Following the recording in 2000 in Minneapolis of the record "Minneapolis", produced by Jean ROCHARD, Verve/Universal, the French jazz musician Michel PORTAL (saxophone, clarinet, bandoneon) "insist" and goes on tour in France. He will give 4 concerts in the town of Creteil, Lyon, Paris, Tourcoing which will be recorded live and distributed as 4 different records : "Minneapolis We Insist".
The band will include the following jazz musicians : the British Tony HYMAS (piano) ,the Americans Sonny THOMPSON (electric bass ), Michael BLAND (drum) and Jef Lee JOHNSON (guitar) the American Vernon REID (guitar) will replace him in Creteil.