Blues & Beyond: Lil Red & the Rooster, Reggie Jackson & Jeff Ciampa - FREE Happening Hour Show
Natalie's, with support from the Columbus Blues Association (CBA), presents Blues & Beyond Happening Hour. This weekly series will include a special guest for each show!
Some might say jen M of Lil' Red & The Rooster has excellent taste. We wouldn't argue. She wouldn't either.
For this Happening Hour on Charlie's Stage, she has hand-picked two of Columbus's most absurdly talented musicians to join her and French Blues playing husband Pascal Fouquet for an evening of Retro Modern Blues that nobody planned and everybody needed. Every one of these shows is its own living, breathing, unrepeatable thing — same songs, different magic, zero guarantees except that you will feel good.
And the best part? It's completely free.
That said, four world-class musicians walked in the door tonight and they all have rent due. If the groove moves you — and it will — tips are how we keep the lights on, the music coming and the Rooster fed.
Jen "Lil' Red" Milligan — Born in Columbus, Ohio with a hairbrush for a microphone and absolutely zero chill. Decided at age 6 that singing in the church choir wasn't enough and has been causing beautiful trouble ever since. Survived Broadway, Europe, a broken voice, grad school in Boulder where she rolled around on the floor making strange noises for a Master's degree, and a serendipitous detour to France where she fell into a jazz club and never fully came back out. Somewhere between Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rocky Horror, a rock band called The Sex Slaves, martial arts, jazz dance with a legend named Luigi, and a washboard — she found the Blues. The Blues was waiting. It knew. International Blues Challenge Finalist. Global Music Awards bronze medal winner. Certified bone-tremblin' force of nature. Will invite you into her heart and then give you a piece of her mind. You will thank her for it.
Pascal Fouquet — A child in Normandy picked up a guitar at eleven. Then B.B. King reached his ears and the classical guitar didn't stand a chance. Has been one of the most decorated Blues guitarists in France for decades, which the French take very seriously, and so should you. Crossed the Atlantic, married Lil' Red, immigrated to Columbus, Ohio — a series of excellent decisions. His story is in his playing. If you want more than that, catch him with a whiskey or espresso and he'll tell you face to face. That's how the Rooster rolls.
Reggie Jackson — Ohio State Jazz Studies graduate who apparently looked at his degree and thought "cute, but not enough." Proceeded to spend 11 years on the road with jazz legend Diane Schuur, tour with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dr. John, appear on The Tonight Show, play in 25 countries, join Bobby Floyd's trio AND the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, and perform alongside Arturo Sandoval, Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater and a frankly unreasonable number of legends. Shows up to a Happening Hour on a Wednesday like it's nothing. It is not nothing. We see you Reggie.
Jeff Ciampa — Founded the Hoodoo Soul Band in 1995 which makes him basically Columbus Blues royalty. Has been the first call for pretty much every serious musician in this city for thirty years. His bass lines don't just hold down the groove — they own it, pay the mortgage on it and have the deed framed on the wall. Shows up. Delivers. Every time. His pocket is so deep cartographers have tried to map it.
Together they'll open the music to surprises and Come early, stay late and shake a tail feather or two.
Their latest album 7 (2025) featuring Grammy-nominated pianist Bobby Floyd won two Global Music Awards for Creativity and Best Album. Find their music on Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming platforms at www.lilredandtherooster.com.
The Columbus Blues Alliance (CBA) is a non-profit organization founded to help preserve and nurture blues music and is an affiliate of the Blues Foundation in Memphis. They are an ALL-volunteer corporation depending on the generosity and charity of members to donate their time and energy towards providing programs to support musicians.
RESERVATIONS are strongly encouraged for our FREE Happening Hour Shows!
Some might say jen M of Lil' Red & The Rooster has excellent taste. We wouldn't argue. She wouldn't either.
For this Happening Hour on Charlie's Stage, she has hand-picked two of Columbus's most absurdly talented musicians to join her and French Blues playing husband Pascal Fouquet for an evening of Retro Modern Blues that nobody planned and everybody needed. Every one of these shows is its own living, breathing, unrepeatable thing — same songs, different magic, zero guarantees except that you will feel good.
And the best part? It's completely free.
That said, four world-class musicians walked in the door tonight and they all have rent due. If the groove moves you — and it will — tips are how we keep the lights on, the music coming and the Rooster fed.
Jen "Lil' Red" Milligan — Born in Columbus, Ohio with a hairbrush for a microphone and absolutely zero chill. Decided at age 6 that singing in the church choir wasn't enough and has been causing beautiful trouble ever since. Survived Broadway, Europe, a broken voice, grad school in Boulder where she rolled around on the floor making strange noises for a Master's degree, and a serendipitous detour to France where she fell into a jazz club and never fully came back out. Somewhere between Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rocky Horror, a rock band called The Sex Slaves, martial arts, jazz dance with a legend named Luigi, and a washboard — she found the Blues. The Blues was waiting. It knew. International Blues Challenge Finalist. Global Music Awards bronze medal winner. Certified bone-tremblin' force of nature. Will invite you into her heart and then give you a piece of her mind. You will thank her for it.
Pascal Fouquet — A child in Normandy picked up a guitar at eleven. Then B.B. King reached his ears and the classical guitar didn't stand a chance. Has been one of the most decorated Blues guitarists in France for decades, which the French take very seriously, and so should you. Crossed the Atlantic, married Lil' Red, immigrated to Columbus, Ohio — a series of excellent decisions. His story is in his playing. If you want more than that, catch him with a whiskey or espresso and he'll tell you face to face. That's how the Rooster rolls.
Reggie Jackson — Ohio State Jazz Studies graduate who apparently looked at his degree and thought "cute, but not enough." Proceeded to spend 11 years on the road with jazz legend Diane Schuur, tour with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dr. John, appear on The Tonight Show, play in 25 countries, join Bobby Floyd's trio AND the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, and perform alongside Arturo Sandoval, Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater and a frankly unreasonable number of legends. Shows up to a Happening Hour on a Wednesday like it's nothing. It is not nothing. We see you Reggie.
Jeff Ciampa — Founded the Hoodoo Soul Band in 1995 which makes him basically Columbus Blues royalty. Has been the first call for pretty much every serious musician in this city for thirty years. His bass lines don't just hold down the groove — they own it, pay the mortgage on it and have the deed framed on the wall. Shows up. Delivers. Every time. His pocket is so deep cartographers have tried to map it.
Together they'll open the music to surprises and Come early, stay late and shake a tail feather or two.
Their latest album 7 (2025) featuring Grammy-nominated pianist Bobby Floyd won two Global Music Awards for Creativity and Best Album. Find their music on Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming platforms at www.lilredandtherooster.com.
The Columbus Blues Alliance (CBA) is a non-profit organization founded to help preserve and nurture blues music and is an affiliate of the Blues Foundation in Memphis. They are an ALL-volunteer corporation depending on the generosity and charity of members to donate their time and energy towards providing programs to support musicians.
RESERVATIONS are strongly encouraged for our FREE Happening Hour Shows!
Where is it happening?
Natalie's - Grandview, 945 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43212-2656, United States
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherNatalie's - Grandview
