Longtime french Westcoast music fan Philippe Poudensan sent us this report about the Bill LaBounty / Robbie Dupree concert last saturday at The Casino de Paris - Paris, France. Enjoy and thanks to him for this great review.

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From Philippe Poudensan:

"Yes indeed saturday was a very special night in Paris. I already had a chance to see Bill LaBounty and Robbie Dupree live and both shows were pretty good but saturday there was something different in the air. Everybody on stage and in the hall had a big smile on his face, there was a sort of magic in the Casino de Paris. The music itself was different. Of course we all knew the songs but I had never heard them played with so much soul and joy. I guess the rhythm section can explain that, Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff smoking hard and giving a more soulful touch but the unique interaction between the band and us was incredible.

I had never realized also how much Bill LaBounty was a fantastic keyboard player, I heard a lot of influences in his playing, a lot of jazz (Bill Evans when he was playing soft) and a lot of rhythm and blues too, with a sort of Ray Charles or Michael McDonald in it, still sounding like nobody else.
Bill, when will you record an album of your songs with just you singing and playing Fender rhodes? And yes, Bill was kind enough to spend some time with my godmother, wishing her an happy birthday.

Then Robbie, obviously happy to be there and living a special moment like he told us.He talked a lot with the audience, played some smoking and bluesy harmonica soli, diving deep into the infectious groove that the whole rhythm section was creating.

David Sancious too was perfect, inspired at every moment, a top player, total respect for that men.
And what about "Livin'it up" and "Look who's lonely now", after the band stopped playing, we all kept on singing, we simply didn't want the songs, and the night, to end, and the band started again playing, laughing!!!

I'll never forget that night, a big thank you to the artists and a big one too to Richard Benhaïm for making that night possible. See you all next year, who will be the next on the bill?"

Amazing Bill LaBounty and Robbie Dupree (feat. Larry Hoppen from Orleans) concert at The Casino de Paris tonight!

More than 2 hours live in France for the first time in 10 years for Robbie Dupree, for the first time in 14 years for Bill LaBounty and the dream came true again. First of all, thanks for the European audience. The Casino de Paris (in Paris, France) was nearly sold out (more than 800 tickets) and fans came across all over Europe to see this great concert (Belgium, Italy, Germany, Scandinavia...) and from all over France of course.

Could you imagine a standing ovation for the whole band: Bill LaBounty (Vocals, Keyboards), Robbie Dupree (Vocals, Harmonica, Rhythm Guitar, Percussion), Larry Hoppen (Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar), David Sancious (Keyboards), Leslie Smith (Percussion, Vocals), Rick Chudacoff (Bass) and Peter Bunetta (Drums)?

Could you imagine the whole crowd singin' "Look Who's Lonely Now" and "Livin' It Up"? A moving "This Night Won't Last Forever"?

Could you imagine a duet version by Robbie Dupree and Bill LaBounty of "The Right Direction", "Mr O."?

All of our dreams came true and more like an extraordinary "Dance With Me" with Larry Hoppen on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, a groovy "What's Goin' On" (Marvin Gaye) and "Fragile" (Sting cover version) by Leslie Smith on leads and "I'll Be Around" and "Work to Do" covers by the whole band.

Also, on the playlist: "Saturday Night," "Talk To You," "Real World," "Steal Away," "Hot Rod Hearts"...

This concert was so cool and so great! Thanks to the french promoter Richard Benhaim for bringing this whole all-star band in Paris, this is clearly a chance to have him here in France. And this is so great to see all these European fans still singing by heart the songs and the hits!

A very special thought on this special day to a female fan of Bill LaBounty based in the South of France. She is native from Manchester (UK) and it's her birthday today: she is 83 years old. She was at the concert and met Bill backstage. Happy birthday!

More to come here : pictures of the concert... To follow... Your comments about the concert are welcome!

Bill LaBounty & Robbie Dupree return to Paris for the first concerts in more than 10 years... It promises to be a great pair of shows for true fans of West Coast Music.

September 30 - Paris, France - Casino de Paris!

