Rodolphe Burger was invited by Marsatac in the Festival de Marseille to work with 6 young musicians from Beyrouth in Libanon and one musician from Marseille in the context of a project called « Mix Up Beyrouth » : what a great idea which at last gave me the opportunity to do a Live interview with one of my favorite French musicians !

Rodolphe Burger (guitar and vocals) during the show Mix Up Beyrouth; Rodolphe with Julien Perraudeau (bass).

I immediatly loved Rodolphe Burger‘s music, special sound and style when I saw him Live many years ago with his ex-band Kat Onoma so I will play a lot of songs’ excerpts from this band to illustrate that interview (The Radio, Artificial Life, Idiotic, La Chambre, Le déluge « d’après moi », John and Mary, Play with Fire with James Blood Ulmer, Billy The Kid) as well as some excerpts from the Mix Up Beyrouth’s first Live performance at la Friche Belle de Mai July 11th 2009 (including an excerpt from the soundcheck !!). You can also check Rodolphe’s solo albums : HERE.

Rodolphe with Ziad Saad (keyboards, vocals, guitar); Rodolphe with Rayess Bek (vocals and computer) in the background Julien and Ziad.

Rodolphe met these 7 musicians from Beyrouth and Marseille for the first time just 10 days before the show and it really was a challenge to be creative and in harmony in a so short period of time : but they got it !! Second step in September for the Marsatac festival’s overture : don’t miss them if you’re in the area !

Youmma Saba (vocals guitar) Rodolphe, Julien and Ziad.

the whole band (from right to left) : Frederic Nevchehirlian (vocals guitar), Fady Tabbal (multi-instumentist), Youmma, Abed Kobeissy (busuk), Rodolphe, Julien, Ziad and Rayess.

Ziad taking the vocals, Youmma and Rayess during the encore !

Everybody focused during the soundcheck.

Obviously after the Mix Up Beyrouth’s project, I couldn’t resist to ask Rodolphe questions about Kat Onoma’s eventual future, how he built his own recording studio « The Farm », launched his own label ‘Derniere Bande » and created his own festival « C’est dans la Vallée » + he announced me the next tour with his new trio…so many things that I forgot to speak about his last tour in China and Ouzbekistan !! Hoping it just was the part 1 !!