Micke Björklöf & BlueStrip

When did you last hear a vibraphone hobnob with a frantic slide guitar? Probably never, but now you can. After a five years wait, Micke Björklöf & Blue Strip finally delivers a new album "Whole´Nutha Thang", featuring eleven exquisitely completed new songs. The album was recorded in London, England with producer Neil Brockbank (Nick Lowe, Tanita Tikaram, Bryan Ferry) in fall 2006. In addition to the excellent band members there are guest appearances by horn players Matt Holland and Martin Winning (Van Morrison, Lisa Stansfield) and keyboard player Geraint Watkins, known for his work with Paul McCartney, Bill Wyman, Van Morrison and Mark Knopfler. The album title “Whole´Nutha Thang” refers to a new era for the band. The whole process of recording in London was a big thing on its own and it can also be regarded as a giant step for the band towards an international career as a roots & blues music artist. The song writing is stronger than ever and the band is really groovy. The album offers a mature and focused collection of all-original roots and blues songs with soul, rock and pop flourishes. The rockin´ songs like “Hard for a woman, hard for a man”, “Jungle cat”, “Grapesugar love” as well as beautifully built laid back tracks “I fell down from the tree (when I saw Robert Johnson pass me by)”, Extreme”, “Silver moon” and “Whatever your name” are a soul stirring listening experience. “We already had the new material ready and some preliminary plans made for the realizing of our fourth album when we met with Neil Brockbank. He worked with Geraint Watkins on a festival gig here in Finland”, Björklöf recalls. “We jammed with Geraint that night and after the show we had a few drinks with the guys, just to socialize a bit. Next morning I had a dicussion with Neil over breakfast and he impressed me with the way he talked about making music. He is really into this organic, live approach and letting things happen naturally. At that time no plans were yet made but I thought to myself “I want to make a record with this guy”, says Björklöf. After a couple of weeks he proposed the producing of the next BlueStrip album to Brockbank and six months later the band found themselves in the recording session in London. BlueStrip was founded by the bandleader and singer Micke Björklöf and the bass player/songwriter Seppo Nuolikoski in 1991. After a few changes at the very start the line up has been the same for almost ten years. They started as an acoustic pubrock cover band but before long the roots & blues music and producing original material took over. Today the band is one of the most popular live acts in the roots & blues scene in Finland. They have strirred up audiences with their energetic live shows wherever they play, from small club stages to big festival arenas. The exceptionally ingenious guitar player, songwriter and singer Lefty Leppänen is regarded as one of the top slide guitarists in Europe. His resourceful playing is one the BlueStrips trademarks, as well as the sound of vibraphone, played by the mallet virtuoso/arranger Timo Roiko-Jokela, who also builds striking percussion elements with the dynamic drummer Teemu Vuorela.  

If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Erja Lyytinen Band

Erja Lyytinen (Photo by Hans Lehtinen)

