img

LE COEUR SEC is a full French album by JAY AND THE COOKS. Original songs by Jay Ryan except one cover by Serge Gainsbourg.

All the songs tell stories inspired by real life stories or pretty close to reality. Jay Ryan takes a look at society through the eyes of an American that has lived for more than 30 years in France, who reads the New York Times and Le Parisien every day, devours books, loves cooking French cuisine and walks daily through his disfigured suburban Parisian neighborhood.

11,99

LE COEUR SEC is a full French album by JAY AND THE COOKS. Original songs by Jay Ryan except one cover by Serge Gainsbourg.

All the songs tell stories inspired by real life stories or pretty close to reality. Jay Ryan takes a look at society through the eyes of an American that has lived for more than 30 years in France, who reads the New York Times and Le Parisien every day, devours books, loves cooking French cuisine and walks daily through his disfigured suburban Parisian neighborhood.

Most of the experienced musicians who accompany Jay Ryan are, like him, North Americans who have been living in France for many years. It’s an incredible line-up because they have played with Chuck Berry, Percy Sledge, Tony Allen, Ray Lema, Elliot Murphy; Jeff Healey, Jim Murple Memorial, Barry “The Fish Melton”….
The sexagenarians of the group aren’t into asking themselves to many questions: they are expressing themselves strongly and plainly, the subjects are simple and direct with songs like “Presque foutu” or “On rase tout”.
Blues, Rock, Country, there’s a hint of the electric atmosphere of the Black Keys. There are moments where the shadow of Nick Cave shows up or the humming of a disillusioned Tom Waits. It’s all authentic, spontaneous and mostly recorded on analogic tape for fans of textures and roots music.

All the songs tell stories inspired by real life stories or pretty close to reality. In “Travailleurs essentiels”, Jay Ryan presents courageous people brutally cut down by the virus. He denounces the golfing fat cats that send workers to the slaughterhouse in the middle of the pandemic. However, the album isn’t just on the dark side either. With humor, in “Branché Bio”, he mocks the new trendy nutritional extremists. Like its title suggests, “Un verre au comptoir” concerns a serious rowdy discussion around beers, a situation where discussion often goes off in every direction. In “Un gars à respecter” Jay speaks about a mighty Afro-American construction worker that he met while working on a construction site in Austin, Texas in the mid-70’s. A guy like him could easily be working on a worksite in Saint-Denis, France where Jay now lives. Jay Ryan also takes on the prickly issue of immigration, a subject he knows well, and the importance of rejecting moralists giving lessons as well as extremists. In short, “Le Coeur Sec” reflects our society. It’s an album about today’s headlines and history that repeats itself.

Presque Foutu
Travailleurs Essentiels
Un Verre au Comptoir
Je n’ai Pas Vu Les Signes
Un Gars à Respecter
Je suis Venu te Dire que Je m’En Vais
On Rase Tout
La Seine s’en Moque
Branché Bio
Alors vas-y, Pretty Baby
Faut Que Je Roule

All lyrics and music by Jay Ryan published by Éditions Amoc except « Travailleurs essentiels » lyrics by Jay Ryan and music by Stéphane Missri (Éditions Amoc), « Je n’ai pas vu les signes » lyrics by Jay Ryan and music by Christian Drapier (Éditions Amoc), « Alors vas-y pretty baby » lyrics by Christian Poidevin and music by Stéphane Missri (Éditions Amoc), « Faut que je roule » lyrics and music by John R.Clark (Éditions Amoc), «Je suis venu te dire que je m’en vais » lyrics and music by Serge Gainsbourg (Melody Nelson Publishing).

Jay Ryan (Vocals, guitars)
Stéphane Missri (Guitars, banjo)
Paul Susen (Fiddle, mandolins)
Christian Poidevin (Harmonica, Dobro)
Marten Ingle (Bass, double bass)
Marty Vickers (Drums)


LE COEUR SEC is dedicated to Bernard Rousseau who passed away just after the recording of this album.  Bernard was our in house photographer; he’ll be greatly missed.  Produced by Paul Bessone for Juste Une Trace Recorded, mixed et masterised by Arnaud Bascuñana | Studio 180
Photographs by Jay Ryan
Design by Corinne Garino

With support : SCPP | SACEM
Release date : 30-04-2021