Keziah Jones – Le Transbordeur (Villeurbanne)

On Wednesday, October 8, the Transbordeur hosted a new leg of Keziah Jones’s European tour, following the release of his live album Alive & Kicking, recorded earlier this year in his hometown of Lagos, Nigeria. With that same spirit, he brought his guitars to Villeurbanne for a concert in which, once again, he gave the impression of shaping his music in real time. Opening the evening, Indawa delivered a delicate and airy performance. Blues Actu was there to tell you all about it.

A suspended moment to open the night

There was no explosive entrance for this young artist, who came to present her EP Blue, whose single It Wouldn’t Be Me was released just a few days ago. Indawa eased gently into the sonic space, creating a rare sense of intimacy for a room this size. Singing slightly away from the microphone, her voice blends with the air of the venue. The mic picks up breaths, whispers, the faintest sounds, and silence itself becomes part of the music. The audience quickly picked up on this and leaned in to listen.

She was joined on stage by Olivier Serrus on percussion. His precise and measured playing supported her songs without ever overpowering them. This voice-percussion duo created a delicate, almost weightless atmosphere that set the stage for the energy that would follow.

Bless you!

At exactly 9 p.m., Keziah Jones took the stage. It quickly became clear that he hadn’t fully mapped out how the concert would unfold. He also started softly, singing a cappella on Femiliarise, inviting the audience to sing along: “If I play for you, you have to play for me too!” Once the crowd joined in enthusiastically, he smiled and said, “Now we can bring the band on!” His voice didn’t immediately hit full strength. A heavy use of tissues betrayed a somewhat weakened form that evening. But Keziah is a warrior: he threw himself into the show with unwavering determination. Down with the cold!

Keziah Jones is, above all, a musical experience. The way he plays, restarts, stretches or tightens his songs gives the feeling he’s building the set in real time, like a conductor at the center of a band he knows intimately – often leading them with his back to the audience.

He plays with dynamics, pauses, restarts, and shifts the energy with just a look. He moves effortlessly between afro influences, pop, funk, and groove. This approach makes every concert unique, though a few looser moments occasionally emerge when the jams run a bit long.

The setlist featured some standout performances. Kpafuca, Where’s Life?, Beautiful Emilie (a few seconds below), and Million Miles From Home punctuated the night, reminding the audience of their attachment to his classic albums. He joked about it: “These songs are getting old now, because I’m an old man!” The crowd responded immediately. “Look, my beard is turning grey!” he added with a laugh. Sixty-one years old, but his sharp humor and vibrant energy remain intact.

With this tour, Keziah Jones is closing one chapter and opening another. He has promised new material by the end of the year, along with a future tour featuring a refreshed setlist. A new album has been a long time coming since Captain Rugged (2013). The upcoming project is said to be more experimental, yet still rooted in “blufunk,” that distinctive mix of world influences he wants to pass on to new generations.

On stage, Keziah Jones is backed by a finely tuned band: Josh “McNasty” McKenzie on drums, Joey “Anchorman” Grant on bass, Alex “Beanz” Miller on percussion and bass depending on the song, and Edem “Amen” Viana on guitar. Their cohesion is remarkable. They play with constant smiles and contagious energy, fully in service of the groove.

As the concert drew to a close, All Along the Watchtower, a Bob Dylan cover, was delivered with a Hendrix-like spirit. It gave the band room to soar in a perfectly executed sequence, powered by a rock-solid rhythm section. Finally, Rhythm Is Love, the inevitable closer, wrapped up the concert… or almost, since the band returned for an encore without much persuasion.

In short, Keziah Jones shaped the night with a mix of energy, improvisation, and genuine rapport with the audience. A few extended instrumental passages, yes — but that’s part of the experience of a man who has continually reinvented himself throughout his career. Indawa opened the way with a delicate, distinctive set, and Keziah Jones carried it forward with his mastery of groove and stagecraft.