Lillian Boutté at WKC

Here’s a post written by Julie Parker, the Programme Leader for Music, following Lillian Boutté’s visit to West Kent College on Tuesday 16th March.

The day started when Lillian arrived at the college in a bright green outfit, in warm sunshine. Richard Simmons and I showed her around the music department. You may know Richard as a WKC Music Visiting Lecturer with an immediately likeable character, and huge experience over the years, including playing with Elvis Presley’s band. He was Lillian’s piano player years ago and the one who helped set up contact with her a few months ago, when I told him I wanted to organise a student field trip to New Orleans. When we took Lillian around, she was pleased to see all the students happily engaged in guitar lessons, rehearsals, theory and other topics, and asked us about our ethos and our curriculum. Looking at the department afresh through the eyes of an outsider, it was quite impressive.

Nearly two years ago James Sedge and I toured the Deep South of America and the Big Easy was a three-day stop amidst experiences in Mississippi, Memphis and Chicago. When we left New Orleans we knew we had to go back there. We also knew we needed to take our students with us. New Orleans has a magical and memorable quality, particularly if you are interested in music, and Lillian seems to personify the city – in just one day she achieved legend and superstar status amongst our students and staff through her warmth, positivity, talent, and her enthusiasm and huge personality.

We started with an introductory talk in the Lecture Theatre. When Lillian warned us at the outset that she “woke herself up as she talked so much”, we knew it was going to be free-flowing! She answered in detail every student and staff question about her life, career and musical associations, and she did it with both humour and illuminating political insights.

We also found out about the many musicians Lillian has worked with over the years - and all the anecdotes about her early career, from driving around the US for 19 years while the men drank liquor at the back of the bus, to the stroke-affected alcoholic pianist with a paralysed left arm which occasionally “came to life on its own” on stage, causing mayhem and hilarity by producing very loud, sudden and out-of-tune bass notes on the piano in the middle of the set.

From there Lillian introduced her film, The Sound After The Storm, which details the city’s efforts to come to terms with the Hurricane Katrina disaster. I was not ready for the film’s raw emotions and Lillian, whose family, friends and musical colleagues were featured in detail, wept throughout. After passing her a packet of tissues I soon realised I needed them back, as the devastation was overwhelming. Several other staff and students were deeply affected, and at the end of the film there was complete silence for about a minute, then huge applause. Afterwards, the thirteen 2nd year Foundation Degree students who will be visiting next year said they are now desperate to go, and they felt personally involved. The film has won "Best Documentary" at the Zurich International Film Festival.

Following the solemn and sometimes harrowing film interlude we moved on to a vocals workshop, where music degree singers learnt backing vocal harmonies to some gospel and traditional songs. Lillian worked with all the vocalists in turn, making sure they all knew their parts, and Richard accompanied the session on the piano. An audience of other students watched and sometimes joined in on the choruses. The songs the group rehearsed were performed later that night at Mojo’s Bar, when the students sang alongside Lillian, backed by a music staff band.

The evening has been described by all as the best night the department has ever held. The pub was packed with students, staff, family and friends of the music department. The music began with a showcase for the music department’s finest bands and musicians. It featured excellent sets from Charlotte Jacobs, Ghost In Mirrors, Billy Jupp, Goldie Reed, Gavin Crowhurst and Bareface. The music department tutors took the stage at 9pm, and started with “Buddy Can You Spare a Dime”, sung by David Migden. This set the mood for Lillian’s arrival, and she did not disappoint. The next 45 minutes were filled with beautiful ballads, exciting Gospel, and cool funk songs. Lillian was accompanied by Donna Rudd on “Natural Woman” and by Holly Hunt, France Amann, Helen Garrod and Charlotte Jacobs on “Iko Iko”. The pub was filled with feelings of excitement and goodwill - people were aware that they had a world class singer and band on display in Tonbridge. The evening continued until 12.30am with more excellent music from David Migden and the Dirty Words, the Ollie Stevenson Jazz Trio, Paul Rippengal, Holly and the Multi-Tones, Sarah Tonin and UberJam. Many people stayed to the end, despite having work the next day.

This was the most exciting day in the music department’s history. We had important cross-cultural lessons, music workshops, American politics and an exceptional concert. This will all go towards making further connections with universities and music agencies in the USA.