Featuring: David Sancious, Larry Hoppen, Leslie Smith, Rick Chudacoff and Peter Bunetta

TICKETS: Virgin - Casino de Paris

Westcoast Rendez-Vous is proud to be one of the official sponsorship partners of this concert of Robbie Dupree and Bill LaBounty.

Bill LaBounty & Robbie Dupree will play in Paris for two shows on September, 30th at Le casino de Parid and on October, 3rd at Bus Palladium. The band line-up features Larry Hoppen (Orleans), David Sancious, Leslie Smith, Rick Chudacoff and Peter Bunetta.
You can now purchase tickets to fnac.com, virginmega.fr, Casino de Paris.

Bill LaBounty "The Right Direction" CD (1994):

Robbie Dupree "All Night Long" live CD - 15 tracks (1999):

Bill LaBounty with Robbie Dupree will play at Le Casino de Paris on September 30 and Christopher Cross will be at La Cigale on october 8. We'll talk more about it soon... stay tuned!

Robbie Dupree and Bill LaBounty live in Paris : September 30th, 2006 feat. Larry Hoppen (from the band Orleans).

This is exclusive... We are very proud to announce you that our longtime friend Robbie Dupree and the great Bill LaBounty will play in Paris:

on September 30, 2006
at the Casino de Paris

and also on October 3rd, 2006
in Paris
at the Bus Palladium.

Ten years after his last concert in France at Disneyland Paris for the Westcoast Music Festival, Robbie Dupree will share the bill and the stage with his friend Bill Labounty. Bill Labounty is now working on a new CD. The other band members are David Sancious, Larry Hoppen (from the legendary band Orleans), Leslie Smith, Rick Chudacoff and Peter Bunetta.

French concerts will be set up by Richard Benhaim as the french promoter.

There will be possibly another concert dates in Europe for the same band around these french dates. Stay tuned for more informations!

Robbie Dupree website is here. Bill LaBounty website can be visited here and Larry Hoppen website is here.

Jean Jacques Goldman's long time friend and partner in music, Michael Jones released a new solo album under the title "Prises et reprises". Michael delivers 11 new great folky/bluesy songs surrounded by ones of finest french musicians including Francis Cabrel (vocals on duet "Des nuits trop longues"), Jean Jacques Goldman (vocals on duet "P'tit blues peinard), Emile Vandelmer (Gold, Emile et image), Mario Ramsany & Jean Louis Pujade (Emile et image), Gildas Arzel (Canada), Chris Lancry, etc...

As a good surprise, Michael Jones covers Marc Cohn's hit "Walking in Memphis" on Francis Cabrel's french lyrics. "La demoiselle" is one of my favorite tune. The guitars intro reminds you ZZTop's "La Grange" and gives an energic rythm. It is a duet with Sandrine Regot, and the amazing background (harmony) vocals of Emile & Image on the chorus!!

Tracklist:
1/ Un dernier blues pour toi
2/ Le frère que j'ai choisi
3/ Window
4/ Marcher dans Memphis
5/ Vole
6/ Des nuits trop longues
7/ La demoiselle
8/ Dans la fumée
9/ Il croyait
10/ P'tit blues peinard
11/ J'aime les autres
12/ Boogie man

Feist "Let It Die" album is very much a voice album in close up, "eye to eye and ear to ear". Carefully pieced together around Feist's seductive voice, Feist "Let It Die" album forms the missing link between the old Folk (storytelling), the Brill building era (the quest for the hook), doo-wop (melody and mood) and minimal modern pop arrangements. Like line drawings as opposed to detailed paintings, these songs leave you space to till in the emotional blanks. Its lack of complication makes "Let It Die" standout from much of today's musical offerings; put simply, a beautiful slice of sonic escapism to illustrate and interrupt the little moments that together tell us stories.
A history not lacking in variety, the Canadian born singer has accomplished much in her few tender years, so for those inquiries journo types, here are the last few years in a nut shell...

Feist "Let It Die" album is an album that will follow you easily from the bath to the bar and soundtrack your mood for both. This is an album that seems to reach nostalgically to a time when singers crossed all styles whether they were old fashioned or in fashion. This is shared privacy and it's your own life you're looking at.

