Lil’ Red & The Rooster’s new album 7 is a record that lives and breathes in the spaces where blues, soul, jazz and gospel intersect, and it radiates the kind of joy that only comes from musicians who are completely in sync with one another.

Frontwoman Jennifer “Lil’ Red” Milligan delivers vocals that are at once sassy, sweet and soulful. They move with ease from gospel shouts to tender whispers.

Her partner, French guitarist Pascal Fouquet, proves himself once again to be a master of understatement. Every note he plays is deliberate, lyrical and perfectly placed, always deeply musical.

The record’s opener “Wild’s Rising” sets the tone with gospel drenched optimism, choral harmonies and an inspired solo from Fouquet that pushes the song skyward. It’s a song of personal freedom that embodies the duo’s overarching philosophy – music as liberation.

From there, the album shifts fluidly through moods and styles. “Stack ’Em Up Baby” is a smoky late night jazz number with satin smooth vocals and delicate piano embellishments from Grammy nominated Bobby Floyd, whose work on both piano and B3 organ is central to the album’s warm, glowing atmosphere.

“Is This Heart Taken”, which is co-written with Grammy winner Terry Abrahamson, brings a sultry and funky edge. “Melancholy Mood” lives up to its name with a spacious, gorgeously restrained guitar introduction that eventually gives way to Floyd’s rolling organ lines, a dialogue between sorrow and release. On “Midnight On the Rocks”, Fouquet and Floyd trade phrases in a gentle instrumental that feels timeless, while “Between the Lines” offers one of Milligan’s most delicate and precise vocal performances, a reminder of her meticulous phrasing and emotional clarity.

The record’s lighter side appears on “Mr. Saboteur (aka Do the Donut)”, a whimsical Latin tinged tale that balances humor with groove, demonstrating the duo’s ability to embrace playfulness without losing artistry.

The album closes with a deep blue rendering of Freddie King’s “Same Old Blues”, a torchy lament that manages to honor the original while reshaping it with Milligan’s heartfelt interpretation and Fouquet’s mood perfect guitar. Floyd’s piano solo in this closer is a highlight, elegant and unhurried.

What makes 7 so compelling is the way it was recorded. Live in the studio with the band fully engaged and clearly enjoying themselves.

It’s that sense of camaraderie that is palpable, and you can hear it in the interplay and in the ease with which voices and instruments blend together. Alongside their Parisian rhythm section and a roster of Columbus talent, including gospel singers, percussion and lap steel, the duo create something that feels truly unique.

Lil’ Red & The Rooster may not yet be household names, not just yet anyway. But with 7 they deliver an album that deserves to put them on every serious listener’s radar. It’s joyous, nuanced, and deeply satisying. A soulful celebration of freedom, collaboration and the beauty of music made honestly in the moment.

Keep up with Lil’ Red & The Rooster on their Website

Stream music on Spotify and Apple Music