SAGA
Face A Face (Tinder)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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Saga's Face A Face covers a lot of musical territory in 14 cuts that range from down-home slow blues to Euro-jazz, French pop and African rhythms. Saga wraps his raspy "Devil Blues" around this "blues de la vie" and Gilles Polve's bass and Mathheiu Fromont's harmonica transports us from Paris to the Mississippi Delta. "Baton Rouge" is another blues that takes this Paris-based nine-piece band to the States, and traces of Saga's influences are all there, including B.B. King, Johnny Lee Hooker and Albert Collins. Face A Face contains several discoveries for world music fans, including wistful French pop that tinged with melancholy and many of the songs touch upon the unique way that the French approach life and love. In "Louisette," Saga's adapted American folk and the multi layered and sultry "Sax" would be right at home on a traditional jazz station. While I don't speak a word of French, Saga's Face A Face captures my attention, particularly when he sings the blues, recalls Django Reinhardt or evokes Edit Piaf. As they say in Paris, tres bien!

Track List:

Louisette * Tu Peux Me Dire * Face A Face * Devil Blues * Sax * Lancien * An Nom Du Quoi * Autonmne * Indien * Baton Rouge * Dans Tes Yeux * C'Etait Pour te Dire * Mois De Mai * An Bal Du Roi *

© 2000 - Eric Steiner