Fredericks Goldman Jones: Le Trio Extraordinaire
The first time I saw Fredericks Goldman Jones perform was at a live concert in Lille, an industrial city in the north of France. My husband and I had decided to visit my sister in Paris in August of 1994. By then, Carole had been living in le dix-huit arrondissement of Paris and making a living as a singer for close to 14 years in France. Each album, video and letter she sent home reassured us that she was doing well. But with no other relative within the country or on the continent, I silently wondered how she was handling being so far away from home and family.
Upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Jim and I were met by a private car and driver who whisked us to Lille. Tickets were waiting for us at the stadium call box. Backstage we met with Carole who joyously introduced us to all of the musicians, the management team, technicians and staff. Everyone greeted us like we were long lost family members. The customary kiss on each cheek was met by our greetings in less than perfect broken French and, to my surprise, their command of English was pretty amazing.
As we took our seats, I couldn’t help noticing parents with young children on their shoulders, teenagers, young couples, grandparents and entire families filling the 15,000 seat stadium. The lights dimmed, chanting followed, and then a roar erupted from the audience. The ROUGE concert began. Screams of approval greeted the musicians - Erick Benzi, Jacques Veneruso, Christophe Deschamps, Jacky Mascarel, Gildas Arzel, Claude le Péron. I held my breath through the first song and frantically searched the stage for Carole. The audience roar intensified moving up octaves as Michael Jones, Jean-Jacques Goldman and then Carole arrived on stage. I watched as they effortlessly performed, often teasing each other and playing on stage. At the end of the song, I marveled at their display of friendship and kinship as they performed. My concerns about Carole dissolved; she was fine. She was part of another family, a family of musicians. By the end of the second song, Carole was no longer my younger sister. She had evolved into a bona fide rock star before my very eyes! She was one third of a magnificent music trio that was considered a phenomenon. ROUGE, Fredericks Goldman Jones’ third album, had sold over a million copies and the tour was sold out at every venue. The trio would go on to record a total of five chart topping albums and remain a force in the French music industry for 10 years. Lifted to our feet, Jim and I chanted and sang for the rest of the two hour concert. We were moved, as was everyone, by the transcending power of music in the hands of Fredericks Goldman Jones.
Our Contributing Educators and I believe the lyrics and music, personalities and lives of these three musicians are a wonderful, vibrant resource for the American teacher and student of French. Enjoy!