 1time part of Diana Krall on stage at the Olympia.
Sound 1er scrapbook scrapbook Milagro in 2001 is without equivalent for the time. Having preserved the spirit of the wildest rock, while freeing itself from form, her free rock owes nothing to anyone, except to herself and her indomitable character. Will follow 2 other equally radical works “Furyandsound” and “Flesh Is Speaking”. Too radical perhaps. Still, tired of digging the same alternative furrow, she decides to return to the United States and does food jobs again. You have to believe that only real stars deserve to reappear after eclipse, because back in France after a few years, Natalia will return to music with soulblazz and Bluezzin T’il Dawn. And the one who does not believe in the conflict between generations, naturally slips into the footsteps of 2 great singers, Nina Simone and Billie Holiday.
This new rupture announces his last collection Woman Mind Of My Own which is both a tribute to some great names in blues and soul like Robert Johnson or Aretha Franklin, but also a celebration of what she is deep within herself, a free woman who asserts her sexuality , an artist who lived the blues before singing it.
Then we receive Elliot Murphysigned portrait Laurent Bachet.
So question: is it Elliott Murphy who chose France, or is it France who chose Elliott Murphy? In any case, he has lived in Paris for 32 years and no one complains about it, quite the contrary.
The 1time time he played here was at the Palace in 1979, where he got 6 recalls. He said to himself: “Here, I’m liked.” Finally he said it in English from New York, because at the time, he did not yet speak French perfectly.
Of course, he is already appreciated by the great pens of the specialized press and by a cohort of devoted fans who, since the publication of his 1er album in 73, adores the poetic and urban universe of this cultured rocker, passionate and elegant dandy.
In the United States, Elliott Murphy is therefore a cult artist who himself admires Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Otis Redding and his friend Lou Reed. With this culture and this know-how, even if you are an excellent showman, it is not always easy to impose yourself, especially if you are compared to other artists who are emerging at the same time as you, such as David Bowie or Bruce Springsteen, another of his friends, because yes Elliott has many friends.
So he tries travel, adventure, exile perhaps. In the summer of 89, he landed in Paris with his guitar, his harmonica and moved to the Bastille. That day, the jets of the Patrouille de France paraded in the sky, leaving large multicolored trails, not to mention the 2 huge parades on the Champs-Elysées. In the streets we sing, we dance, we celebrate. Very naturally, Elliott Murphy takes all of this as signs of welcome towards him. However, it was July 14, 1989 and France was celebrating with great fanfare the bicentenary of the French Revolution. Immediately adopted by the local population, Eliott Murphy found his refuge here and since then he shines throughout Europe with an average of a hundred concerts a year.
He knows how to write songs that become classics, he knows how to stand on a stage, and he knows how to surround himself with faithful and talented musicians like Melissa Cox and Olivier Durand here present. On the other hand, Elliott Murphy does not know how to give bad concerts. Between folk, blues and rock, it offers intense journeys that are unlike any other. And as this troubadour is more of the hyperactive type, between 2 concerts and 2 albums, he writes articles, beautiful novels and he even happens to be an actor in films. Because Elliott Murphy also has a great look: stylish headgear for all seasons, privateer scarf, pointed Beatles-style boots, all highlighting an oh so sharp silhouette.
Because since he lives near the Italian theaters on the main boulevards in Paris, he has also acquired something a little special and quite French: the panache! American class, he already had it.
Pieces performed at RFI during the #SessionLive
– Woman Mind Of My Own (Natalia M King)
– A Touch Of Kindness (Elliott Murphy)
-Forget Yourself (Natalia M King)
– On Elvis Presley’s Birthday (Elliott Murphy)
And the duo on Pink Houses (Natalia & Elliott) by John Mellencamp.
Musicians
– Elliott Murphy guitar, voice
-Olivier Durandguitar, choir
-Melissa Coxviolin.
– Natalia M Kingvoice, guitar
– Ludovic Bruniguitar.
His : Mathias Taylor and Benoit Letirant
Directed by: Steven Helsley.
(Replay)