Hugh Laurie's concert in Paris at "Le Grand Rex" on July, 10th - a few thoughts

[maya295]

GOODBYE, DR. HOUSE. HELLO MR. BLUES MAN!



Imagine that: you’re Hugh Laurie and you enter the stage of Le Grand Rex. This is what you see. Except, since you have many, many fans that probably came from all around the world (at least Europe), eager to see you perform, the room looks exactly like that but, with nearly 3,000 persons seated in it. Would you be impressed?



Well, Hugh Laurie certainly wasn’t. A little more than a year after his first, short promoting tour in spring 2011 (seven dates only, including Le Trianon in Paris), this time around, Hugh Laurie appears on stage very much relaxed, holding a glass of fine malt whiskey (more than a habit, undeniably a ritual…) and toasts with his audience. In French. “Jeu neu parleu pas trey bien le frwançay,” he says, with a big smile.

Oh yes, you do! You speak French very well and the audience is instantly won over and mesmerized. Who wouldn’t be anyway? Hugh Laurie is funny, extremely charming, and knows just how to tease, in a classy way.

After having been on tour for a little less than two months, and freshly arriving from Montreux Jazz Festival where he played with Dr. John the previous night, Hugh Laurie makes a highly anticipated comeback in Paris at Le Grand Rex - first of a two-date visit in the French capital. The first thing that strikes me is that, compared to last year, he’s undeniably gained self-confidence. Hugh Laurie knows the ropes now. His complicity with The Copper Bottom Band (awesome musicians!) is obvious. Everything runs smoothly and it gives him some leeway to loosen up and enjoy himself on stage; which he does, quite unapologetically, and it’s a pleasure to witness.

The Grand Rex’s ceiling is a gigantic dark blue starry dome that have hundreds of little spots lightening up when the hall in plunged in the dark. It’s like being under the canopy of heaven with all the infinite sensation that goes with it. Yet, on stage, the atmosphere is very intimate. All those lamps, and Persian woolen carpets dispersed in every corner, look like they’ve been taken from someone’s personal living room. Moreover, the lights that bathe the stage are deliberately warm and dark-ish (it could have, sometimes, been just a teeny tiny brighter, by the way…), plunging the place in a red, orange, yellow-ish halo that leaves you with the odd but comforting feeling that you’re attending a private jam session inside a recording studio lounge. Undeniably deliberate, the choice of the set is a success: All that’s missing is one old Chesterfield couch and you could be transported into the interior of a private place. I wouldn’t go as far as saying Hugh Laurie’s, of course, but I like that cozy feeling nonetheless. Nothing is random though. The props are very subtly displayed, depending on the country where the venue is. For instance, Hugh Laurie - I want to believe he’s the one behind those little details - has had the delicacy to arrange the little flags on top of the grand piano and has put the French flag on the front, while later the German one will occupy the place of honor when he’s in Germany. On a small table behind the piano stool, there’s also a black and white picture of Peter Sellers, the epitome of the British actor, but who played the absolute French detective in the 60’s-70’s famous movies series “The Pink Panther”. Nice touch.



Speaking of nice touch, I’m very grateful for the moderately delirious choice of stage outfit that he’s wearing this time. Thinking that inside this mysterious flight case, stamped “Hugh Laurie’s wardrobe” there can be some ridiculously hideous cow-boy or bowling shirts gives me chills… At le Grand Rex, Hugh Laurie opted for a rather classical look: Light grey suit, purple ruffle shirt, no tie. Thanks to whoever is to be thanked for that!



“Seriously, I don’t know how you manage to stay awake, sitting on those seats,” Hugh Laurie jokes at some point, “I was seated there myself this afternoon and I fell asleep!”

Yes, he’s right. The seats at Le Grand Rex are quite comfy, especially the orchestra ones. Still, there’s no way you would want to fall asleep; well, unless you’re the nearly dead woman seated next to my friend V. on the left, who didn’t move a muscle - not even to applaud between songs for the entire concert… WTF? Anyway, sleeping is indeed the last thing on your mind for the entire 2h that the concert lasts.

The track list offers a very clever alternation of fast, boogie, joyful tunes and slow, bluesy ballads that gives you the blissful, itchy need to clap hands and/or tap your foot to the rhythm, or just simply slouch back down on your seat and let yourself be rocked gently by the music:

1. Mellow Down Easy
2. St. James Infirmary
3. Crazy Arms
4. You Don’t Know My Mind
5. Battle Of Jericho
6. Buddy Bolden Blues
7. Unchain My Heart
8. John Henry (sang by Sista Jean McClain)
9. Waiting For The Train
10. Winin’ Boy Blues
11. Jonah
12. Yeh-Yeh
13. Dear Old Southland (Instrumental duo with Hugh Laurie: piano, and Vincent Henry: Clarinet)
14. Wild Honey
15. Careless Love
16. Swanee River
17. Tipitina
18. Let Them Talk
19. Green Green Rocky Road

Encore:

1. Changes
2. Tanqueray

# # # # #

On stage, The Copper Bottom Band is simply awesome. Hugh Laurie is supported by some incredible talents who know what they’re doing, and do it well.

