Jennifer Milligan (on the left) and Pascal Fouquet (on the right) at Java Central. Photo taken by Ruby Jackson on Feb. 9, 2025.
In a world where most musicians play it safe, blues duo Lil’ Red and the Rooster boldly swims against the current. Jennifer Milligan (Lil’ Red), and Pascal Fouquet (the Rooster), create music that does more than entertain with its challenges and speaks up against racism.
“I make music about things that piss me off,” Jennifer once said during a performance. This open statement perfectly captured why this duo embodies our definition of “outlaw” music, which includes artists who fearlessly challenge societal norms through their music.
Their story begins in Paris, France at Le Caveau de la Huchette, an underground jazz club that once served as a gathering place for the French Resistance. Pascal was playing guitar when he spotted Jennifer in the crowd.
“He was playing and I was there with some friends and he just kept staring at me. …” Jennifer said “It became like a full long French comedy after that, but we got together pretty quickly after that and just committed right away, and then the music just came naturally right out of that.”
Jennifer wasn’t in Paris by accident. She had just finished getting her master’s degree at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and was there for a workshop studying an avant-garde vocal technique. The chance meeting would transform both their lives.
Blues and jazz caught both artists’ attention from an early age. That interest evolved as Jennifer got older. Though she started in musical theater, she “always liked the shows that had the blues sounds to them and the jazzy sounds.”
“As a kid, I always loved those old Hollywood movie musicals, but one of my favorites was always Bojangles … I was so jealous of Shirley Temple because I wanted to dance and sing with Bojangles,” Jennifer said.
For Pascal, music began with his father’s jazz tapes and when he received his first guitar at his Catholic communion. Despite starting with classical training, he found interest in other genres after seeing his cousin play the guitar. “I always asked my teacher to learn jazz or blues,” he says. By 1979, Pascal was playing professionally in a band.
What sets Lil’ Red and the Rooster apart is their willingness to address controversial topics, something that hasn’t always been easy.
“My first job when I was doing musical theater right out of college was in the national tour of ‘Hair,’” Jennifer said. “My first experience performing was like profoundly in-your-face.” This experience, along with growing up in a family where her “mom always taught us to be weird,” shaped her approach to music.
Lil’ Red (Jennifer Milligan) and The Rooster (Pascal Fouquet) performing at Java Central. Photo taken by Ruby Jackson on Feb. 9, 2025.
Speaking the truth in new settings can be daunting. “The first time I perform, it is a little terrifying for me. It’s kind of terrifying and thrilling at the same time,” said Jennifer.
During this time of political divide, the tension has intensified. “I’ve had moments of sheer terror of singing my songs. I’ve had moments where I’m like, ‘I don’t even know if I can sing this song here,’” Jennifer said.
Unlike many blues artists who were “very political but they kept it pretty subtle,” Jennifer has chosen not to do that because her intention is clarity. This directness stems from her awareness of privilege. “I’m in this body, and this body is not offensive to a lot of people. So this body can say a lot of things that a lot of other people can’t … Because I can do that, I feel responsible to do that,” Jennifer said.
Their latest album “7” showcases their approach to music. Pascal initially suggested the title, but Jennifer discovered deeper meaning in it by connecting it to the dominant seventh chords that give blues its distinctive sound.
The songs explore “different types of self-empowerment” and encourage listeners to “embrace their sexuality.” One track, “Melancholy Mood,” represents the self-empowerment of accepting one’s “internal world.”
Jennifer’s thoughts on artistic purpose are equally profound,“The value of art is not in entertainment. It’s not that we’re supposed to create what consumers want … Be brave and speak your voice and do your music the way you want to do it, and you’ll find your audience.”
Lil’ Red (Jennifer Milligan) and The Rooster’s (Pascal Fouquet) preparing for their performance at Java Central. Photo taken by Ruby Jackson on Feb. 9, 2025.
Perhaps most powerfully, Milligan said she believes the “arts are the only thing that can defeat what’s happening now, which is why they want to get rid of the arts.”
“Artists are kind of like cockroaches. You can’t get rid of us, we find our way,” Jennifer said.
