12 June 2018
article by Rattlebrained
4 comments.
Evening thunderstorms have been so common in the last weeks that it was pretty awesome that the Blues Rules festival happened “between the drops”, as they say in French. In fact it was sunny and surprisingly warm, the gods must have turned an approving eye!
There are enough photographers covering the scene theses days and my bag being heavy enough as it is, I left the camera at home and hoped to make a few sketches instead. And for better or worse that’s what I did…
29 May 2017
article by Rattlebrained
no comments.
This year I missed Friday which I regret since Steff, my good friend and blues harp player with Floyd Beaumont, was performing with his other group The Blues Spirit Band. Not to mention Mark Muleman Massey, who I would have loved to hear.
Saturday, however, it all worked out well. The sun was shining and the weather perfect for an evening of Blues.
3 June 2015
article by Rattlebrained
no comments.
Looking back a few posts reminds me how little I’ve blogged these last years and how limited my subject matter is these days; my last post of any importance being about the 2013 edition of this great festival. However if this blog is to come back to the world of the living the Blues Rules festival seems as good a place as any to start; in fact better than most!
And start it did last Friday with Sarah Savoy’s Hell-Raising Hayride. She had already played in last years festival (and so did we – Swamp Train – you can read about it here: Blues Rules Heatwave) so I knew what this band puts out; and didn’t what to miss them!
14 September 2013
article by Rattlebrained
2 comments.
(Already September, sheesh, where does time go… I’ve been wanting to write about the one night I was able to attend of this years Blues Rules which took place last May, but insomnia and various other things have kept my bloging to a minimum; you may have noticed.
The first three editions of what is IMO one of Switzerland’s best blues festival took place on the grounds of the castle of Crissier, just outside of Lausanne. But it seems that didn’t work out this year so the festival’s two founders, Vincent Delsupexhe & Thomas Lecuyer, had a great idea: they organized 4 tour dates European tour for some of their American bluesmen friends instead!
10 June 2013
article by Rattlebrained
4 comments.
I’m still under the magic of having seen CeDell Davis last night at the Lux, an old movie theater transformed into concert venue over in Le Locle.
Although I had heard he might be touring Europe earlier this year there hasn’t been much info on the web. Miracles come in many ways and in this case when finally the weather changed to sun last week after the long dreary and cold spring we’ve been having I couldn’t stay inside and went out for a walk; and a poster caught my eye: CeDell Davis and Brethren + Guitar Fucker / Dimanche 9 Juin 2013 / CHF: 10.-
I had to read it 5 times to actually believe what I was seeing… I mean really… In my view of the music world CeDell is as good as it can get! His music just grabs you at the most primitive level and twists and churns and overpowers you… Up here in the Jura back land… For not even 10 bucks… I had to confirm it on the web before it actually sunk in.. ..and I almost missed it… A miracle!
So it was with some trepidation that I drove over, the man is in his eighties and unfortunately isn’t able to play his guitar any more. I had looked at a few videos on the web of him and Brethren but CeDell’s guitar playing was so special that it was difficult to imagine him singing with a band, however good. Was I ready for the possible disappointment?
15 March 2013
article by Rattlebrained
no comments.
CeDell Davis – Blues Back Home
An inspiring documentary from 1984 on the great Mississippi bluesman CeDell Davis.
CeDell’s music is so special and emotional that it kind of leaves me speechless when it come to writing about it; although I have tried in the past. What is there to say? He should be better know and he should be in whatever halls of fame those folks who like that sort of thing have for the blues…!
Many thanks to cjohnson22463 for posting this.
11 November 2012
article by Rattlebrained
no comments.
Although around here November is often wet & cold, not really the kind of weather one usually associates with the Blues, there were enough scorching hot guitar solos at the 5th Vully Blues Festival to make a steam bath of the local swimming pool! And I believe it can be said that the festival has found its public since when I was there Friday night all the wine cellars of Praz were well packed and grooving.
Wine cellars? The Vully is a small wine making area in Switzerland along the northwest side of the Lake of Murten/Morat and its local Blues Club had the good idea of taking advantage of the areas topography in organizing its Blues Festival. 2 days, 8 wine cellars & 13 blues bands is how it was presented this year! The wine cellars are situated throughout the village