I have seen Michel three or four times live, and the first thing that really strikes you is his tone. It's not the in-your-face, deep and throaty sound that his often presented as the holy grail of tone in harmonica circles, it's a much more supple, velvety sound that sometimes makes you wonder if you're hearing a harmonica or a cello. Of course, Michel's chops are right up there too, but the combination of his lyrical playing and velvet tone are really something worth experiencing first hand.
On the flip side, Michel's bands are sometimes a little odd, with musicians of varying levels and not always the right frame of mind to address his demanding compositions. That wasn't the case on Thursday evening, although the keyboard player was a little stiff at times. But the rest of the band had just the right groove, between jazz and musette. Accordion player Christian Toucas is really amazing, and of course having French jazz luminary André Ceccarelli on drums is a guarantee of rhythmic flair.
The set was a mix of Michel's old staples (Gadget Boogie, Voice) and more recent compositions (Jacava, Eden Legrand) as well as a few numbers by band members including a wonderful composition by Christian Toucas (see the video below). It was a good balance and really highlighted Michel's romantic streak in just the right way. All in all a very enjoyable concert, probably the most satisfying I've ever seen of Michel.
You can find photos of that concert here, and below is the video of A Vida Da Minha Mae, the aformentioned Christian Toucas composition.
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