B.B. King
In France: Live at the 1977 Nancy Jazz Pulsations Festival
Deep Digs
Zen Feldman is at it again, digging through the vault of radio archives for those rare recordings that were broadcast and then put away to collect dust. His latest find is a passionate concert B.B. King played at the 1977 Nancy Jazz Pulsations Festival, The concert was recorded by the Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française. This recording is the first to feature this seven piece road band of the era. Each member — tenor saxophonist Walter King (B.B.’s nephew and band director), alto saxophonist Cato Walker III, trumpeter Eddie Rowe, organist James Toney, guitarist Milton Hopkins, bassist Joe Turner, and drummer Calep Emphrey, Jr. — is given room to show off their talents while sympathetically backing King.
In France differs from other live recordings from this period, in that B. B.’s working with his regular touring outfit, not a one-off, all-star band. There is a fire and passion in these performances that comes from the players knowing each other’s strengths. The band plays like a beast, with King acting as the controlling super-ego. As is befitting the spirit of a jazz festival, the band is allowed ample space to expand on themes and take their own solo sports. Guitarist Milton Hopkins even gets a chance to solo on the instrumental, “Soul Where I’m Wrong.”
B.B. is in fine form on In France. His voice is powerful when it needs to be and gentle when it doesn’t. His guitar work is mesmerizing without ever being too showy. I like the way he trades solos with Eddie Rowe’s muted trumpet on “It’s Just a Matter of Time.” A passionate reading of “The Thrill Is Gone” comes mid-set. This is a more soulful version of the song than I’m used to hearing. B.B. isn’t just playing the hit here, he’s digging down and squeezing all the life he can find out of the tune.
It may be blasphemous to say this, but listening to In France made me think of the Blues Brothers. It must have been shows like this that inspired Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi to create their faux blues review. I’ll admit that my introduction to blues was largely through the fictional band. This record, though, is the real thing! There is nothing simulated here. This is just B.B. King and his road band putting out their best for an enthusiastic audience.