‘Forbidden Fruit’ is the fifth solo album from Erja Lyytinen, a pocket dynamo often referred to as Finland’s Queen Of The Slide Guitar. She had also been tagged as her homeland’s answer to Bonnie Raitt. Though flattering, neither epithet is entirely accurate. Lyytinen can play the Dobro and is highly accomplished in many different forms of guitar technique – not just bottleneck blues. And like Bonnie Raitt, Erja Lyytinen chooses not to dwell exclusively in any one particular niche. The blues is her home – undeniably so – but she loves to explore, blur and, where appropriate, transcend the genre’s boundaries. Born in Kuopio, a small town in central Finland, Erja was raised by a musically-orientated family on the sounds of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and Deep Purple. She also listened to a lot of pop music, especially Madonna and Michael Jackson. By the age of 15 she was singing and playing the violin with her mother (a bassist) and father (who encouraged her to take up his own instrument – the electric guitar). And then along came the blues and an array of guitar players: At first Robben Ford, Pat Metheny and Mike Stern and then, as the dam burst, Stray Cat Brian Setzer, T-Bone Walker, Danny Gatton, Kenny Burrell and Albert Collins. As her interest in slide guitar grew, so did an appreciation of Little Feat’s Lowell George, Derek Trucks, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and of course Bonnie Raitt. “Nowadays when I want to relax I listen to all these ‘old blues’ guitar players, like Son House,” she reveals. A 2010 graduate from the prestigious Helsinki Sibelius Academy, Erja signed her first record deal in 2001 and has been a professional gigging musician for a more than a decade. Released in Finland by Ruf Records on January 18th, 2013, (other countries must wait till the wintertime), ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is her most diverse and rewarding album to date, continuing the advancements that made 2010’s ‘Voracious Love’ such a popular release. To the surprise of many, ‘Voracious Love’ featured two special guests; Marco Hietala of the symphonic heavy metal band Nightwish and cellist Paavo Lotjonen of Apocalyptica, who specialise in fusing classical music with rock sounds. This time Erja and her well-settled backing group of guitarist Davide Floreno, bassist Roger Inniss and drummer Miri Miettinen did it all alone except for those mellifluous keyboards supplied by Harri Taittonen. Several of its nine selections were carefully routined out on the road before being laid down at Rescue Room Studios in Helsinki. One of these, ‘At Least We Still Fight’ finds Erja at her poppiest. Meanwhile, the seven-minute ‘Change Of Season’ boasts an airiness and lightness of touch that caused one live reviewer to suggest the song “hinted at an Allman Bros-style melody when its instrumental climax reached full flow.” One commonality that Lyytinen shares with all of the blues greats is a belief that music should be personal. ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is a frank, at times cathartic, statement. “Isn’t music supposed to heal you?” she muses. “But I also like to ‘heal’ my listeners, whatever they are experiencing in life because many times we feel we are alone with our problems, but actually many people suffer the same issues.” Erja reveals that among her primary goals with ‘Forbidden Fruit’ was to sound “honest, beautiful and sad at the same time.” She has undeniably achieved that aim. Though she’d be the first to admit that her skills as a raconteur are not yet on a par with those jaw-dropping levels of musicianship, Lyytinen is learning fast. “The guitar – or any instrument, for that matter – is there just to support the story that I’m trying to tell with a song,” she believes. The new album’s collaboration with Alan Darby can only accelerate this progression. The Scottish writer, who has worked with Bonnie Raitt and Bonnie Tyler, co-composed two of its selections. Darby has also played guitar for Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney. “Alan came to a gig of mine in London and suggested writing together,” explains Lyytinen. “He’s a slide guitarist, guitarist and a songwriter with a similar taste in music, so working together felt very seamless.” The album’s eye-catching cover image was shot in London by Finnish photographer Tina Korhonen. In contrast to the artwork of previous releases it makes her look every inch the sophisticated little minx. “The session was awesome!” she purrs. “I love costumes, clothes, beautiful shoes and make-up.” Of course, there’s a fine line between looking attractive and seeking to gain advantage from one’s gender but Ms Lyytinen insists that the glamorous makeover was undertaken for her own benefit. “This time I wanted to present myself a bit differently,” she volunteers. “The cover doesn’t show some young, insecure, inexperienced girl who has been put there to pose by men but a 35-year-old woman confident with her own body and unafraid to flaunt her feminity. The album title of ‘Forbidden Fruit’ implies something sexual and tempting, but the song is actually very deep. So there’s a bit of a twist and contrast there.” A proud endorsee of Fender guitars, Erja has played at the South By South West Festival in Austin, Texas, in 2004 and returned to the States two years later as part of a Blues Caravan package tour that also featured Aynsley Lister and Ian Parker. A similar trek that teamed her with Oli Brown and Joanne Shaw Taylor visited no less than 16 European countries. Over the coming months she and her band will perform the first batch of dates to promote the new release (see below). ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is an album of real substance, from an artist on the rise. The blues have never sounded more essential. Dave Ling, Classic Rock Magazine