The UK pressing of 2004 album features 13 tracks including 2 bonus tracks, "Amourissima" and "L'Amour Ne Dure Pas Toujours". Feist is a Canadian songstress, hailing from Toronto. Her first album "Let It Die," is produced by Renaud Letang and Gonzales. Feist has been Gonzales' fellow for years. Part of the Canadian collective band, Broken Social Scene, Gonzales convinced her to come to Paris to record this first album. The journey started in an out of time, out of norm atmosphere, whose lush grooves are offset by a thoroughly enjoyable live performance, with members of the Germany via Toronto Kitty-Yo crew such as Peaches, Gonzales, & Taylor Savvy. Features 13 tracks including the singles "Mushroom" and "One Evening" (on Universal, Polydor, 2004).

Feist "Let It Die" album tracklisting:
1. Gatekeeper
2. Mushaboom
3. Let It Die
4. One Evening
5. Leisure Suite
6. Lonely Lonely
7. When I Was A Young Girl
8. Secret Heart
9. Inside And Out
10. Tout Doucement
11. Now At Last
12. Amourissima [*]
13. L'Amour Ne Dure Pas Toujours [*]
(* bonus tracks)

Feist "Let It Die" album: ORDER IT NOW.

Poco: Keep The Legend Alive DVD is ready to go on November 23 according to Poconut.com which is the official Poco website:

"LIVE CD/DVD To Debut 11/23/2004
Poco's new live CD w/Bonus DVD ("Keep The Legend Alive") is being released by Madacy Entertainment on 11/23/2004. The concert was taped at Nashville's Belcourt Theatre on May 20, 2004 and features Rusty Young, Richie Furay, Paul Cotton, George Grantham and Jack Sundrud.
The CD/DVD will be available in most stores in the U.S. and Canada. Plans are underway to make it available on this website, as well as on the road.
Please call stores in your area to make sure they carry this title."

You can already pre-order the "Keep The Legend Alive" DVD at Amazon.com THERE.

Re. their European tour in Easter 2005, Poco (Rusty Young, Richie Furay, Paul Cotton) has added some tour dates as follows. We don't know what the term "and friends" significates on the bill. The strange thing is that George Grantham is announced on the Poco poster of the parisian concert.
May 7 - Nice, France - Theatre Lino Ventura
May 8 - Avignon, France - TBA
May 9 - Paris, France - Olympia Theatre
May 10 - Verviers, Belgium - Spirit 66

Christopher Reeve passed away, Christopher Reeve dies... Bye Bye Superman!

From Blogcritics.org:
"I was saddened & shocked to hear that Christopher Reeve died yesterday of heart failure. For those of you who don't know, he portrayed Superman from 1978 to 1983 on the big screen, heralding the return of superheroes back to the movies.
Christopher Reeve fell into a coma Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his New York home, his publicist, Wesley Combs told The Associated Press by phone from Washington, D.C., on Sunday night.
Christopher Reeve was being treated at Northern Westchester Hospital for a pressure wound, a common complication for people living with paralysis. In the past week, the wound had become severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection.
Christopher Reeve was 52 years old, & it's had been 9 years since his accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. His determination & strength in coming back from paralysis really had me convinced that someday he would walk again. He has been an amazing example of one's never giving up and of eternal optimism in the face of overwhelming odds.
He was beloved and will be missed.
God Bless him and his family."

RIP

This year, a French duet (very Westcoasty, AOR) named Geyster has written and sang a track in their album "I Love 1984", by the way, a great tribute song to Christopher Reeve: Bye Bye Superman. You can listen to a great acoustic version of this great song there (mp3) and the video is there (mpeg).

Geyster "I Love 1984" album tracklisting (feat. 2 versions of "Bye Bye Superman"):
1. Radio Geyster
2. 1982
3. Bye Bye Superman
4. Walking Out
5. Radio Geyster 2
6. It's About You
7. John Clay
8. Lovers Lonely Dome
9. Interlude
10. Partyin' Mind
11. Coming Back Again
12. Welcome To Hollywood
13. Some Kind
14. Flight 305
15. Bye Bye Superman (Acoustic)