Liferiver

[liferiversong]

It was a dazzlingly beautiful day in Porto as the Liferiver team made their way to the historic Ribeira. The musician in play was none other than Luis Ribeiro, long time musical collaborator of mine and one of my favorite people in Portugal. Did I mention that he has an uncanny ability with an electric guitar? Although still a young man, he is one of Porto's most respected guitar slingers and regularly gigs all over the country. Porto has a lively after dark scene as people flood out to support the beloved 'baixa' area of downtown - and, by the way, sleeping is for old people and dogs in Portugal.

Artist, and old friend mine, Hawkins stepped into the shoes of camera man. We set up shop in a bright and warmly charming tavern called 'Peter' about 20ft from the Douro itself. We set up the cameras and I sat on the warm old polished stones of the riverbank as Ribeiro began to work his magic. Curious tourists filmed and photographed us, and the sun dazzled me to the point where I could hardly see the screen of the laptop. Such is the cobalt blue dazzle of a Portuguese summer sky.

Ribeiro added some rock blues riffs to the verses and then a funky spine tickling pop rock spike to the chorus that had me grinning like and idiot. The man can play! As ever, the act was celebrated like everything else in this city with some good food and drink. I ate Moeles, which are chickens gizzards, and they were amazing. What a great shoot!

[liferiversong]

Under a perfect summer sky, I found myself joined by freelance writer Lisa Mcmullin in taking the tube to Ladbrook Grove in West London. We were looking for Fiston Lusambo, the Congolese guitar master who took residence in London over 20 years ago. Due to his comprehensive technique and capacity for organizing line-ups, Fiston was swept to the front of the wave of African music sweeping London and Paris.  I teamed up with Fiston to play a string of gigs culminating in an open air performance in Dublin in 2009 opening up for Vieux Farke Toure, the son of Ali Farke Toure. Fiston currently tours with Africawa and fronts his own outfit, the Zong Zing Allstars which regularly rock Brixton. Fiston was at home and was quick to add glittering Central African riffs to the rhythm guitar track of Liferiver. We took a walk to the park as inquisitive kids came to watch and yuppies walked their dogs. We let Fiston work his magic. We stopped on the way back to pose next to an iconic postbox and then celebrated with a cup of British tea, hoping to hear about the Brazil vs Colombia match. For some amazing Congolese music check out Fiston Lusambo in any European city he plays in next. Thanks to Lisa Mcmullin for lending her creative talent to this leg of the project. London is a dream city for a musician to live in, especially when the weather is as beautiful as this.

[liferiversong]

The plan was sprung into action as I played my second gig as a member of John Lisi & Delta Funk on Frenchman Street. The first people were filling into the venue when I asked John if I could play Liferiver for the crowd. The gentleman responded by calling on the newly formed crowd to call to order and represent New Orleans. Lisi handed me one of his legendary guitars. I started the opening riff and the band kicked in - bass, drums, sax and John wailing on the dobro. Somehow, I ended up dancing Ngoma beats in the center of the room. Cedar picked up the action and the shoot was a wrap. We have John Lisi in Liferiver!

[liferiversong]

So I am taking a break before hitting the stage with Mr Lisi and I find myself in a Brazilian cafe; suddenly I am enchanted by the rich voice filling the venue with simmering raw emotion. There is a lone guitarist female singer and I know we have to try and get her voice on Liferiver. When she finishes her set I have 10 minutes to convince her before I leave, and Rachel Maxann graciously agrees.

The afternoon on the antebellum porch of a beautiful house on tree-lined Esplanade we set up for Rachel and she belts out a sizzling gutsy lady version of the chorus line which makes our hair stand on end. Rachel Maxann Music is releasing an album so check out her page. You will not hear a voice like her's many times in your life!

[liferiversong]

Where else in the world does the street bounce to the vibrations of kids tap dancing on crushed coke cans? N'awlins is the only one I know. Well the team went looking to record that particular sound, and after meeting two very endearing but slightly undersized tappers we ran into James, their older brother. James tapped for us to the rhythm of Liferiver while the Jackson Square memorial loomed behind him. 

That's when we ran into an anonymous drunk who threatened James, pretending to be his uncle and menacing the crew. Thinking fast, we split and met James on the side of Jackson Square to give him his money - which we rightly guessed the other guy was going to take off of him. We needed a coffee to recover after that tense session. 

We know that field recording is an unpredictable business, especially in a city as crazy as NOLA, but we got our tapper.

[liferiversong]

Fifteen years or so ago a kid stumbled into a blues joint in Baton Rouge. The place is heaving, red-lit, smoky and raw. There is a man playing slide guitar like the devil himself. The kid was me and the artist was John Lisi.  Last night I tracked John Lisi down on Frenchman Street and asked him to be in the Liferiver movie. His reply shocked me to my very bones. Sure he said, but first I need you to play your harmonica. That's how I became a member of DeltaFunk and we rocked Bamboulas on Frenchman street for 5 straight hours. I played the harp so hard I had to ice my lip afterwards, and John literally destroyed those blues scales and the audience ate out of his hand. Does anyone anywhere play the slide guitar like John Lisi? So there was I expecting a 20 minute shoot with John and instead he puts me to work! What's more it's one of the most fun gigs I have ever played, and at the end I say to John - what now? Thinking about the Liferiver movie and he says, we do the same thing tomorrow night don't be late and bring those harmonicas! We playing at the big club Cafe Negril on the corner. Unreal! How do we capture this musical tiger on the Liferiver movie? As Baldrick once said - we have a cunning plan!  Check out tomorrow's posting to see if we are successful.

[liferiversong]

The first shoot began on the mighty banks of he Mississippi River. We were cruising the levee when we came across an amazing New Orleans artist, Phil Sylve. Phil studies and plays New Orleans music, and represents the modern expression of that New Orleans thing they call jazz music which has literally rocked the world. Phil was the first artist to add his magic touch to life river. The afternoon colors, the immediate chemistry between the artist and the life river team, and the sun setting on the muddy Mississippi made this a shoot to remember. The one and only Phil Sylve ladies and gentlemen.

[liferiversong]

So after knowing him for five years, I finally meet face to face Cedar Spring Wolf, the multi-talented editor behind the Deep Roots Malawi documentary. Little did I know that this guy would be waiting for me in New Orleans when I touched down. We met in Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter and I explained about the dream of Liferiver. Immediately, he offered his services in the project and the legendary team is back together again. Except now we are working together in person and not online! This means we get to party in New Orleans every night after the shooting is done. If we survive this experience then the Liferiver journey will begin in the Big Easy. 

-Kenny Gilmore