Janice deRosa, one of our Paris favorites, performs July 24th at the Petit Journal Montparnasse (13, Rue du Commandant-Mouchotte 75014 Paris). This native Harlem girl gone self-proclaimed Parisian diva is a woman who has defined her own way in this city and on the international music scene.
She moved to Paris in 1990, playing clubs ever since and working her way up to a sort of fame not only in Paris, but Europe as well. She's produced five records, two of those with Warner Bros. Last year her recording of "Groovin" was at the top of French radio charts for weeks.
Her latest CD "deRosa" is a blues-flavored concoction that triggers Janis Joplin flashbacks with a graceful pace reminiscent of a Tom Waits album. There's a wisdom in her lyrics that women relate to. Several world-renowned musicians, from Cambodia to New Jersey, contributed to the new CD such as Sam Andrew-the guitarist and songwriter for Janis Joplin- and Paul Breslin, the bandleader for Percy Sledge.
Like her previous albums, most notably "Afroblues" (1998), "deRosa" is a melange of world music traditions. The album is a mix of covers and original songs, featuring redrawn classics such as "Little Wing" by Hendrix, "Sure Had a Wonderful Time Last Night" by B.B. King and "Baby, Baby, Don't Cry" by "Smokey" Robinson.
Janice deRosa performs July 24th, 2010 Petit Journal Montparnasse, 13, Rue du Commandant-Mouchotte, 75014 Paris. More info about Janice http://www.myspace.com/janicederosa
