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http://www.batteurmag.com

BigDez - Night After Night BDCD002 The band started in 1996 in Paris. Bigdez is a 5 piece "Parisian Texas Blues" band with Phil Fernandez (guitar & vocal), Bala Pradal (organ & piano), Marco Schaeller (harmonica), Lamine Guerfi (bass), Stephane Miñana (drums). Phil Fernandez took several trips to the U.S which helped him create a very unique style of icy guitar licks combined with a smooth, yet powerful voice. In 2004 the band, spurred on by the success of their first recording in Texas, returned to Austin to record "Night After Night". This time with guests such as Preston Hubbard (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Sax Gordon Beadle, Mike Cross, Tom Robinson and Gary Slechta. A great entrance from Drums and Piano get this album off to a cracking start with a track called "Junk Tour". All the eleven songs on this CD are original material. The general pace is up tempo, with a Texas Blues Rock feel. The Horns and Brass start making an appearance from track three onwards as do the guest vocalists. The title track "Night After Night" is a real rocker where the piano work shines through. Sax Gordon Beadle works in a great solo on "Never Make A Move Too Soon". Track six "At Gino's" is the one track on this album that wears thin very quickly for me, the chorus becoming monotonous, but probably works very well in a live set. The tempo slows a little on the tracks "No.2" and "Suspicion" allowing us to catch our breath. Marc Schaeller gets to put in a good harmonica solo as he leads on "2710 S. Lamar" the CD's only instrumental. The trumpet of Gary Slechta draws us in to the last track "Stroll For Madeleine" which as the title suggests is taken at a leisurely strolling pace. All in all the CD "Night After Night" shows perfectly the maturity of this "Frenchy Blues Band". They are touring the UK in early March. Get out and see them, is my recommendation and add this CD to your collection while you're there.
Rating 10
Paul Stiles
oxordblues.info

http://www.digitalblues.co.uk
There are not too many French men (or women) who spring to mind when one thinks of purveyors of the Blues and so it was an added pleasure when this CD hit the doormat courtesy of Derek White from Rocking the Blues who is co-promoting a tour of the UK by this Paris based five piece in March & May 2006. Formed in 1996, Big Dez comprises Phil Fernandez, guitar & vocals, Bala Pradel, organ & keyboards, Marco Schaeller, harmonica, Lamine Guerfi, bass and Stephane Minana on drums (although the drummer on the CD is Nico Leophonte) and the CD is the band's second. Recorded in Austin, Texas, the album includes some top guests including Preston Hubbard (Fabulous Thunderbirds) & Sax Gordon Beadle and comprises 11 very varied tracks, all bar two of which are Big Dez originals. (On these he is co-credited).
The band has built itself quite a reputation on the European Festival and club circuit and on the basis of this CD it is easy to see why. Phil's vocals are spot-on and only occasionally can you tell that he is singing in a “foreign” language, whilst his guitar work pays credit to the time he has spent in the US jamming with the likes of Luther Allison, WC Clark & Billy Branch and playing alongside Texas legend Uncle John Turner (drummer with Johnny Winter & Lightnin' Hopkins) and many others. Harpist Marc blows up a beautiful storm with some great leads whilst Bala delivers some blistering organ breaks and solos. The rhythm section is solid and always there but never over the top.The CD contains an excellent variety of styles, tempos and approaches. There is a lovely, almost jazzy feel to the delicious “Suspicion” which features a beautiful keyboard continuo and some stinging guitar whilst the fine mid-tempo “#2” affords each member of the band an opportunity to shine in turn and just has to be one of those numbers which is a classic live! “2710 S Lamar” is a breakneck instrumental belter which is all too short, and look out for the great moody trumpet solo from Gary Slechta on “Stroll for Madeline”, a gem.This is a cracking CD and a great introduction to Big Dez. I for one am looking forward to catching them live and what a pleasure it is to hear some great Blues from France, even if they do come via Texas! Vive les blues, vive Grand Dez!!.
18 th December 2005

www. blues revue .com
French singer/songwriter/guitarist Phil Fernandez and his band Big Dez
(keyboardist Bala Pradal, bassist Lamine Guerfi, harpist Marc Schaeller,
and drummer Nico Leophonte) traveled to Austin, Texas, to record their second
self-produced album with guests Sax Gordon, trumpeter Gary Slechta,
rhythm guitarist Rodolphe Dumont, and bassist Preston Hubbard. It's easy to be
skeptical of the idea of a French bluesman, but Fernandez's slashing
guitar combines Albert Collins' icy tension with Johnny Guitar Watson's
metallic crunch, and his clear, booming, congenial vocals bear no trace of an
accent and sound like a less lupine Kent Omar Dykes.
Besides two covers (B.B. King's 1977 hit Never Make a Move Too
Soon and Roy Brown's jump shuffle Beautician Blues), there are nine varied,
high-spirited, but derivative originals performed by a band that sounds
serious and fun at the same time. At Gino's is a second-line strut with
cascading piano and muscular snare drum, Even Me is a jagged boogaloo
twister with razor guitar licks, Junk Tour is a snarling midtempo
bruiser redolent of Albert King's Stax heyday, and the title track is a
rollicking blues-rock band bio. Two instrumentals appear in the mix: 2710 S.
Lamar, a swinging harmonica showcase that blends organ-combo jazz and Little
Walter, and Stroll for Madeleine, a moody set closer that features Pradal's
deft, wispy piano. (Pradal is one of the best things about this album; the
versatile player deserves special praise for his churchy organ and
two-fisted piano.) There are numerous American bands mining the same turf
found on Night After Night, but for blues fans traveling to France, Big
Dez is certainly worth checking out.
by THOMAS J. CULLEN III

BLUES REVUE Sail on blues, a set of funky, contemporary tunes, comes from French guitarist Phil fernandez and his band BIG DEZ. These cats can play — lamine Guerfi (bass) and Vincent Daune (drums) are hard-hitting but never over bearing ; Marc Schaeller (harp) blows some squalling leads, and watch out when Bala Pradal tunrs up the organ. Dez is a good enough singer, in rock 'n' roll kind ok way, and plays guitar with energy and fine tone. He prefers playing rhythm, and his minimalist, guerilla solo approach suits the band's ensemble sound. The punishing grooves on "Mystery Woman," "Dam Square !" and "Love Can Be Draining" cross James Brown with Booker T. & the MG's — not a bad combination. June/July 2004.

UNCLE JOHN TURNER The American Blues style is difficult for French people to do, especially singing. I only know a few really good ones, and Big Dez is one of them. I am honored to be their friend and was honored to play on their new cd.

BLUES LETTER OF THE WASHINGTON BLUES SOCIETY
I had the most fun where I started ans spent the most of my time in Paris. Two of the better musicians I met were singer/guitar player Phil Fernandez and keyboard player Ben Toury, both playing well beyond their twenty-something years. Big Dez’s band was the musical highlight of the whole trip. Bruce RANSOM.