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Med hilsen
EBU teamet

And here's the latest news!

Rita Engedalen in the European Blues Challenge

2011-11-08 23:09 by Rune Myhren

representing Norway in the European Blues Challenge in Berlin March 16 – 17

The Norwegian blues queen Rita Engedalen will be representing Norway in the European Blues Challenge in Berlin March 16 – 17. Rita Engedalen is one of Norway’s most in demand blues artists and she will perform with her touring band Backbone. Rita Engedalen has been getting rave reviews for her latest album Chapels & Bars on Bluestown Records. Chapels & Bars peaked this summer at No. 9 on the Norwegian pop album charts. You will find more information on Rita Engedalen on www.ritaengedalen.com

"Blues in Wonderland"

2010-10-06 22:56 by Rune Myhren

Sierre Blues Festival, Switzerland - august 26th. – 29th 2010

Having experienced a fantastic festival in Suwalki in Poland in mid-July, it was with a big dollop of anticipation and excitement we put us on the plane to Zurich. Already on the plane we knew that this would be an unusual experience. We were in fact sitting beside a Norwegian - from Hardanger - which for years had worked as a lobbyist in the EU climate change as a specialty. In this job he had been stationed in both Geneva and Zurich and regarded himself as a specialist on Switzerland and Swiss culture. Arriving in Zurich, we could set us straight on a train that would take us directly to Sierre. The Lobbyist from Hardanger would assert that this 3-hour train ride would be a fantastic experience and the man really had his words intact. The train cruise comfortably down the valley with towering Alps on both sides and with a landscape that can hardly be described in words. The undersigned has throughout the last 10 years crossed most of the Norwegian beautiful nature, in and out the fjords and up and down the mountain with gaping artists from all over the world in the back of the car, but never experienced so much natural beauty on so few miles.

When we arrived in Sierre we were well received and escorted us to the old, venerable hotel - Hotel de la Poste. A lovely little hotel in the center with a wonderful atmosphere and delicious food. Our main mission in Sierre was as Management for Trampled Under Foot who was to have four concerts during those 3 days. One of the concerts was on the main stage which was located in the beautiful city park, while the 3 other jobs were in the backyard of one of the city's largest hotels - Villa Bayard.
On the way down to the main stage to pick up our credentials, we met none other than our own - Kid Andersen - strolling along with his "Chief" - Rick Estrin. Rick Estrin & The Nightcats had their gig on the main stage on Friday and as usual did an outstanding job. This band is actually one of the coolest live bands at the moment. As mentioned, Trampled Under Foot had an appearance on the main stage and it happened on the opening day - Thursday and the band performed a solid concert to the delight of a somewhat thin obsessed audience. Headliners on Thursday was the Woodstock version of Canned Heat who, like Suwalki earlier this summer, did a surprisingly good show. The biggest surprise of the day, however, was the opening band - Davina & The Vagabond. Davina herself is a real firework from Minneapolis and their Be-Bop and New Orleans swing, they really took Sierre by storm.
After a lovely, warm day on Thursday our own Bjorn Berge had a somewhat harsh task to open the ball on the main stage on Friday. It was admittedly dry weather during the concert, but it had rained all day so the audience  was very thin. After Bjorn Berge great American singer and entertainer - Shakur S'Aida – entered the stage with a incredibly strong band. Shakur S'Aida was 2
nd during the IBC in Memphis in 2008 after Trampled Under Foot and there is a long time since I have seen an artist - regardless of gender - who has owned the stage and audience in the way Shakur S'Aida did in Sierre this evening - dice 6! In the middle of the concert Shakura called up on stage Danielle Schnebelen from Trampled Under Foot and these two great singers created within 20 minutes a "Female Song Book" - the magic of the ordinary. Rick Estrin & The Nighcats has already been mentioned, and the final concert this evening was with the JW Jones from Canada who certainly made a favorable figure.


Saturday gave us fortunately, a more stable weather and most of the day was to follow Trampled Under Foot at their two concerts in the courtyard of the Hotel Villa Bayard. Main Stage Saturday night could offer both the ups and downs. Like Shakura S'Aida the day before the colored American diva - Sharrie Williams – made a tasty concert in front of a crowd that alternated between full enthusiasm and total silence - dice 6 again! After this concert, it is with sadness to report that The Fabulous Thunderbirds tried as best they could to follow up – but sorry to say - without success. The undersigned have had many very good experiences with this band during the years, but this was not one of them ... unfortunately.

A positive surprise this evening was Rod Barter from France and that Sherman Robertson ended the evening on a very positive and energetic way.


