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FIFTEENTH ANNUAL LUZERN BLUES FESTIVAL

Same place, right time: the month of November may be freezing cold in Switzerland, but in 2009, the weather Gods have been good to us with a real treat: sun shining and mild temperature. The place is the Luzern Blues Festival – easily the best European Blues festival in wintertime - which continues to guarantee an excellent choice of Blues artists, in a comfortable, warm atmosphere: acoustic Blues, Chicago Blues, Zydeco and west coast swing seamlessly melting together in three gorgeous nights of music.

The best of the festival: Tomcat Courtney. Tomcat is a kind of “the last of the Mohicans”: One of most beautiful expression of the Afro-American heritage is disappearing, just a few of brave, quite aged, musicians play downhome acoustic Blues nowadays. He started his performance slowly, with bare guitar sound and inspired singing. The subsequent appearance of Chris James on guitar and Bob Corritore on harp released a terrific groove, which amazed the audience. Blues isn’t that complicate provided you get the right feeling and disposition.

Four star mention: Bob Corritore. His playing is plenty of “finesse”, he may dig in with unexpected, impressive phrasing but without exaggeration, in total control of the logic of the song. He had made a remarkable impression two years ago in this same festival and we can now certified that this man is indeed a great harp player. Well, he is also a famous American DJ, but this is another story. His alter-ego David Riley on guitar and vocals perfectly completes an acoustic duo that it could last for a long while.

Four star mention: Lurrie Bell. The surprise in Luzern was the presence of sax-player Eddie Shaw, otherwise Lurrie has been playing the same set for a long time. Yet, the whole show remains terrific; Lurrie’s secret is that he plays each note like it could be his last one and doesn’t spare any effort in firing off blasting - last chance - solos. Don’t look further: the mercurial son is here to stay.

Three star mention: Mark Hummel. He heads a group called “the Blues Survivors with Rusty Zinn” and the title is appropriate as there is no groundbreaking sound but a lot of good Blues, mainly west coast swing oriented, which manages to overwhelm the déjà vu impression. Hummel’s proficient harp skills are well-known and, on his part, Zinn adds classy guitar playing with invigorating solos.

Three star mention: Marcia Ball. The legacy of the 50s and 60s great female singers has undisclosed new, and less new, generations of Blues female artists. Marcia Ball, one of the most seasoned among them, is an accomplished piano player with a characteristic Professor Longhair touch and her New Orleans sound, a bit too polished but mastered by an excellent band, pleased the Luzern crowd without blowing any mind around.

Three star mention: Mud McMorganfield. Someone said that this singer is just another Muddy’s son. And this is the issue behind Mud’s concert, everything sounds damn good but it is basically a copy of what his dad did decades ago. Not only Mud sings many of his father’s songs, but he even mimics some of his dad’s most peculiar gestures and attitudes. Otherwise, the band – with remarkable harp playing by Joe Nosek’s (Cash Box Kings frontman) – offers an enjoyable performance.

Three star mention: Eugene “Hideway” Bridges recorded some impressive records, in which his acoustic spirit prevails on the electric one. On live shows, the inner poetry of his singing, diminished by some kind of mainstreaming approach, apparently loses some of the impact it gets on record.

Two star mention: JW Jones. This young Canadian singer and guitar player is considered one of the most promising Blues musicians of the future. Without being unforgettable, his records seem to confirm such a prediction. However, his show was a bit too playful and repetitive – he played twice as he replaced Brian Lee – to leave great memories. On the other side, he owns excellent technique tools and might only need time to find a true maturity.

This review shall not be exhaustive without mentioning other fine artists who performed at the 15th Luzern Blues Festival: Swing maestros BB and the Blue Shacks; Malaco singer Dorothy Moore; piano wonder-boy Elias Bernet, check his CD “taking the path home”, and a strong guitar player named Micheal van Merwyk.

Last but, of course, not least, the Prince of Zydeco C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band. C.J. is keeping alive his father’s - Zydeco King Clifton Chenier- legacy with great energy and talent. The 15th Luzern Blues Festival then closed in its best festive mood.

Luca Lupoli

You may wish to listen to the following recordings:

Tomcat Courtney = Downsville Blues, Blue Witch Records 105;
Dave Riley and Bob Corritore = Lucky to be Living, Blue Witch Records 106;
AAVV = Broadcasting the Blues, SouthWest Musical Arts Foundation Records 04;