Versus Mr. Blue

“Mr. Blue", Versus’ first album, is an authentic Hip Hop Blaxploitation -genre polar. It tells the story of a certain Mr. Blue, in a Soul and Jazz musical type. Its animated lyrics blend into cinematic instruments of a 70’s American “film noir” style. The context is set in an ill-reputed neighborhood and the protagonists are a mafia godfather that no one has ever seen (but everyone fears) and his bar employees. Seb Lawkyz (Bass, double bass, production), the actual initiator of the project, has surrounded himself with some of the best musicians of the French Jazz Groove scene. Bruce Sherfield (rap, lead vocals), Yann Cléry (flute, backing vocals), Mr. Tos (scratches), Nico Rajao (drums), Gérald “GG” Bonnegrace (percussions), Jérome “Tchiky” Perez (guitar), Charles Francoise (keyboards, studio production) and Aleksander Terris (keyboards). It is then in Full Live Band that the project came into full play. The team has gone further and jumped in the experience of working with ten additional musicians: strings, horns… in the authentic tradition of Motown & Stax records. Additionally, top vocal artists joined the team: Juan Rozoff, Beat Assailant and Black Sifichi… Versus could be seen as a group of music lovers brought up through by listening to the classical Soul Funk music playing Hip Hop with Jazz musical techniques.