We had a relatively early train back to Zurich on Sunday, but we went down to the park to attend the announced Live service. We are very pleased that we did since this turned out as something completely new and a very stylish and emotional experience conducted by the local pastor, tastefully accompanied by Sharrie Williams and her band. This session was followed by dozens of people - both young and old and there was hardly a dry eye to see.
This was only the second year Sierre Blues Festival was held and the conclusion is that Silvio Caldelari and his crew has already made a festival with a fantastic atmosphere in the amazing surroundings.  .
The conclusion must be that all Norwegians who want music experiences, nature, food / beverage experiences should take a trip to Sierre in the summer either to the Bluesfestival or to the even bigger wine festival which takes place the last week of August each year. For ski lovers it is also advisable to visit Sierrre winter since all the famous Swiss ski resorts (such as Zermatt) is located within 2 hours from Sierre.

 

Norwegian CD-productions nominated to Blues Music Awards

2009-12-15 16:15 by Rune Myhren

Blues Music Awards is blues music's equivalent of the Grammy. Prices will be awarded at a grand event in the Cook Convention Center in Memphis in early May each year, and they are loud. The cream of the blues artists entertain during the evening and many of the nominated artists are present. This is truly one of the blues great party nights. If we look closely at the list of nominees this year, it is amazing nice to see that Norway and Norwegian productions are well represented among the candidates. Image: BB King, Janiva Magness and Bonnie Raitt at last year's ceremony.    
Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint: "Back to the Black Bayou" was recorded in the Juke Joint Studio in Notodden in August last year, and was one of the best records Red has made a long time. On bass is Red and Victor with the Bill Troiani (we may as well be allowed to call his Norwegian right now?) And sits behind the drums Alex Pettersen. Håkon Høye is also, and Reidar Larsen, Jostein Forsberg and Peter Lundell (we call him the Norwegian now) are also contributors.
It is all recorded and mixed by the Peter Lundell, while Espen Liland has done graphic design for the record, and Morten Omlid has helped with the production assistance.
The album is nominated for both "Album of the Year" and "Traditional Album of the Year" and Red himself is also nominated as "This year's traditional male blues artist" and "Acoustic Artist of the Year". This album was also recently selected as this year's blue plate in France, the Académie Charles-Cros (a price that corresponds Spellemannprisen at home).
  
Super Chikan also chose Juke Joint Studio when he recorded the album "Chickadelic" earlier this year. He had worked with Notodden band Spoonful of Blues, and together they came up with a disc that clearly showed that Chikan enjoying themselves in the studio with their Norwegian friends. The disc is nominated in the "traditional album of the Year" and Super Chikan himself is nominated for "BB King Entertainer of the Year "and" This year's traditional male blues artist ".
In addition, the song "Fred's Dollar Store" from the disc nominated in the class "This year's song".
Both these discs are released on Blue Town Records, as this has two very given feather in his hat!

Norwegian Kid Andersen's famous teamed up with The Nightcats and Rick Estrin, and also this band has received multiple nominations.
The most coveted is NOK "This year's band", and they are also nominated for "This year's contemporary blues album" with the disc "Twisted".

It handed out awards across 26 categories and the nomination is a tedious process. Blues Foundation has a bunch of 100-125 persons, whose names are kept secret, which considers candidates for each category. These are people who are above average interested in blues, such as radio DJs, journalists, festival organizers, etc. There are many Americans, but Europe, Canada and Central America are also represented. In the first round, they each choose three candidates in each category. After the next round of sit back with 5 nominees (6 if there are equal numbers of votes) in each category. Then there are the members of the Blues Foundation matching the winners in each category, the voting is done online in the period December - 1
March.
You can however be to vote for your favorites. You must join the Blues Foundation on their website, www.blues.org and get the access to vote. Membership comes in several price ranges and "Blues Fan" membership, which is the cheapest, costs only $ 25 per.
years.

Shall we guess that this year will be more Norwegians than usual to see in the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, when prices will be awarded 6 May 2010? Tickets can be purchased for $ 125 on the Blues Foundation's Web site.

