World music

#Session Live Natalia M King and Elliott Murphy, 2 Americans in Issy

Audio 48:30

Natalia M King and Elliott Murphy at RFI.

© Pierre René-Worms/RFI

By: Laurence Aloir

8 mins

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We receive the American artist

for the release of her new album

 and

, the most French of Americans, in duet in this album on the title

 by

.

They are our guests in the #SessionLive as well as 2 journalists who have agreed to present them:

and

.

Portrait of Natalia M King by Francis Dordor.

Born in New York in the late 60s,

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 humanist of the Middle Ages to whom we owe this quote: "

" .

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,

.

Natalia M King at RFI.

© Pierre René-Worms/RFI

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 subway corridors where she sings accompanying herself on the guitar for a few songs, finds herself in the first part of

on the stage of the Olympia.

His 1st album

 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

 and

.

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.

© Dixiefrog

This new rupture announces her latest collection

 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 down. herself, a free woman who asserts her sexuality, an artist who lived the blues before singing it.

Then we receive

, portrait by

Elliott Murphy at RFI.

© Pierre René-Worms/RFI

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 first time he played here was at Palace in 1979, where he got 6 recalls.

He said to himself: "

 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 1st album in 73, adore 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.

Elliott Murphy and Brice Springsteen, New York 76. © Elliott Murphy Collection

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 party.

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.

Natalia M King, Elliott Murphy and Laurence Aloir at RFI.

© Pierre René-Worms/RFI

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 duet on Pink Houses (Natalia & Elliott)

by John Mellencamp.

Elliott Murphy and Natalia M King at RFI.

© Pierre René-Worms/RFI

Musicians

- Elliott Murphy,

guitar, vocals

- Olivier Durand

, guitar, backing vocals

- Melissa Cox

, violin.

- Natalia M King

, vocals, guitar

- Ludovic Bruni

, guitar.

Sound:

and

Directed by: Steven Helsley.

(Replay)

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