Lil’ Red & The Rooster in interview “Playing in Chicago is just incredible”

Lil’ Red is Jennifer Milligan, a singer and musician from Columbus, Ohio, while The Rooster is Pascal Fouquet, a guitarist from Normandy, more precisely from Bernay in the Eure region. Their respective paths crossed around fifteen years ago. Pascal, one of the finest blues guitarists in France, shapes his guitar work with finesse, precision, and dexterity. With bite, humor, and a disarming smile, Jennifer asserts her style, her voice, and her world, drawing on everything that fuels her inner drive. They are always backed by a top-tier rhythm section.

For you, they present their latest album packed with original compositions, titled Seven, in an interview recorded at the most recent Evrecy Blues Club, where they opened the evening as a quintet ahead of New York–based singer and pianist Dave Keyes, who was the guest on the show last week. A lively and passionate interview, touching in particular on the various guest musicians featured on the album and on reflections about today’s United States… Lil’ Red & The Rooster: a striking and inventive duo, rooted in blues but not limited to it, driven by a shared commitment to doing things well.

Thanks to Jacques Picard, Patty Picard, Paul Colin, and the whole Backstage team for providing excellent interview conditions after the 14th Evrecy Blues Club on October 17, 2025. The 15th edition of the Evrecy Blues Club is scheduled for February 27, 2026, with Paul Benjaman and Kaz Hawkins.

🎙️ Lil’ Red & The Rooster in interview with Marc Loison

Why did you choose the title Seven for this new album? Is it because there are seven tracks, or because it’s your seventh record?

No, it’s not the seventh album. Not yet. The title mainly came from an intuition of Pascal Fouquet around the number seven. There is, of course, the seventh chord in blues, but also a broader set of references, almost spiritual. The number suggested several things at once. And maybe also the idea that this album could bring us luck. There’s even a small nod to 007.

Can you say a few words about the musicians who play with you, on the album and on stage?

On the album, you’ll find Jean-Marc Despeignes on bass and Pascal Mucci on drums. That night in Évrecy, Pascal Mucci wasn’t available and was replaced by Guillaume Chevillard, who did an excellent job. On keyboards, there is Fabien Saussaye. And on piano, on the album, a very important guest for us: Bobby Floyd, from Columbus, Ohio.

Who is Bobby Floyd and how did you meet?

We met him after the album Soul Burnin’, in a club in Columbus called Natalie’s. He plays there every Sunday with his jazz trio. In Columbus, he’s a real legend. He started his career with Ray Charles, then replaced Count Basie in his orchestra. Beyond his career, he’s also a genuinely kind and humane person.

The album features many guests. Can you tell us about them?

Yes, there are many guests, and above all they are human encounters. Colin John, who plays with Long Tall Deb, is a close friend. He has an incredible slide style, and some songs clearly called for that sound.
There’s also Gregory Pearson, nicknamed “The Governor,” one of our first drummers in Columbus, very active in both jazz and blues.
Jeff Morrow appears on our two previous albums. He was the vocal producer on Keep On and is really part of the family. I send him a song and he immediately sends back very rich backing vocal arrangements.
You’ll also find Bobbi Townes, Bobby Floyd’s daughter, who sings, plays tambourine, and took the album photos. Quan Howell and Kara Brooks, two major soul voices from Columbus, also appear on the record. The arrangements for the track Wild Rising were done by Bobby Floyd.

“There isn’t really a recipe”

The album moves through many styles: gospel, jazz, funk, blues, swing, jump… How do you bring all that together in just seven tracks?

There isn’t really a recipe. They’re compositions, ideas that emerge while playing. I record them, then pass them on to Jennifer Milligan, who develops them further.
On my side, playing with Bobby Floyd really opened doors. He comes from gospel, jazz, and blues. We didn’t want to make a blues album in the strict sense, but to play the music we love. The aesthetic of the 1960s came naturally, and we fully embraced it.

What has the feedback been like since the album’s release?

It’s been very positive. We worked with a new publicist, more focused on independent music than strictly blues, which allowed us to reach new journalists and broaden the way our music is perceived.
There will be a review in Living Blues Magazine, and we also received a silver medal at the Global Music Awards, both for the album and for creativity.

How did the writing process for Seven unfold?

I took a full month to write. In the morning, I meditated, then wrote freely. I first gathered a lot of material, then structured everything. Pascal Fouquet already had a folder of compositions, and I put it all together like a puzzle, building melodies around it. It was a full-time effort.

You play very regularly at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago. What does that venue represent for you?

It’s always very special. You feel welcomed like family. And there’s always that sense of excitement, because you never know if Buddy Guy might stop by during the evening.
We often play the acoustic dinner set, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm, which is my favorite. We’ve also played with the full band, before the headliner.
Playing at Legends brings real visibility. The audience is very international, and it has helped us get booked elsewhere, including in France.

Does the current political context in the United States influence the way you play?

Yes, clearly. You have to be careful about what you say. Some older songs, like American Maid, are no longer played today. Personally, I’m very political in my songwriting, and I sometimes wonder about the impact this can have, especially in certain bars. You have to stay alert.

To wrap up, what are your upcoming projects?

There are still some tracks to finalize, like Why Don’t You Do Right and Worcester Boogie.
There’s also a surf blues album project, with the rhythm section of Dick Dale, who have shown interest. The project is well advanced, but first we need to give this album a proper life in order to finance the next one.