Leyla McCalla : the capitalist blues / une production la Huit ; en coproduction avec le Théâtre de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvetines, scène nationale, Fotogram, et TV78 ; un film de Gilles le Mao.

Paris, France : Qwest TV, 2019.

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A New Yorker of Haitian origin, Leyla McCalla is an artist of different calibre who first made a name for herself with the Carolina Chocolate Drops before embarking on a solo career. A banjo player, guitarist and cellist, she sings in French, English and Haitian Creole. To mark the release of her album *The Capitalist Blues*, she performs here with her band composed of Dave Hammer on guitar, Peter Olynciw on electric bass and double bass and Shawn Myers on drums at the Théâtre de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in France in 2019. The daring record, inspired by the socio-political climate in the United States, reflects an emotional conflict, a duality that Leyla McCalla encounters between what her spirit wishes to achieve and what society forces her to do. A contemporary sense of unease and contradiction rings true in a society where money is king. Influenced by the Cajun music rooted in New Orleans, where she has been living for some years, Leyla manages to infuse traditional melodies with Creole traditions, jazz, folk and blues, as well as a freshness and elegance all her own. Without artifice and with total sincerity, she sings with simplicity that touches our hearts and minds. Anaïs Christidis Guillemard.

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French; English

January 31, 2023

Leyla McCalla, vocals, cello, guitar, banjo ; Shawn Myers, drums, percussion ; Peter Olynciw, double bass ; David Hammer, guitar.