PATRICK OUCHENE

Patrick Ouchène adores the ‘fifties lifestyle’. He proudly wears a classic « ducktail haircut ». And although some say he looks a bit like Elvis, still his favourite singer, composer and guitarist will always be Buddy Holly.

When walking the streets, children and adults alike adress him as « Elvis », and ask to be photographed with him.

Why would he refuse ? As « Elvis » he acted in ads and TV commercials (Belgacom, Electrabel) and in feature films such as « La Vie Sexuelle des Belges » by Jan Bucquoi and in « Palmira » with the enigmatic Lio.

His love of authentic fifties rock and roll, and its wild predecessor called Rockabilly in particular, moulded him into the very special singer and guitarist he became, in this very peculiar style. He never sticks to just re-creating the great historic examples. He elegantly composes and writes his own personal catalogue of songs in the same vein. With a great personal touch.

In the nineteen-eighties he produced 2 full LP’s, one ‘Ten Inch’ and some remarkable singels. His first album features vocals by Dani Klein of worldwide Vaya Con Dios-fame ! Later on Patrick produced 6 full CD’s that easily found their way in the specialised rockabilly-circuit and through other music clubs and venues.

His biggest success so far is « Je Suis Swing » which he recorded with his band ‘the Dominos’ for EMI France. In 1991 this singel rocketed into the French Top 10, bringing him straight into Michel Drucker, Jean-Pierre Foucault and Pascal Sevran’s national TV-shows… One day he even had the immeasurable honour to sing ‘Cest à Paris’ in a duet with the world famous Charles Aznavour.

All this resulted in hundreds of live gigs on festivals and in clubs, co-starring with legendary names such as Johnny Clegg, the Blues Brothers Band, Wynton Marsalis, Michel Legrand, Claude Nougaro, Mauranne, Arno, and the great legend of the Blues : Louisiana Red.

Patrick is also the president of an association called « ask4 », which undertakes to organise “fifties events”, some of which in cooperation with the City of Brussels.

Alongside all this, he restlessly tours with different bands, all of his own making.

With ‘The Million $ Sunrise’ he meticulously re-creates the legendary, vintage 1955 Sun-Sound. Runnin’ Wild being the ideal vehicle for his own, 21st century brand of Rockabilly and Swingstyle dance music. But just the same you may find him in a recording studio, whenever a producer needs some guitar-licks with a vintage fifties rockabilly sound.

After all this, who would be surprised to hear that this very same Patrick Ouchène was selected by Belgian National TV, the RTBF, to deliver the act and the vocal part for the Belgian 2009 entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, when the title is “Copycat”, and the style is pure fifties rock and roll?