Sista Jean McClain, discreet, but impeccable Blues Mama vocalist for almost the entire concert (she sits on a stool beside the piano in the background) has her moment under the spotlights and she needs no more than a few notes to captivate the audience when she gets up mid-concert to sing “John Henry” on stage. Her powerful, gospel-like voice radiates energy and positive vibes. She’s a real joy to watch and listen to. The audience is bewitched, as is Hugh Laurie who, in spite of him singing the chorus line and playing the piano during the song, seems to be joining the public’s side temporarily to enjoy her performance as just another fan. His heartfelt applause at the end of the song feels unquestionably filled with genuine admiration. Which is well-deserved. Way to go, Sista Jean!

Click to view

Vincent Henry, “The guy that can blow basically anything” (says Hugh, not me! ;P) is just amazing. From tenor sax, to alto sax, clarinet, and harmonica… he indeed blows anything. And with such talent! During an intimate instrumental interlude that allows the musicians to leave the stage momentarily, Vincent Henry walks upfront and joins Hugh Laurie on the piano to charm us with his clarinet, playing “Dear Old Southland,” a ballad that is a subtle musical variation based on many famous jazz standards. You can recognize the musical phrase of “Summertime” in the beginning, and a variation on the melody of “Georgia On My Mind” (2’50 in on the piano), which very unexpectedly sends me right back to that little piano solo Hugh Laurie played at the end of “Saviors.” A bit unsettling.

Click to view

I can’t explain why but, to me, Kevin Breit, the guitarist, looks a bit like he’s just escaped a B&W Jim Jarmush’s movie. Lanky, scruffy, and a bit gangling, yet, all this apparent clumsiness of his is clearly a misleading impression. Give him anything with strings and he makes you enter a really serious musical dimension where approximation is nowhere to be seen. I love the way he makes a banjo sound: so New Orleans! And with a guitar, he’s just as dexterous, but he even pulls a slight Django Reinhardt gipsy touch on some notes, especially during his solos. 2’40 in, during Winin’ Boy Blues, is the best example of it and a good illustration of his talent. Hats off, mister Breit! Ever the perfect, funny gentleman, you’ll appreciate Hugh Laurie’s joking remark after his solo: “I could do that. I just choose not to.” Lol.

Click to view

The other musicians are just as excellent: David Piltch on the bass, Patrick Warren on keyboards and accordion (beautiful on St James Infirmary) and Jay Bellerose on the drums. But sadly, they’re not featured as much prominently as the others are (may I say I deeply regret not having had a good, ass-long drum solo during the concert, even more so since Jay Bellerose is just incredible). That’s a shame, coz that guy’s sense of rhythm just blows my mind. Especially given that, the characteristic syncope beat of the New Orleans sound is one of the most difficult to catch. But that guy has it, no doubt!

As for Hugh Laurie, how does he fit in there? Well, he’s the star, obviously but, who is he there as? The answer is indisputable: Since the show that has made him world famous has ended, there’s no doubt that Hugh Laurie is not here as Dr. House anymore. At all. Apart from his look, first conspicuous clue, that’s very much NOT the one of his cranky alter ego: he’s clean shaven, laid-back and smiling, Hugh Laurie is also very careful not to send any mixed signals that would mislead his audience about his intentions.

Last year at Le Trianon, which was on May, 11th (one week before “After Hours”) - and even though Hugh Laurie was already done filming season 7, he still wore his five o’clock shadow and the line between his cantankerous character and the musician was still unclear, even for him. His very well-acted and subtle slips of the tongue while introducing “Huddie” Ledbetter’s (Lead Belly) song, or the way he depicted his glass of whiskey featuring a picture of “Mona Lisa” left no doubts about the fact that Sir Laurie was still surfing on the convenient wave of his TV success. His audience by then, much younger than this year and, let’s face it, for the most part of it, not really motivated by the sole desire to come hear him sing and play music, was happily and willingly drinking every innuendo he served, hooting and hollering like crazy anytime they were given a very much intentionally written House/Hugh Laurie's double-entendre.

