BIOGRAPHY
The professional career of Xavier PILLAC, as a singer and guitarist, began at the age of 20. If he has been playing music since his childhood (drums, organ then guitar), he first distinguished himself within local groups in a rock register. His meeting with the Californian Jeff MAGIDSON led him to focus more specifically on the world of blues. He became a follower of the sounds carried by Robert JOHNSON, BB KING, Freddy KING and founded his first group “CROSSROADS“ in a Blues register.
In 2000, he released his first self-produced album “FAUT QU'J'AILLE BOSSER“ which enabled him, among other things, to win the Blues sur Seine springboard in November of the same year. His texts are tinged with derision and blend perfectly with an electric blues directly inherited from the great American bluesmen. It was also during this period that he began to play with Jean-Marie MEYER and also with Simon BOYER within the SIMON SHUFFLE BLUES BAND.
In 2002, he went to Memphis and Nashville to accompany Joshua SINGLETON, American artist, singer and harmonica player. He meets there especially BB KING, his main influence.
Back in France, he is the interpreter, with Jeff MAGIDSON, of an original show for the presentation of Charles Burnett's film “Devil's Fire“ at the Henri Langlois Festival, fourth episode of the series Le Blues, produced by Martin SCORSESE.
Photo © Juergen Achten
In 2004, Xavier PILLAC released his second album entitled “S'EN SORTIR“, distributed by MOSAIC MUSIC DISTRIBUTION.
In 2010, with the release of his album with funky accents “TRIO LIVE“, he was hailed by the national press: “carried by this candor of another age, Pillac released a splendid album“ (ROCK & FOLK - Christian CASONI) . The same year, he took part in the album “Taurorque“ by organist Eddy LOUISS and was invited by the latter to play at L'OLYMPIA (Paris) for the release of his album.
In 2013, he returned with a new group, under the name of "PILLAC", to present his fourth album "NERVOUS BREAKDOWN", accompanied by Cédric LE GOFF, among others, released on the DIXIEFROG label and distributed by HARMONIA MUNDI. For this very heterogeneous opus, mixing Blues, Funk & Soul, he drew his inspiration from the depths of his influences: Johnny "Guitar" WATSON, Syl JOHNSON, BB KING...
In 2015, Xavier PILLAC was chosen to represent the French blues scene in the United States and finished semi-finalist in the INERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE in Memphis. There he met Al GREEN, Bob MARGOLIN (MUDDY WATERS BAND), Walter "WOLFMAN" WASHINGTON, Jon CLEARY. The same year, the group came in 4th place at the EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE in Brussels.
In 2016, his duo "ELECTRIC BLUES DUO" returned to the studio to record their EP. In 2017, the EP is released on CD and especially on vinyl.
Xavier PILLAC has accompanied American artists on several European tours (notably from Chicago) such as Jimmy BURNS and Shawn HOLT & THE TEARDROPS (Son of Magic SLIM) thanks to Fabrice BESSOUAT (Drummer and booker for SOUL SHOT).
He had the pleasure of jamming with many American BLUES and SOUL artists: Jimmy JOHNSON, Mike WELCH & Mike LEDBETTER, Curtis SALGADO, Kenny NEAL, Guy KING, John NEMETH, Sax GORDON,
JJ THAMES, Kat RIGGINS, …
In 2023, during the LAROQUEBROU INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL, Xavier PILLAC accompanies Don WASHINGTON organist (USA) and several Boogie-Woogie pianists (Johan BLOHM Sweden, Wil SARGISSON New Zealand, Cili MARSALL Hungary).
Xavier currently performs in a minimalist format (solo "one man band", duo or trio) to rediscover a very roots spirit, a fusion between rural Blues, Hill Country Rock and Americana... a tribute to the great veterans of the Deep South like Elmore James, Jimmy Reed or JB Lenoir and also his greatest influence BB King.
With his stage experience in many countries (France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Reunion Island, Norway, Canada and USA), Xavier PILLAC has become in twenty years an essential value of the stage. European blues.
*References Festivals:
-France: Cahors Blues Festival, Bain de Blues, Avoine Zone Blues, Cognac Blues Passion, Sathonay Blues & Country festival, Blues sur Seine, Printemps de Bourges, Blues en Loire, Blues Station Tournon, Terri'Thouars Blues, Blues around Zinc , Talant Blues Festival, Jazz & Blues Festival Léognan, The 24 Hours of Swing, Volcanic Blues Festival, Jazzellerault…
- Abroad: FestiBlues de Montréal (Canada), Donnacona au Rhythm du Blues (Canada), Jazz Etcetera (Canada), Memphis International Blues Challenge (USA), Blues In Hell (Norway), European Blues Challenge (Belgium), Ploegsteert Blues Festival (Belgium), Blues & Jazz Rallye (Luxembourg), Blues & Jazz Um Haff (Luxembourg), Crocodile Blues Sessions (Reunion)…
*References First Parts: Jonny Lang, Lucky Peterson, Joe Louis Walker, Bernard Allison, Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter, Kenny Neal, Candye Kane, Liz McComb, Ana Popovic, Paul personne, Geoffrey Oryema, Byther Smith, Andy J. Forest, JJ Thames, …