LEE FIELDS Interview UK my world 2009

FONKADELICA : Mr Fields, could you tell us about the beginning of your career back in the 70’s ? How did it go ?

LEE FIELDS : The beginning ? I started singing in a choir, with my mother. Singing sacred music. A friend of mine, since my ressemblance to James was so obvious, dared me to sing a James Brown song. The rock band was playing in the air, I sang the song and they liked it, so they took me in the vocals.

So you began as a vocalist ?

Yes.

You’ve been quickly called « Little JB ».

Yeah man, you know, this is because of the ressemblance… and the voice is also so similar as James’. But I guess that’s because I was majorly influenced by him. But people that are on my music, they know, they’re able to make the difference. They know that there’s a difference. A great difference. When people are listening to the album, for the first time listening, I’m quite sure they would see. There’s perhaps a lot of influence, you could tell the influence of James, but you could tell from other original stuff.

How did you (and do you) take the fact of being so often compared to the godfather of soul ?

Oh man, I take it as flattery… and as a great compliment. No doubt about that. ‘Cause you know, James was a great man.

How did you feel when he died ?

It really was a real, real tragedy. For me. You know, because he was a great influence, not only on myself, but I’m quite sure on many of others. It makes me feel sad to think about it. Yeah it was a sad thing, a real sad thing.

Then, between the 70’s and the 90’s, almost no album… Why is that ?

I did only singles in the 70’s. I did one album though. We actually put together some records that I had, to make a new album. But it took some years to cut that record. The next album came in 1992. But I was working ! The 80’s was rather slow. But the 90’s…I was constitantly, over to now from the 90’s, but the 80’s was kind of a slow period.

You mean, for funk and soul ?

Yeah, the time was more to house music… dance, soul-commercial type. Music that the industry was pushing. So to a lot of people that were doing soul music, it was as I said kind of a slow period.

Didn’t you somehow take advantage of the coming back of deep and classical funk in the 90’s, especially with the apparition of sampling ?

I think the music is coming back with new musicians reputting soul music back to the full front. I think it’s a beautiful thing, and I’m trying to do everything possible to release the best records that I could possibly make. This album, My World (2009), with the talent of Leon and Jeff, and the Expressions band, I think we achieved what I was hoping to do. To give the best quality, and a true, soul record, that was not like a copy of the soul music of the 70’s. But a re-… I’m not gonna say re-made, I’m gonna say… a re-creation of soul music.

In 2004 you become part of a new label, Truth and Soul Records, and compose a new band, « the Expressions ». A reference to Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions ?

Well, I’ve got to ask the guys about this… yes it’s kind of similar… Lee Fields & the Expressions, Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions… Yeah, I’ve never thought about that !
The expressions named themselves, so I would have to talk with them and find out exactly. Were they trying to get close to the Impressions… What were they trying to do… ?
Yeah, Curtis Mayfield, and Lee Fields… yeah that’s kind of funny ! And you know the most amazing thing ? I live in Plainfield, on a street called Butterfield. And I’m Lee Fields. Hehe…

And now, since the 90’s, you’ve released several new albums, in the pure heritage of classical funk, and, of course, JB. Whereas most of 70’s soul artists did try in their late albums to combine soul/tradition and new sounds, new ambiances. As you say, in the beginning of « Let’s Get A Groove On », you refused all that… No sampler, no synthetyser, no beatbox, etc. Why was it important to you to stay in the funk tradition ?

The thing is… I do all kind of music. But true live music to me is what I started with. And I always try to keep the tradition, although I do a lot of other musics. I do electronic music, I do blues… but this is the music that I like… soul music… I like to do everything in my power to keep that music alive. I’ve had this opportunity now, with these youngs artists, such as the Expressions, the Dap-Kings… It’s indeed a wonderful experience to hear a sound recorded in such a fashion. As a matter of fact, this is like music to my ears.

Don’t you want to record a blues album ?

Yeah, I’m gonna do some more blues, I’m gonna do… I would like to do everything I’ve been doing lately, like blues, house music, retro-funk… I want to do it all.

So you were already interested in house music… How did you establish contact with Martin Solveig ?

He heard my voice on a record. But he never told me the name of the record. And then I get a call, he tells me « If it’s possible, I would like to record you ». He was getting known at this time, so when he called I said to him : yeah, it sounds good … So we decided to hook up, I went to Florida, and we cut the record « Goodman ». The next thing we did was « Everybody », and that really took off. This was one of the highlights of my musical career. But indeed, it is much fun working with him.

Your latest album, My World, seems to come directly from the 70’s… How did you manage to get that genuine, vintage sound ? Did you use old, low-fi recording machines ?

I wouldn’t have achieved that sound without the expertise of Leon and Jeff. Because of the fact that they made efforts to make sure that the sound was deep and all of the essence of a 70’s sound, but the freshness of… like it was just made today. So they would do a lot of efforts to get the record sounding like that. I praise to what they did this way. Because I listen to it, and I’ll have to perform the cd in New York on the 5th, so I’ve been working very hard to make sure that I would able to really be at my best on that show. It’ll be nice.

Your composed the songs on this album ?

I didn’t exactly wrote them, it was like a collaboration, of everybody in the studio. For the majority of the songs. « Somebody got an idea ? » Some person say yes, another say yes, and it was like the merging of everybody’s mind. So I guess that’s one of the reasons why the cd is, to me, as wonderful as it is. Because of the collaboration of everybody. It was a really wonderful expercience.

You’ve been in the 70’s, and still are, a great soul singer. But what has changed between now and then ? For instance, you’ve released the song Honey Dove on your 1973 album « Problems ». You decided to re-record it on your latest album « My World ». What changed in the way you sing it ?

Difference between the way I sing it, I’d say probably… the mood that I was in. I was more in an intimate mood and state of mind. So it’s almost like actually talking, like a man talking with his woman. I think I got more feelings out of the new one. Because it was almost like I wanted a real actual conversation, and a more emotional one.

You’ve also collaborated with artists such as Martin Solveig. You’re the famous voice on « Jealousy », « Everybody », « I Want You », etc. How did you perceive this experience, regarding to your soul singer career ?

Well, Matin allowed me to be the soul singer that I am, but he also has his pojections of where we sould go with our project. He knows where he wants the record. So when I put my energy, and my voice in, he would direct me to go in the direction that would help the record, by merging the soulness that I brought in it, but making it sound like… well, you know, it’s a dance, right ? So it doesn’t sound too soulfull. But it sounds a lot soulfull. At the same time, you put it on the radio, it fits right in. He’s a really excellent producer.

Lee Fields in 3 words.

Let me see… Lee Fields in three word.
Do – my – best.

I was surprised to learn that you had a flat in Paris… Do you often come here ?

Yes, I come quite frequently.

You like being here ?

Oh, absolutely man. A person has got to be out his mind no to like Paris. Paris is a great place. I’ve got four favorites cities : New York, Paris, London, and New Orleans. I like New Orleans. I love it. I’m gonna get back down there.

What’s next ? What are you projects for the future ?

We will do some travel, Switzerland and then we do this thing at the Olympia. And I’ll get back to the States. I’ve got a cd-release party on the day I come back, then I got some tours, and a blues tour to do. I’m gonna be quite busy. But I like it !

What is the last song you fell in love with ?

Mercy, by Duffy.

thanks !