Alabama Slim & Big Ron Hunter Tour France!

inArtist Storyon March 2, 2016

Alabama Slim and Big Ron Hunter both have years of performing under their belts. Like Music Maker’s forefather Guitar Gabriel once said, “I’ve played so much guitar, it’d make your ass hurt.” They both squarely fall into this category. But, playing that much guitar, even being a genius entertainer doesn’t guarantee recognition or financial success. There are a lot of reasons; for many, their opportunities were simply limited, there were no talent scouts where they performed, there were no funding sources with which they could pursue their talents, there was no access to the kind of audience that could support them. They had to find work to feed and clothe their families and their talent took a back seat.

Music Maker works every day to alleviate these and many other boundaries for artists like Slim and Ron. All the work we do, such as creating promotional materials, recording and releasing CDs, helps them compete for work on a professional level. We are endlessly seeking out professional development opportunities for them, connecting them with other entertainers and movers in the music world. Sometimes, these connections can lead to the greatest opportunities.

In 2011, Alabama Slim and Big Ron Hunter both met renowned French Jazz artist Raphael Imbert, when he made a trip through the South to connect with roots musicians. Raphael reached out to Music Maker and we helped coordinate visits during his trip with several Music Maker artists. A few years later, Raphael reached out to offer Slim and Big Ron an opportunity to record and tour in France; they jumped at the chance. That recording session led to a major release on one of the biggest Jazz imprints in Europe, tours and multiple press engagements. Slim and Ron just returned from a week dedicated to press in France. Each day they ventured out from their hotel, bouncing from radio station to TV studio to radio station. Now, we are currently planning future tours for them with Raphael and watching as the press rolls in. There’s no telling what this round of exposure will lead to next, but we are all excited and newly energized.

— Aaron Greenhood (Artist Services Coordinator)

Learn more about Music Is My Home

Check out some of what’s come in, google translate makes for some really interesting reads if you don’t read French:

Video from Radio Shows:

France Musique :

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3sf95b_raphael-imbert-et-ses-musiciens-interpretent-sweet-river-blues-i-le-live-de-la-matinale_music

Radio Nova :

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3u8q7h_raphael-imbert-alabama-slim-et-big-ron-hunter-dans-neo-geo-en-live_fun

TSF JAZZ :

https://www.facebook.com/TSFJazz/videos/1023616381015639/

Sons d’Hiver show :

https://culturebox.francetvinfo.fr/festivals/sons-d-hiver/raphael-imbert-au-festival-sons-d-hiver-235651

Radio:

France info https://www.franceinfo.fr/emission/tendance-jazz/2015-2016/entre-ciel-et-terres-14-02-2016-09-57

Inter vous avez dit classique d’Elsa Boublil sur France Inter : https://www.franceinter.fr/emission-vous-avez-dit-classique-raphael-imbert

Open Jazz d’Alex Dutilh sur France Musiquehttps://www.francemusique.fr/emission/open-jazz/2015-2016/raphael-imbert-dans-sa-maison-bleue-01-22-2016-18-00

Sous les jupes de Fip :https://www.fipradio.fr/emissions/sous-les-jupes-de-fip/2016/sous-les-jupes-de-fip-100-nouveautes-01-18-2016-20-00

France Musique (matinale) de Vincent Josse et Nicolas Lafitte : https://www.francemusique.fr/emission/la-matinale-culturelle/2015-2016/carte-blanche-raphael-imbert-dossier-du-jour-le-mouvement-des-prof-de-musique-des

L’Épopée des Musiques Noires Joe Farmer RFI :https://www.rfi.fr/emission/epopee-musiques-noires

Mayssa Issa « Music Hour » MCD https://www.mc-doualiya.com/programs/music-hour-mcd

Journée Spéciale Raphaël Imbert sur TSF JAZZhttps://www.tsfjazz.com/programme-detail.php?idd=10246

Les Matins Jazz sur TSF JAZZ https://www.tsfjazz.com/programme-detail.php?idd=10233

NeoGeo sur Radio Nova https://www.novaplanet.com/radionova/57467/episode-raphael-imbert-alabama-slim-et-big-ron-hunter-sement-le-blues-dans-neo-geo

« Partons en Live » d’André Manoukian sur France Interhttps://www.franceinter.fr/emission-partons-en-live-erik-truffaz-anne-paceo-music-is-my-home-raphael-imbert-et-bessa

« Continent Musique » de Matthieu Conquet sur France Culturehttps://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/continent-musiques/jazz-nouvelle-orleans-avec-raphael-imbert-et-vinyl-bazaar-avec-victor

« La Bande Passante » d’Alain Pilot sur RFIhttps://www.rfi.fr/emission/20160219-raphael-imbert-source-blues

Les Matins de France Culture avec Matthieu Conquet :https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/la-revue-musicale/la-maison-blues-par-raphael-imbert-hospitalite-et-migration

Press:

«Raphaël Imbert, les clefs de la maison blues.» Libération de Jacques Denis :

https://next.liberation.fr/musique/2016/02/08/raphael-imbert-les-cles-de-la-maison-blues_1431934

«Un épatant témoignage musical de ses pérégrinations au pays du jazz créole.» Le Journal du Dimanchehttps://www.lejdd.fr/Culture/Musique/Raphael-Imbert-pelerin-du-blues-768719

«Music Is My Home enregistre ce voyage heureux entre swings exubérants, blues râpeux et jazz créoles mâtinés de soul carnavalesque.» Les Inrockshttps://www.lesinrocks.com/musique/critique-album/raphael-imbert-music-is-my-home/

« Un blues à la fois enraciné dans la mémoire et bigrement créatif, somptueux. » l’Huma : https://www.humanite.fr/les-coups-de-coeur-de-fara-c-599701

«Disque en forme de carnet de voyage sonore, entre blues immémorial et free jazz.» Jazz Magazine (CHOC)

«Une empathie ontologique qui sert au mieux le propos d’une musique toujours aussi essentielle.» Jazz News (Indispensable)

«C’est l’un des grands saxophonistes francais. Son truc, l’improvisation.» Soul Bag

«Un ambitieux projet blues Music Is My Home, une superbe œuvre joyeuse et racée, qu’il a enregistrée avec de fines gâchettes.» A Nous Paris

«De rencontres en surprise, sa musique découle de ce voyage…» Kalakuta

«Un opus léché qui reflète bien à la fois une diversité et un esprit sonore commun et de partage du patrimoine.» Sud Ouest

Web press:

MusikPlease : https://musikplease.com/raphael-imbert-56441/

Night-groove : https://www.night-groove.net/carnet-de-voyage-raphael-imbert-le-pelerin-du-blues/

Citizen Jazz (Élu Citizen Jazz !) : https://www.citizenjazz.com/Raphael-Imbert-3472161.html

Vocable https://www.vocable.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=insolite&id=77&Itemid=321#art2332