Seventh Lucerne Blues Festival

Lucerne, Switzerland

LThe 2001 edition of the Luzern Blues-festival seemed to be born under a bad sign. Just few weeks away from the 11th September attacks, the participation of American artists in any cultural event was not guaranteed and, understandably, security has been a main priority even for traditionally low risk venues like Blues concerts. In addition, Blues fans were much dismayed at learning that Jerry McCain, Little Hatch and Willie King had to give up, for various reasons, their European tours. Guido Schmidt and Klaus Jacober, the heart and the soul of the festival, managed to augment audience’s expectations by enrolling again brave Tim Duffy’s motley crew of the Music Maker Revue, where piano player Eddie Tigner and guitarist-singer John Lee Holeman flanked Cool John Ferguson and Cootie Stark. Under the brilliant guidance provided by Tim Duffy and Mudcat, Tigner, Holeman, Ferguson and Stark played, each one in his own field, at their best especially all along the Casino’ Bar Saturday Night Jam, a moment that will remain graved in fans’ heads for some time to come. The Music Maker Revue is nowadays an outstanding Blues show displaying the enduring quality of down-home Blues at present.


Drummer Calvin Johnson, guitar player Eddie Campbell, singer and harp player Big Jack Jackson have slices of genius in their playing, but their bands did not meet the expectations as musicians were very much average, with occasional little cohesion. Hopefully, Eddie Campbell and Jackson would give further evidence of their talent. In spite of the success of his last CD “New Frontier Lover”, Roy Gaines’ show raised mixed feelings. Gaines is no doubt a great entertainer but he exaggerated certain aspects of his performance, such as playing the guitar behind his back or laying on the ground, with a consequent degradation of the musical quality which is indeed remarkable. More convincing in the rhythm work and the singing than in solos, Gaines got a smoky band where tenor sax master Johnny Viau and his buddy Troy Jennings make the difference. Otis Clay, one of the greatest soul-blues singers around, and his band came to Luzern after completing a long world tour. This fact might explain some lack of punch, especially in the soloists, that ultimately hindered Clay’s soul fervour, supported by a solid yet creative rhythm section led by one of the best bass players around, Felton Crews, who also works with Charlie Musselwhite.


Want some boiling slide madness? Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials got what you need. The “Compact Man” runs a show founded on his terrific slide work, he’s J.B. Hutto’s nephew, and the solidity of his die-hard band from whom, understandably, you should not expect any sophistication. Lil’ Ed jumps, screams, makes faces and plays his guitar “Pamela”, incidentally his wife’s name, like any show was his very last one.


Playing after Lil’ Ed is a major challenge for any musician, no matter how much famed, no matter how much rocking. Soul-blues singer Darrell Nulisch, well-known for his performances with Ronnie Earl’s Bluescoasters and Anson Funderburgh’s Rockets, blew Luzern audience away with a very emotional set mainly inspired from his most recent albums “I like it this way” and , his hit “After All” and soul ever-green “Pouring water on a drowning man”…., accompanied by his regular band, Jonny Moeller on guitar, Rob Stupka on drums, Eddie Gomes on bass and Bernije Porecki, keyboards. The fact that these guys have been playing together for many years and their quality make the difference; Moeller’s and Porecki’s solo albums may be of relative interest but, in the right context, they stand as terrific musicians both in the rhythmic and solo duties while Gomes and Stupka suit remarkably well to Soul-blues through their consistent yet discreet work. Nulisch’s silky voice haunting melodies closed another memorable Blues-feast in Luzern.

Luca Lupoli