We would have liked to ask him a thousand questions, but we only had a few minutes at the end of his concert - at the Pause Guitar Festival, in Albi - to ask him the most important ones.
Ben Harper grew up at the Claremont Folk Music Center, a place dedicated to music held by his grandparents at the time, and by his mother today: it was written. It is in this place that he discovered the "lap steel guitar", now known to be his favorite instrument. He tells us that he had the pleasure of playing with Ali Farka Toure at the Fillmore, this legendary San Francisco theater.
From North to South, from Tinariwen to Ladysmith Black Mumbazo
"I grew up listening to African music," says the singer. Like Ali Farka Touré, many African artists inspired him: from north to south, from Tinariwen to Ladysmith Black Mumbazo, with whom he also had the chance to collaborate on his title "Diamonds on the inside".
Why all these collaborations? "It takes you out of your comfort zone (...) I always learn a lot of collaborations", responds the one who was accompanied by the Innocent Criminals on stage that night. And there next? Too modest, Ben Harper: "Hey, I'd like to produce Van Morrison!" No, seriously, I would look ridiculous ... "In the meantime, he admits that if one day he received such a call, then he would be" ready ".