Lucerne Blues Festival Sixteenth Edition

11-13 November 2010

The rainman came on Friday … The Lucerne Blues Festival is definitely not born under a bad sign because, as usual, the city of Lucerne unveiled his beauty to the ordinary blues-head in a sunny and warm Thursday of mid November.  The Festival’s plateau of artists was, more than ever, rich and diverse.  Rock’n’Blues, West Coast Blues, Zydeco, Soul, Acoustic Blues, styles and trends were present to please the ear of the random listener  as well as the regular bluesfan. Thursday night started with Guy Davis, singer-guitar player – and also actor – from New York, who recorded numerous albums, for a set a of acoustic Blues of excellent quality, to which the Italian harp player, Fabrizio Poggi, an artist who has often been a guest of Il Popolo del Blues, gave a superb contribution. Soul Blues singer Lou Pride was already scheduled to perform at the Lucerne Festival a couple of years ago. Once landed in Switzerland he had a serious health problem from which he recovered successfully. The festival organisation has demonstrated great sensibility in inviting again Lou Pride who owns a deep baritone, mellow voice.  Most, if not all, of his songs are about love affairs turned sour and the audience – who liked “Twisting the Knife” (Greenlee-Foster) - appreciated the fact that he was singing about something that everybody has been through in his/her life at least once. Fabrizio Poggi

Guitarist Dave Specter is a regular feature of European festival, he got great tone and control in a T-Bone Walker style. He came to Lucerne with his band – the Bluebirds – augmented by Harmonica Hinds, a well-known and appreciated harp player from Chicago, and singer Sharon Lewis.  Specter’s guitar prowess was at his best with the skilled work of Harmonica Hinds and the audience appreciated it.  Friday night saw Tia Carroll & Hard Work on stage at first: Tia is a former Jimmy McCracklin Band singer – we saw her in Lucerne a few years ago – who sings mainly soul blues standards and her show has a sort of déjà vu, déjà entendu taste. Next, a mythical name of our youth - The Nighthawks – in which harp player and singer Mark Wenner remains the last original member.  The Nighthawks may have lost a bit of their imaginative sound and be nowadays a mere rock’n’blues band, but as a matter of fact, their show is great fun, with well-built songs, three excellent singers – bass player Johnny Castle, drummer Mark Stutso (formerly with the Jimmy Thackery Band, being Thackery one of the Nighthawks founders) and Wenner himself – and a tremendous guitar player – Paul Bell.  We preferred songs like the classic “You don’t love me” – it’s a pity that they do not play their old hits - to rock’n’roll numbers with a slight taste of country.   Mavis Staples followed Nighthawks’ convincing performance.  Mavis is a top-notch soul singer, together with a bunch of other great female singers who are keeping the Soul flag high in these days. There are two ways of considering her shows, and this may also be valid for her peers: relax and enjoy, or asking for something different.  Mavis sings beautiful songs with a terrific band – on guitar nothing less than Rick Holmstrom – but she is miles away from the sound of 40 years ago, which is, all in all, quite normal. Yet, everything is polished, so nice and so “consensual” that you may wonder being at the White House with Michelle and Barack Obama for the Christmas party with Mavis singing.  On the other hand, when you see the respect that this lady evokes in other musicians, you get that the “message” she is transmitting is still extremely powerful.  We knew it would have turned loud with Ronnie Baker Brooks and this is exactly what happened: a lot of watts, energy and good vibes. Luckily enough, ear plugs are for free at the Lucerne Festival.
Mark Wenner - The Nighthawks

PDB has a statement to make: we like Super Chikan & The Fighting Cocks!  Well, the Fighting Cocks are, indeed, chickens (3 young ladies, bass player very popular within the male audience) but Chikan’s show is terribly fascinating because is genuine down-home music, as real as it gets.  Contagious riffs, captivating slide numbers and a lot of humour.  The inclusion of a couple of slow numbers may help in making this already outstanding show excellent.  West Coast appeared with Lynwood Slim’s arrival on stage; with him, one of the best guitar axes around: Kid Ramos and a band of Brazilian guys, Brothers Igor and Yuri Prado, and bass player Rodrigo Mantovani. In the same vein of the Nighthawks, Lynwood Slim indulges too much on rock’n’roll numbers, and he seems getting serious only when he blows some good diatonic harp.  Yet, Ramos’ solo are pure gold and Brothers Prado and Mantovani embarked in an edgy Junior Wells number “Shake it Baby”, which was one of the best moments of the Festival.


Lou Pride

There were a lot of expectations about Bryan Lee & The Blues Power Band: in the last years Bryan had some health concerns and it would be difficult for him being so energetic and shining as he was in the past.  However, he is still that great musician he was used to be and his show took some altitude eventually; he only needs to feel around him the same confidence and the same love his numerous fans has had for him. Another classy guitar player and a regular guest of the Lucerne Festival, Bob Margolin - no presentation should be needed for such an artist - was there to make short but gutsy appearances with Guy Davis and the Nighthawks, very appreciated by the audience.  At the Casineum Club Stage – a bonus included in the price – starting from 11h00 pm you can see local bands and one of the bands who played the day before – in case you missed something.  Two Swiss bands were scheduled: Walt’s Blues Box on Friday and the Winklepickers on Saturday. The former ones – a crew of very young lads - are definitely more than a promise, they are already a great band, which needs only to go on working hard: their future is in their hands and minds. The latter band proposes a different kind of sound: a tight rock’n’blues with infectious guitar and harp riffs, and a rock-solid rhythm section. In conclusion, it should not be forgotten that the Lucerne Festival traditionally includes tasty Zydeco acts: this year Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, and JT Lauritsen & the Buckshot Hunters with Billy Gibson were entrusted with this task, which sweetens the audience night with tons of fun despite the late hour. A final point to make: the Lucerne Blues Festival is actually spread throughout a couple of weeks, so in addition of the core section of the above-described three nights, you can also enjoyed these musicians’ performances in different contexts, often free of charge, in various places of the city. 

Selected Discography

G. Davis = Chocolate to the Bone (Red House Records)
D. Specter = Left Turn on Blue with Lynwood Slim & Jack McDuff (Delmark)
Bryan Lee = Six String Therapy (Justin Time)
Fabrizio Poggi = Spirit & Freedom (Ultra Sound)
Lou Pride = The Memphis-El Paso sessions (Severn)
Super Chikan = What you see (Fat Possum-Epitaph)
Mavis Staples = Hope at the Hideout (Anti)
Lynwood Slim & the Igor Prado Band= Brazilian Kicks (Delta Groove)
Kid Ramos = West Coast House Party (Evidence)
The Nighthawks = Ten Years Live (Varrick)
Rick Holmstrom = Hydraulic Groove (Tone Cool)
Ronnie Baker Brooks = Take me witcha (Watchdog Records)
Bob Margolin = Down in the Alley (Alligator)
Harmonica Hinds = Anything if I could

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