  
Nina Hanssen
 


Nominated Categories;

Acoustic Album of the Year
David Maxwell & Louisiana Red, You Got to Move
Maria Muldaur & her Garden of Joy, Good Time Music for Hard Times
Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women, Havin' The Last Word
Samuel James, For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen
Various Artists, Things About Comin' My Way - A Tribute to the music of the Mississippi Sheiks


Acoustic Artist of the Year
Annie Raines & Paul Rishell
Doug MacLeod
Guy Davis
Louisiana Red
Samuel James


Album of the Year
Duke Robillard's Jumpin' Blues Revue, Stomp! the Blues Tonight
Eddie C. Campbell, Tear This World Up
Joe Louis Walker, Between a Rock and the Blues
Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint, Back to the Black Bayou
Various Artists, Chicago Blues A Living History


B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Candye Kane
Magic Slim
Rick Estrin
Super Chikan
Taj Mahal
Tommy Castro


Band of the Year
Duke Robillard's Jumpin' Blues Revue
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops
Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
The Mannish Boys
Tommy Castro Band


Best New Artist Debut
Greg Nagy, Walk That Fine Thin Line
Joanne Shaw Taylor, White Sugar
Marquise Knox, Man Child
Monkey Junk, Tiger in your Tank
The California Honeydrops, Soul Tub!


Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Candye Kane, Superhero
Joe Louis Walker, Between a Rock and the Blues
Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Twisted
Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, Living in the Light
Tommy Castro, Hard Believer


Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Bettye LaVette
Candye Kane
Janiva Magness
Ruthie Foster
Shemekia Copeland


Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Derek Trucks
Joe Louis Walker
John Nemeth
Michael Burks
Tommy Castro


DVD
Delmark Records, It Ain't Over! Delmark Celebrates 55 Years of Blues, Live at Buddy Guy's Legends
Eagle Eye Media, Live at Montreux 1993 (B.B. King)
Jo Films & Roadside Productions, Hot Flash - The Documentary (Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women)
Mojo Rodeo Records, A Night in Woodstock (Paul Rishell and Annie Raines)
Vincent Productions, Down to the Crossroads Vol. 1 (George Thorogood & the Destroyers w/ Eddie Shaw)

Historical Album of the Year
Bear Family Records, Taking Care of Business (1956-1973) (Freddie King)
Chess, Authorized Bootleg (Muddy Waters)
Eagle Records, Essential Montreux (Gary Moore)
Hip-O Select, The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) (Little Walter)
Landslide Records, Sean's Blues (Sean Costello)


Instrumentalist-Bass
Bill Stuve
Bob Stroger
Larry Taylor
Mookie Brill
Patrick Rynn


Instrumentalist-Drums
Cedric Burnside
Jimi Bott
Kenny Smith
Sam Carr
Tony Braunagel


Instrumentalist-Guitar
Derek Trucks
Duke Robillard
Joe Louis Walker
Lurrie Bell
Ronnie Earl


Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Billy Branch
Jason Ricci
Kim Wilson
Mark Hummel
Rick Estrin


Instrumentalist-Horn
Al Basile
Big James Montgomery
Deanna Bogart
Eddie Shaw
Keith Crossan


Instrumentalist-Other
Buckwheat Zydeco (accordion)
Gerry Hundt (mandolin)
Johnny Sansone (accordion)
Otis Taylor (banjo)
Rich Del Grosso (mandolin)


Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Bruce Katz
David Maxwell
Eden Brent
Henry Butler
Henry Gray


Rock Blues Album of the Year
Derek Trucks Band, Already Free
Jason Ricci & New Blood, Done with the Devil
Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, Tijuana Bible
Mike Zito, Pearl River
Tinsley Ellis, Speak No Evil


Song of the Year
Cyril Neville & Mike Zito, 'Pearl River' (Pearl River--Mike Zito)
James Johnson , 'Fred's Dollar Store' (Chikadelic--Super Chikan)
Joe Louis Walker, 'I'm Tide' (Between a Rock and the Blues--Joe Louis Walker)
John Hahn & Oliver Wood, 'Never Going Back to Memphis' (Never Going Back--Shemekia Copeland)
Vyasa Dodson, 'At Least I'm Not With You' (At Least I'm Not With You--The Insomniacs)


Soul Blues Album of the Year
Charles Wilson, Troubled Child
Darrell Nulisch, Just for You
Johnny Rawls, Ace Of Spades
Latimore, All About the Rhythm and the Blues
Mighty Sam McClain, Betcha Didn't Know


Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Barbara Carr
Denise LaSalle
Irma Thomas
Shirley Brown
Sista Monica Parker


Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Curtis Salgado
Darrell Nulisch
Jackie Payne
Johnny Rawls
Latimore


Traditional Blues Album of the Year
John Primer, All Original
Johnnie Bassett, The Gentleman is Back
Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint, Back to the Black Bayou
Super Chikan, Chikadelic
Various Artists, Chicago Blues A Living History


Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Ann Rabson
Debbie Davies
Fiona Boyes
Shirley Johnson
Zora Young


Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Duke Robillard
John Primer
Johnnie Bassett
Louisiana Red
Super Chikan