French Version

Interview JACK BON June 2, 2007

1. Can you talk about your career since Ganafoul until today with this new album ?

Ganafoul is my primary school, my secondary school ! We began in 74 and stopped in 82-83. We did a lot of things at that time...Then, it's the life that each musician may have, with ones ups and downs with economic survival problems... I have worked in fields other than music, mainly as technical staff in show-business, a lot in the theatre field, I have unloaded trucks, I have done a lot of things, I took jobs from temporary employment agencies when I was stuck... Some people are worker priests, I was a worker musician for a while ! What is important is to always have plans, playing with new musicians who bring me something. The truth is that once I nearly gave up everything to buy a spicy sausage lorry and parked it on market places, because at that time I was really stuck...All my plans to do a new record, the approaches I made with the labels which had at that time the monopoly on artists (no more today with Internet and the drop of sale records), I had reached a deadlock... I wanted to stop 10 years ago. I have never considered music as a job but as a pleasure, a passion, I have started again to play the guitar to play in front of 10, 100 or thousands of people it is the same. So I think that's what helps me to go on...

2. Can you tell us about your legendary cap, you always wear ?

Ah, this object belonged to a beloved person ! The first time I put it on to play, I had the feeling of being accompanied. So, this cap has become my « mojo »...

Is it a fisherman's cap ?

Yes, which dates from the time I was a mussel fisherman !

3. Do you think you are a gallicised or Europeanised representative of the legendaries bluesmen of the Delta like Robert Johnson, Bo Didley, Muddy Waters ?

No, I don't have this kind of claim ! The bluesmen you named typified an era, a culture which is nowadays disappearing fast ; The last bluesmen who are 80-90 are going to die. This oral tradition is going to disappear with them, but hopefully it will remain thanks to many CDs that are left. If I play these songs it is because I like them very much, I think from the Twenties to the Fifties bluesmen wrote very good songs, they had strong personalities - their personality was predominant... The same three chords, the same lyrics gave a different atmosphere, relying on the artist which sang the songs. It was much less stereotyped than today, the personality of the musicians was more important. It is that which attracts me in these songs and in these artists of that time.

4. We have noticed, with great pleasure, that you played the lamented Rory Gallagher's songs, are you going to play more ?

If I can, it's a laborious exercise !... Yes, I saw Rory Gallagher, in 72-73-74 at the venue called « Bourse du Travail » in Lyon several times. The first blues gig I attended was Freddy King and I felt, during these gigs, this is what suits me well, that is to say, these musicians show the audience that they really enjoy sharing something, to play for their public, and the dynamics, the boogie music, the root of everything, it's like a heartbeat... It's something fundamental, I live on it !

5. On your latest record « Live and Acoustic » how have you selected the songs ?

All these songs are old ones which come from a small part of the Black American traditional repertoire. I chose these songs when I began to study the Blues history thoroughly, by reading books and listening to songs. Then, I decided to carry out a plan, a musical conference on the Blues in which I tell the history of this music. And to illustrate what I was saying or trying to tell, I learnt to play these old songs, a thing I did not do before because I am basically an electric guitarist.

6. Can you describe your many facets (Jack bon Electric Combo - Jack Bon Solo - « Blues Boom conference » and the workshop Blues Guitar) ?

And this year there is another facet ! I am a press correspondent for the Creusot Blues festival ! I write articles for brochures and bios and give them to journalists. I am a press attaché. I like to work in the field I know best - the Blues one. I like to learn new things, and in order not to stagnate I have decided to open my mind in my own interest on different things, that's why I have looked into the Blues history, I have made the blues conferences. I am like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, I play both the electric guitar and the acoustic one...I enjoy playing the guitar, Everything is interesting, I try to do things with the little I have in my own fingers !

7. Have you got other plans ?

I started with adult conferences in multimedia libraries. Then I went on into primary schools, secondary schools and now I wish to continue as each time I find a new interest - it's always different…. it's a new challenge depending on the age bracket or even the school where I talk about Blues history or play. I must feel the audience I face, it's not obvious to captivate teenagers who are 17-18 years old, because they do not listen to this kind of music, so I have to show them the attraction and interest of the blues music, above all through the history, as much as the music and through human black American adventure history.

8. Is it difficult to combine a private life with an artist/musician life ?

You must have a full diary ! organize oneself, which I don't do really... but I try to. I divide my time with different occupations, my family or my music, but you know in my family everybody is a musician, so it's not a problem !

9. What are your hobbies apart from music ?

I like DIY ! fixing things. I don't do it very well but I like it very much ! It keeps my mind and fingers occupied. DIY learns patience, it teaches me to think - something that I lack...I was a feather-brained young man...

10. Are you in contact with British or American musicians ?

Yes. I meet other musicians by playing gigs . I have met and played several times with Neal Black who is a Texan living in France. I think I am going to meet him again in Cahors... I also met and played twice with a guy I like very much, called Gwyn Ashton. We played an electric and acoustic jam. Each time you meet people, it's good to play with them, it's stimulating, we laugh and have fun...