Café Plum in Lautrec was buzzing on Thursday evening.
It is a bar with a bohemian air, set up a few years ago in the old village school house–spacious and welcoming. It doubles as a bookshop–bookshelves floor to ceiling–browsing between courses encouraged.
The arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau and the prospect of a rousing gig from favorite sons, The Narvalos–nine local musicians with a reputation for playing long and hard–a perfect match for the atmosphere of unspoken defiance and determination that life must proceed as normal.
Nothing said, but clearly–no surrender.
Autumn is in and the trees are almost bare–though not the oaks, always the last to shed.
No stopping that either–winter is coming.
Les Narvelos. Local press describes them–“Neuf instruments sur scène et une énergie toujours présente dans ce groupe où les textes défendent l’art du bien vivre ensemble.”
The Narvelos–not sure why the name–were on song Thursday from the start, playing a brilliant set of high energy French popular music, most their own–sort of chansons that rock.
There was a feeling of comradeship–long term–that spread out from the bandstand to encompass us all.
We were all Narvelos Thursday night!
We left at 11pm– but the party went on ’til 4am we heard!
The next night Café Plum were the promoters of a different sort of gig–in the village church–a imposing building with an elaborate baroque interior. The bells strike the hour twice and still summon the faithful, but the church struggles these days to fill the pews.
Friday night though there is a fair turn-out for the concert of songs from the Basque country that borders the Atlantic–four hours to the west of us.
Unaccompanied singing in close harmony–acapella or polyphonie.
Vox Bigerri*
The five men in the group–their black outfits encouraging a feeling of monkish brotherhood–start singing at the back of the church and make their way up the nave, glancing at one another, as though in conversation as they proceed–confirmation of their experience and fraternity.
Their formation–who stands next to whom–changes, the harmonies enhanced by the appropriate proximity.
For one song four of them form a close circle–arms held loosely round their waists.
The leader–Pascal Caumont–introduces each song as though he’s talking to you in your living room–then taps his small tuning fork, puts it to his ear, emitting an almost imperceptible oumm–which the others appear to pick up in their heads.
Then that quiet glance to each other again before the inward breath and the perfect synchronized start.
Their harmonies are daring and mesmerizing and like the Narvalos they communicate a sense of mutual trust for each other, earned over a long period of practice and performance; not too much to call it–love.
Before gifting us an encore they modestly promote their CDs and hint that they might wind down at Café Plum with more.
We head over there and are rewarded.
Vive la France! Vive la Musique– mais surtout, vive L’Harmonie!
*I apologize for misspelling the name of Vox Bigerri under the first photo in my original post.
Robin Ellis 
Just a beautiful sentiment you expressed. Thank you. Not just the harmony of music that we all share, but the harmony in “life is good, keep remembering that” that you espoused. Scary time and a perfect reminder to keep on singing (or keep on cooking, as your U.S. fans are prepping for Thanksgiving this week), and there is a lot to be thankful for despite the insanity.
Happy Thanksgiving and good cooking, Judy!
Dear Robin,
We here in the States have France in our hearts. So glad your OK and going
forth. This week is our Thanksgiving and as I prepare my Bird with the butter/sherry baste I shall think of how
grateful I am for all your hard work on
the orginal Poldark. Thanks Sir & give
your cats a pet for me.
Take care!!!
Thanks, Linda–Happy Thanksgiving!
Mon Dieu, Robin, if your object was to bring the two evenings to life, to bring France to life, to make us wish we were there, you succeeded brilliantly on all counts. Thank you. —Bob
Thank you, Bob–and wishing you and Peggy–Happy Thanksgiving!
Sounds as though you have a wonderful seasonal life – tomatoes and aubergines in the summer, wine on the terrace, and community firesiding in the colder weather. What larks!
Hi Constantine–larks indeed!
Mr. Ellis..
And we are glad that you did a post showing that Lautrec and the entire people of France are doing what they believe in as they refuse to ‘surrender’ to terror.
As others here have noted, we also wish to let you know that we,from ‘across the pond’, do empathize in France’s recent trials. Your comments seem to echo a bit of the poet Browning’s words: ‘He who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once’. Nothing like the creation of music to bring all in a healing and communal gathering. after great sorrow.
And ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ to all for we all indeed have much to be thankful for.
Mr. Ellis..
And we are glad that you did a post showing that Lautrec and the entire people of France are doing what they believe in as they refuse to ‘surrender’ to terror.
As others here have noted, we also wish to let you know that we,from ‘across the pond’, do empathize in France’s great trial. Your comments seem to echo a bit of the poet Browning’s words: ‘He who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once’. Nothing like the creation of music to bring all in a healing and communal gathering after much sorrow.
And ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ to all for we all indeed have much to be thankful for.
Hi Robin
My op went well 🙂 The tumour is benign and I am on cloud 9. So lucky and ready to get back to life as normal. whilst in recoveryI am listening to Hercule Poirot, “Evil Under The Sun. I have the full set. You are being interigated by wonderful John Moffat. Did you work in anything else with John? He was a very gracious man wasn’t he and made me laugh each time I met him. You acted with them all, Poirot, Dalgleish and the grand Sherlock Holmes… What a life 🙂
Sent from my iPad
>
So happy to hear that.
How sad we are here in the U.S. for the people of France.
As a musician, I know first hand how music can be a great comfort in times of sorrow. Music has saved me many times.
What a beautiful outpouring from your community, and a great way to bring people together in strength and spirit!
Music has so much power..my daughter who had crippling social anxiety,has blossomed since joining an amateur operatic society. So glad that Jack and Theo are safe but so terribly heartsick for those who lost their lives or were injured. The world would be a better place if those who mistrust each other were made to share good food and music and to dance…naive I know..
How lovely. Especially during this dark time. A reminder of community spirit and human spirit and that hundreds of years ago we all got together to celebrate and share, before we holed up at home glued to a small screen 🙂 Thank you for sharing, I needed a push 🙂
Looks like a lovely evening x2!
What a merry company! Sometimes some wine can help. We have a saying in Italy “Canta che ti passa, that means more or less, sing a song and you will feel better”. I felt to sing a song a few days ago, a beautiful song by an Italian pop-rock star “Luciano Ligabue” having in mind the pain and suffering of many people after all that occurred. It is entitled “Il giorno di dolore che uno ha=the painful day one has to live=le jour de douleur qu’on doit vivre” Forza cugini francesi!!!!! Allez-y cousins français! Bon courage! Cette chanson est aussi pour vous! Andiamo avanti, mais mon dieu pas d’autres guères…
Thanks Paola.
Just wonderful! My oak has dropped all but a couple of big bronze leaves, as I prep the alto part of Bach’s b minor Mass here in NYC. Thinking of all of you in France! Thanks for sending the music out, may it resonate back a hundred fold to you and yours,
Nancy N
Music has helped me to cope with very sad events in my life. I am a piano teacher. Teaching the piano helped me to cope with the death of my husband in 2004. He sadly died from a stroke at the age of 50, He was diabetic and alcoholic. I have recently played the piano at two tea parties at an old people’s home and a home for people with disabilities. I’m lucky to have a hobby which gives pleasure to other people.
What great evenings.
….and great places! (love the bookstore…)
….oh, and….Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂
The church concert sounds delightful! Love your essays/stories!
Thanks, Melinda.
“Imagine all the people living in harmony…” Last weekend, I was talking to some Chinese students. They didn’t understand everything I said but they started singing this Lennon song ! Strange how music unites people. I sang along with them.
Thank you for sharing – such wonderful music, and I assume the wine was excellent, too. Your posts are a welcome reminder that civilization and civilized people still exist, as we are apt to forget in these dark times.
I saw your marvelous “The Photographer” in Wallender, although my Swedish is nonexistent and I had to read quickly to keep pace with any scene without your benign-seeming killer, thanks to Netflixs – you made a very convincing villain I must say!. The bridge where your character was nicked by John Law was a marvel; I hope you and Mrs. Ellis were able to enjoy Sweden whilst you were working.
Looks & sounds like a lovely, peaceful evening. Good for you!!
Vive la France!