He repeats at will that his mother used to tell everyone: “he sang before he spoke”! And if later he listened to the songs of the jukebox of his mother’s bar, he began to sing well by taking over the credits of children’s shows in his village of Rigaud in Quebec. He has never forgotten them and gives us a bit of a verse in the Happy Hour Live. To be complete on what he does today, Martin Swamps Says He Plays “Traditional American Rural Music”! With enough folklore.
For that, he goes from banjo to acoustic guitar, or from diddley bow to resonator guitar in a jiffy. And every time, the sound of the instruments perfectly coats a naturally warm and gravelly voice, the time for example, of a text on the Appalachians.
Born in a rural Quebec village on the US border, Martin was very early attracted to Rock’n’roll. Over time, he discovers that these popular hits are inspired by much older songs. From then on he never ceased to be interested in the influences of his idols. From the 60s and 70s it goes back to the 40s.
Here he is facing Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf, all that band of Chicago Blues. He digs even further, and discovers the “old” artists of the beginning of the 20th century. The first time he hears Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, or Lemon Jefferson, he is overwhelmed! This primitive music, raw and pure at the same time, sometimes wild, sometimes melancholic, exciting and haunted, simple, but how powerful, and the legends that go with it, pierce him to the depths of his soul.
The result is an initiatory journey to Nashville, Memphis, and along the Mississippi from north to south. Crossing Cajun and bayous countries ended up shaping his art. Enriched with blues, country and spiritual inspirations, Martin Swamps performs on many Canadian and American stages, before settling in France, in Oloron in 2019…
The album:
“Worries Blues” was released in 2021.
– Credits: Nicolas Jolles and Aubérie Vantomme
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