This year, it’s all gone and frankly, I think that’s a good thing. Yes, Hugh Laurie portrayed an unforgettable House during eight years, but now it’s over. And at Le Grand Rex, the message is unequivocal: that’s the musician on stage and no one else. No more unnecessary subtle allusions to his TV character, no more reference to Huddie Ledbetter: Before singing “You Don’t Know My Mind,” Hugh Laurie briefly introduces the song as one of Leadbelly’s and moves on. Sure, the interludes are still very much scripted, but they’re just an Ariadne’s thread during the concert: The band introduction, the whiskey ritual, the little speech about his frustrating piano teacher before “Swanee River.” They’re all part of Hugh Laurie’s personal stories, somehow rooted in his experiences as a musician. The difference is quite striking. One regret though, even if they’re full of witty humor and very well written, those little interludes look very much the same from one concert to another. I’d have probably loved more spontaneity, something more “out of the blue” or “in the heat of the moment” kind of thing.

Still, don’t be mistaken, Hugh Laurie seems more relaxed on stage than he was last year. 26 concert dates this time around have undeniably given him credence in his abilities to captivate an audience with his musical talents only and even a bit of boldness and carefreeness that makes him way more at ease with his body than he usually denies being. He dares to dance (thankfully in a more restrained and less dislocated-puppy-like fashion than he did in June, in Moscow, I think it was…). At his piano, he stands up and plays, Jerry Lee Lewis style. He smiles, a lot; jokes with the audience. In short: he’s having a blast and it shows. Clearly, music is his element and he’s happy up there. Also, the fact that he’s been on the road for nearly two months, all around the globe from South America to Russia, performing on stage almost every night has made him lose weight. He looks on top form!

On the musical front, I can’t say if it’s because Hugh Laurie’s technique has improved, though I suppose daily practice of the instrument and rehearsals should do that… or if it’s because the diversified track list allows us to hear a larger sample of his pianist’s abilities but he’s really good at the piano: real smooth fluidity, perfect rhythmic, perfect nuances, and most of all, great dexterity! He’s most definitely a pianist and he should never apologize for being one. With a guitar, on the other hand, he manages, undeniably, but let’s be honest, Kevin Breit upstages him. But that’s the point! Hugh Laurie is first and foremost a great musician on the piano, and a very talented amateur with the other instruments. His voice has changed too. It’s noticeably hoarser and lower when he sings than it was last year. It somehow gives him more credibility while singing the blues. Not that he needs it, but “raspy” sounds good on his vocal chords. I probably shouldn’t say that but I think whiskey and cigarettes are certainly responsible for that husky new depth in his voice and it’s nice.

Also, has he read that after his performance in London: “It doesn't help that Laurie has spent more of his life in Tufnell Park than in Baton Rouge, meaning his accent when impersonating the greats is audibly ersatz. This is never more evident than on Mahalia Jackson's "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho", in which he sounds like he's singing about Cherry Coke.” (source:http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/hugh-laurie--the-copper-bottom-band-hammersmith-apollo-londonmarilyn-manson-brixton-academy-london-7922380.html)
I don’t know, but I disagree with that statement. His accent, on the contrary, seems more accentuated to deliberately enhance the American, Louisiana side of it, than the other way around. The effort, if indeed there is one, feels, sometimes conspicuously, like it’s been done to erase the British phrasing. It’s quite obvious on the slow ballads, when he’s singing at the piano; especially on syllables such as “round”, “more”, “turn”, “way” or that kind of sounds. As for his general behavior on stage, he looks freed from his usual British self-restraint. At the end of the concert, falling into a sudden gleeful frenzy, Hugh Laurie even offers a quite unbridled, rock n’ roll finale, theatrically jumping backwards off of his piano stool and falling on the floor. Unexpectedly funny and touching at the same time: it feels as if all his dreams to be a rock star that he once confessed having are bursting out of him uncensored. Hugh Laurie looks happy.

Click to view

One thing betrays his origins though, or the very polite and shy man that he eventually is: no matter how possessed by the music or liberated he can be during the songs, at the end of each of them, he stands up and gives a very neat little bow to the audience that has nothing to do with the blues spirit, but makes all his British origins resurface in a very charming way...

Sure, he's not the cranky doctor we all loved to hate those past eight years anymore but now that he's unleashed the musician in him, there're plenty more reasons to admire his work. Apparently, some say he'll record a second album this winter. I'm really impatient to see what Mister Laurie has in store for us this time. My personal, selfish request: something from Muddy Waters (pretty much anything) - WIllie Dixon: "I Can't Quit You, Baby" and a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Melody."

Pretty, pretty please? :)