 If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

The Things That I Used To Do - PEPE AHLQVIST

A distinguished member of the European blues elite, PEPE AHLQVIST (born on 4th of July 1956) is an internationally known Finnish blues artist. During his 40-year-long career he has frequently performed with many legendary blues artists.He has managed to maintain his popularity through the years by presenting fabulous and successful recordings with various bands and giving over 5.000 gigs and concerts. Pepe Ahlqvist is considered a talented and personal singer-guitarist-harmonica player with individual style who also writes his own songs. Pepe began his career in the turn of the 1960's and 1970's. CHICAGO OVERCOAT, his band in the 1970's, thrived under the shield of the legendary Love Records, wherefrom Pepe moved on to collaborate with Fazer/Warner Music for a good period of time. In the late 1980's and early 1990's PEPE AHLQVIST H.A.R.P. recorded several indispensable albums. Besides Finland, the Pepe Ahlqvist albums have been released for instance in the other Nordic countries and in Middle Europe. The last one of the three most important Pepe Ahlqvist bands, THE ROLLING TUMBLEWEED recorded four albums that represent the absolute cream of Finnish blues. Pepe's most recent project, SF BLUES (Suomi-Finland Blues) started in 2002 with singer/guitarist Heikki Silvennoinen . So far there's been featuring top guests, and more is to come. Pepe has been touring in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Luxemburg, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, USA and Canada. He has also performed as a guest soloist in a large number of concerts by international blues legends in Finland, for example for B.B. King in 2004 and 2006. Nowadays Pepe Ahlqvist works as a solo artist from acoustic gigs to big band concerts. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Chicken in the Watch - Black River Bluesman & Bad Mood Hudson

Black River Bluesman and his Cockroach Combo destroyed the woods and the mountains around their tiny hometown of Mustio Finland by carving their guitars, drums and harmonicas from whole ironwood trees with their bare hands and by using John Henry..s twelve pound hammer (with four foot handle) they beat down those mountains for brass, silver and iron (and coal to fire this thing) to fashion the rest of the parts they needed. When they were finished they stomped their thirst with a bottle of RL Burnside..s Bloody mthrfckr and sat down in the full moon light at that muddy crossroads between Holly Springs Mississippi, Mustio and County Kisko to play Their raw dirty beautiful Blues.................Rick Saunders, Deep Blues (USA), August 2006.

Jukka plays Johnny Lowebow’s genuine handmade custom cigar-box guitars, the most special of which is the doubleneck stereo baritone. Multi-instrumentalist Andy, who joined the band in the days of the Croaking Lizard quartet, functions in this line-up as a drummer-percussionist and a back-up singer. He has spent years singing and playing in and writing for various bands, mostly in the field of heavier rock.

”The flag-bearer of Finnish alt.blues”, Black River Bluesman has always walked his own path, producing his uncompromising and original music with little regard for the mainstream. The line-ups have changed, but the group has now tightened into a working duo, retaining nothing but the most vital elements of their music.

Past gigs include numerous festivals literally around the globe, from Nepal to Italy and Estonia, from Shetland to the USA and Brazil. Airplay, live radio and TV performances, magazine profiles and praise have also cropped up in all corners of the world. Black River Bluesman's 4th full-length album is due before the end of the year.
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Broke My Baby's Heart - Baby Boy Varhama Blues Band

