Simply The Blues, Mumbai’s unique roots blues festival now in its 4th edition, ​pioneered by Blues lover Anil Mehta of ​StarKonnect Event & Promotion, recently brought down  multi-award winning French blues band Lil Red & The Roosters for a multi-city blues festival that took the band to Goa (Sept 24), Mumbai (Sept 25) , Bangalore (Sept 26) and Delhi (Sept 27). The Mumbai gig was held on September 2​5​th at the blueFrog, Lower Parel.

All set to engulf blues music lovers with their refreshing sense of humour, Lil Red & The Roosters’ originals bring the 40’s and 50’s blues, and rhythm and blues into the present day. Jennifer Milligan has the voice of a diva that walks voluptuously from Bessie Smith to Janis Joplin. An authentic storyteller with a voice sometimes serious and sometimes sweet, and an unshakeable smile, she holds the rhythm with a light snare shuffle or washboard scratch. Multi-award winning French blues guitarist Pascal Fouquet shines in this intimate setting, agile fingers gliding over the strings of his guitar, always searching for the perfect sound, where you can hear every nuance of his 40 years’ experience. 2012 King of the Chug winner French harmonist the charming Thomas Troussier plays blues harp from his heart and soul. They’re warm and inviting and their music is inspired and innovative.

These gigs connect the sounds of modern blues to its roots music, through the ‘washboard’ – one of the most unique roots blues instruments which will debut for the first time ever on the Indian live music stage.

We met up with Jennifer Milligan to know more about this French band. Excerpts from an exclusive interview a few hours before the Mumbai gig.

Why the name Lil Red and the Roosters when there is no real person by that name in the band? How did the name come about?

There’s a famous Blues song called “The Little Red Rooster”. My grandfather was called Red for his red hair and while at the conservatory of music one of my favorite teachers started calling me Red. It stuck. The Rooster, “le coq” is the symbol for France. Voila! Lil’ Red & The Rooster.

When you think of India what comes to your mind first?

I’ve always wanted to visit India. I love the food; I love the music and have made incredible friends from India. We won’t have much time to visit, so we’re looking forward to an incredible musical conversation with the audience.

Have you heard of any blues music artists from India or even Indian music?

I’m not familiar with specific Indian blues bands, but since I know there is a blues scene in India, I will check them out. I’m fascinated and a bit overwhelmed by the intricacy of Indian music. The energy it produces is eye-opening. I do listen to Indian meditation radio when I practice yoga.

What is a Lil Red and the Roosters show like?

We play electric band blues in a roots blues format giving more space to the music so the public can hear the nuances of these well marinated soloists. In roots blues, the guitarist is required to hold the rhythm of the bass and drum with the thumb while soloing with the other fingers. An electric band guitarist is free to soar on the groove of the rhythm section. Pascal Fouquet incorporates both styles. To replicate the electric band experience he uses a basic live looper, meaning he records a bass line or rhythm guitar part live and the looper repeats exactly what he plays with no corrections. This gives him the freedom to fly in his solos. I wanted to keep the percussion light, adding only what’s needed and no more. I was a tap dancer when I was younger and I’ve found the washboard allows me to tap with my hands. I use two wire hair brushes instead of the traditional finger thimbles, so I can I have the clack of the wood handles and the scratch of the wire. My washboard is from my home state of Ohio. I also use a snare drum, cymbal, tambourine, shaker and cowbell. I let the songs guide me towards the sounds I want to capture the rhythm of a particular song. The rhythms of Blues come out of the sounds of the life of the African-American slaves: trains, horses, hoes, rakes, chains, wagon wheels. Thomas uses both acoustic and electric harmonica techniques and plays both rhythm and solo. In the vocals you’re going to hear all the music and singers that have inspired me throughout my life including Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Janis Joplin, T-Bone Walker, Tom Waits and Bonnie Raitt. 

The band uses the Washboard. Can you tell us something about this instrument and how you guys came to be using it?

The Blues came out of a terrible time of oppression in the United States. African-American slaves were not allowed to have drums because it was feared that they would be able to communicate from plantation to plantation. So they picked up whatever they could find to play music including the spoons, washtub bass and the washboard. It’s been associated with the blues as a roots instrument for nearly a century now. It’s even commonly called a “chicken scratch guitar” from the scratchy sound one can draw from it. Nothing has come around to replace the sound of the washboard so they’ve adapted it for contemporary percussionists making it a form fit sheet of metal. I prefer the old fashioned washboard with the wood frame and I use wood and metal hair brushes instead of the traditional finger thimbles because I can get a wood on wood clack as well as the metal scratch.  As a duo or a trio, where we would be a couple of guys short in the band, the washboard has allowed us to incorporate a rhythm section. The traditional use of thimbles on the fingers didn't work for me. The sound is too aggressive for me and it takes too long to put all the thimbles on. I grabbed a hair brush, tried it and liked the light scratch sound. Plus I'm able to use the wood handles and frames for different effects. The thing I've discovered and grown to love about the washboard is I'm able to put my old tap dance training into my hands on the washboard.

How many members are in the band and do the same musicians play at all shows or you also have session musicians?

I met Pascal, who is my life partner, in a bar in Paris. Fell in love with him and his music. We two are the original Roosters. We perform extensively as a duo across Europe as well as in USA. We keep adding musicians to the duo as per the demands of the gig. For the Indian tour we are joined by Thomas Troussier on the blues harp.

Who are your musical influences and do you use those influences in your music?

Our influences are many and diverse from T-Bone Walker and Big Mama Thornton to Ella Fitzgerald and BB King to Tom Waits and Kenny Burrell. Yes most definitely! We will be playing a mix of the classics and our original compositions for the Indian audience.

What is the music scene back home in France?

The music culture in France is lively and booming. There are several clubs and live music bars that continue to cater to the blues and jazz music lovers.

Which major blues festivals you have played at and which has been the most memorable?

Pascal and I have performed at a number of blues festivals as a duo. The most memorable would be winning the Columbus Blues Challenge in the year 2014.  It's an annual event where they choose a band and a solo/duo act to represent Columbus at the International Blues Challenge. We as a band were also finalists at the French Blues challenge in 2015.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira