While on holiday in Brittany, enjoying the environs of Concarneau and surroundings areas, I took the opportunity to promote a bit of the old entente cordiale and the chance to make contact with a couple of French bluegrass bands.

I must, at this point, make it clear that my knowledge of French is negligible and that my better half, Jennie, did most of the cordiale bit.

The first ‘phone call to a French banjo player’s wife by a lady stranger was greeted most suspiciously but... contact was established! This, in turn, led to Richard, the leader of the band After Midnight and his wife Justine. Originally from the Bristol area, Richard has lived in France for about twenty years as a successful potter; his wares are much in demand over here as well as in Europe.

Arriving at Richard’s remote (by our standards) farmhouse we were greeted with the news that his brother (another Bev) and wife (also called Jennie) were there for the
evening. Fate moves strangely, my friends!

The band line-up comprises Richard (guitar), Justine (mandolin), their son Thomas (bass), exiled New Englander Andy (fiddle) and the very respected André Derennes (banjo). While they are the first to admit that their act is not strictly bluegrass, who cares? We quite happily picked and sang away the next few hours with songs old and new, including a fine version of Tom Paxton’s Last Thing on My Mind from Bev (the other one) who also proved to be a neat fiddle player. He also plays in a country and rock band in the Bristol area.

All too soon it was time to head for home down the empty French roads, with the mellow glow of a good night’s pick under our belts. A grateful thanks a Richard and Justine for welcoming us into their home just four days after presiding over their sons wedding. Needless to say we didn’t have a bass player that night, Thomas had something more important to do! Incidentally, Andy occasionally visits Nottingham and a quick ‘phone call to Jeff Bowers confirmed that an ‘instant pick’ will be arranged next time he arrives.

Swingrass

Our other visit was to the Chapuis family one Saturday night - and what a night! We arrived about 7.30, started playing about 8 and, apart from a break for a meal, played until 4 next morning.

The band, Swingrass, consists of Philippe Chapuis (guitar), André Ross (mandolin). Pierre-Yves Lechat (banjo), Michael Mouazan (fiddle) and France Allard (bass).

Philippe explained it to me thus: “I sing but do not understand the words. André sings but does not understand the words. Pierre-Yves sings and does understand the words”. Pierre-Yves had the advantage of having lived in England for a couple of years. Once again not strictly all bluegrass but once again, who cares? A visiting fiddle player, Jacques-Yves Rehault, who arrived about one thirty in the morning, used to play with the Alan Stivell Band many years ago. The time just disappeared as we covered much familiar and not-so-well-known material including some really old stuff I had to work hard to remember.

About four in the morning the conversation turned to politics (well, it was France, after all!) so I headed for my bed. Our thanks to the Chapius family and to the band for the pick and the great hospitality.

There are about forty bluegrass Bands in France, partly because the government will pay all members the minimum national wage, providing the band does a certain number gigs a year. Sounds a good wheeze to me.

Incidentally, chatting with John Les at his Wednesday night pick he told me that once when he opened his boot in a car park in Concarneau and displayed his banjo case he was immediately approached by an enthusiast. They come out of the woodwork everywhere, don’t they? Hasn’t his singing partner, Gill, got a wonderful voice?

Bev Williams, Milnrow, Rochdale.

Updated 23rd Jan 1999