Varhama suunnitteli kahdeksankymmentäluvun puolessa välin sähköistä blues-rockbändiä, joka soittaisi valtaosin hänen omia sävellyksiään – niitä oli vuosien varrella kertynyt pöytälaatikkoon. Sopivat miehet löytyivät joskus 80/90 –luvun taitteessa ja homma polkaistiin käyntiinkin, vaan lyhytaikaiseksi jäi Blues Business. Bassoa siinä soitti Jarski Poutiainen, rummuissa oli Hanski Rontu, koskettimissa Jari Puheloinen ja perkussioista vastasi Timo Ronkainen; Baby Boy lauloi ja soitti kitaraa. Vaikka homma tyrehtyi, jäi kaipaus yhtyeen konseptista. 1989
Asia tuli sopivasti esille vuonna ’98, jolloin Jarski Poutiainen ja Jaska Heinonen kysyivät, olisiko Varhamalla jemmassa J. Leinon bändille sopivia bluesbiisejä. Niinpä Pentti kasasi itseään nuoremmista, entisistä Tiirismaan koulun oppilaista (ko. koulussa Varhama on toiminut jo vuosia historian opettajana ja on kuulemani mukaan pidetty opettaja) yhtyeen, jolla aikoi äänittää vain demobiisit Leinon bändin kuultavaksi. Ryhmittymän bändikemia toimi loistavasti, ja niinpä konklaavi on harvakseltaan aktiivinen nimellä THE BABY BOY VARHAMA BLUES BAND. Rumpuja soittaa Matias Partanen, bassossa on Esa Korja, kitaroissa Daniel Harkin & B.B. Varhama ja lyömäsoittimissa Lari Hermanni Lius.
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Stone Inside - Micke Björklöf & Bluestrip

When did you last hear a vibraphone hobnob with a frantic slide guitar? Probably never, but now you can.

After a five years wait, Micke Björklöf & Blue Strip finally delivers a new album "Whole´Nutha Thang", featuring eleven exquisitely completed new songs. The album was recorded in London, England with producer Neil Brockbank (Nick Lowe, Tanita Tikaram, Bryan Ferry) in fall 2006. In addition to the excellent band members there are guest appearances by horn players Matt Holland and Martin Winning (Van Morrison, Lisa Stansfield) and keyboard player Geraint Watkins, known for his work with Paul McCartney, Bill Wyman, Van Morrison and Mark Knopfler.

The album title “Whole´Nutha Thang” refers to a new era for the band. The whole process of recording in London was a big thing on its own and it can also be regarded as a giant step for the band towards an international career as a roots & blues music artist. The song writing is stronger than ever and the band is really groovy. The album offers a mature and focused collection of all-original roots and blues songs with soul, rock and pop flourishes. The rockin´ songs like “Hard for a woman, hard for a man”, “Jungle cat”, “Grapesugar love” as well as beautifully built laid back tracks “I fell down from the tree (when I saw Robert Johnson pass me by)”, Extreme”, “Silver moon” and “Whatever your name” are a soul stirring listening experience.

“We already had the new material ready and some preliminary plans made for the realizing of our fourth album when we met with Neil Brockbank. He worked with Geraint Watkins on a festival gig here in Finland”, Björklöf recalls. “We jammed with Geraint that night and after the show we had a few drinks with the guys, just to socialize a bit. Next morning I had a dicussion with Neil over breakfast and he impressed me with the way he talked about making music. He is really into this organic, live approach and letting things happen naturally. At that time no plans were yet made but I thought to myself “I want to make a record with this guy”, says Björklöf. After a couple of weeks he proposed the producing of the next BlueStrip album to Brockbank and six months later the band found themselves in the recording session in London.

BlueStrip was founded by the bandleader and singer Micke Björklöf and the bass player/songwriter Seppo Nuolikoski in 1991. After a few changes at the very start the line up has been the same for almost ten years. They started as an acoustic pubrock cover band but before long the roots & blues music and producing original material took over. Today the band is one of the most popular live acts in the roots & blues scene in Finland. They have strirred up audiences with their energetic live shows wherever they play, from small club stages to big festival arenas. The exceptionally ingenious guitar player, songwriter and singer Lefty Leppänen is regarded as one of the top slide guitarists in Europe. His resourceful playing is one the BlueStrips trademarks, as well as the sound of vibraphone, played by the mallet virtuoso/arranger Timo Roiko-Jokela, who also builds striking percussion elements with the dynamic drummer Teemu Vuorela.
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”