Blues Caravan 2008 in Bonn
In 2005 the RUF Records
Blues Caravan first rolled into Bonn. It's aim to bring the best of
RUF's talented musicians and introduce a new face to the music loving
public. The 2008 Caravan continued this quest to bring us the best of
both established talent and rising stars.
Candye Kane is an enigma. She funded her
early music career through appearaces in 'Hustler' magazine. Deborah
Coleman is long established as one of America's best blues players,
and Dani Wilde, at just 19, has just secured a contract with
RUF, released a first ever CD, and left her Brighton hometown for a first taste
of touring in europe.
The Harmonie wasn't just
another show on a long tour though, it was being filmed for a DVD release.
Join me stage side.
Just watch out for those swinging hand held video cameras while you boogie.
Recalling Candye Kane’s memories of
a sometimes tempestuous ‘Ladies Night’
Blues Caravan Tour in 2005 (I called
it ‘Ladies Night/Fight!?) I was keen to
see how things were going towards the
end of the 2008 Tour. Again three
Blues Ladies on the bill – Candye
again, Deborah Coleman also for a second
time and BC debutant 21 year
old Dani Wilde. Sure enough there was a fight
of sorts backstage – Candye was
wrestling with drummer Denis Palatin for
possession of a prized bottle of
Jack Daniels.
My money was on Candy. It was
all good natured though and it was laughter
and not glass that exploded round
the room. Elsewhere, Deborah Coleman was
desperate for the comforting arms of
a cigarette and Dani Wilde was being
buried under (deserved) words of
praise by my fellow Ana Popovic.org fansite
Administrator Horst. It had
been a hard days night and there was an
atmosphere of sweet release.
Part of the extra stress was down to
video cameras rolling throughout the
show for a planned DVD.
It put my hoped for interviews with Candye and
Dani on hold but the good news for
me was that where there are video
cameras, there is space around the
stage-front – a virtual photo pit so to
speak. Just watch your head
doesn’t get disconnected by one of those solid
chunks of hardware panning blindly
around.
Brighton Blues
Belle Dani Wilde
As Expected being the ‘baby’ of the
show, Dani Wilde was first up. I’d
already heard her debut CD so I was
looking forward to this. Her first CD
is brilliant but has the downside of
being a hard act to follow,
particularly when she has to do
without her own band and most specifically
brother Will who at only 19 makes a
mighty impression beyond his tender
years. So mighty that I heard
Nine Below Zero’s Mark Feltham, one of the
worlds best, immediately wanted to
keep a copy of the CD when he heard it.
But Will isn’t here and Dani is
starting the show which means the sound mix
isn’t spot on for the first few
songs. Bad news in that her greatest asset
is her vocal (Joplin meets Stone is
my best description for it). Talking to
her later Dani was a bit
disappointed too. The day before had been perfect
and here, with the cameras rolling,
had been different. So young and
already in pursuit of
perfection. Later I offer a Bonn T-shirt and some
english Guinness (Tea bags) as
consolation present, but I have a feeling
that the mixing desk will deliver a
five star vocal after a few levels
tweaks and for Dani the only way is
up right now.
Silky smoothe
looks and playing – Deborah Coleman
Where Dani Wilde was enjoyably ‘raw
around the edges’ onstage, Deborah
Coleman glided around the boards
like a sleek panther with a cool, rounded
sound (the best of the night for my
money) and warm, melodic guitar soloing.
The band obviously found her easy to
back-up which is no mean feat when you
consider the same musicians are
covering three different acts but then these
are no ordinary ‘musicians’.
Drummer Denis Palatin is still for my money
the best sticks man that Ana Popovic
ever had and not the hide in the
shadows variety either. When
he inadvertantly starts an intro for Candye
only to realise the next act up is
Deborah he stops, stands up, smiles an
impish grin, and draws a round of
applause. There was excellent keyboard
backing throughout and solid
basswork by Mike Griot but unsung
hero/heroine of the night was
undoubtedly Laura Chavez who delivered perfect
blues guitar licks on demand whilst
looking like it was all in a days work
at the office. I passed her on
the stairs after the show and wished I’d
said how great she was – if you get
to see this Laura, now you know!
Big girls have
more fun – Candye Kane
And then of course there was the one
and only Candy Kane. Such a character that I decieded to devote a
separate article to her for English-network. But here we’re talking about
the music – except the music and the person are in many ways inseperable.
As she herself puts it: Her songs
come out of what she has seen and
confronted in her everyday life:
songs of partying, pornography and
masterbation and now you know why
she earned that separate article!
She introduces herself and apologies
on behalf of all skinny people for the
fact that the ‘more rounded’ people
of the world have more fun. It’s not
our fault if genetically we skinnies
are focred to miss out. Later she
promises to sign autographs and
where is that pen? Reaching into her
cleavage she produces a whisky
bottle ‘nope, it’s not down there’
I immediately make a note to aks how
she manages this trick but (thankfully
maybe?) forget later. There is
plenty of chat with the audience and an
introduction to ‘When the war is
over’ dedicating the song to ‘When the
election is over’ and “We have a
President who can speak english!” brings
applause.
When all three ladies come back on
to close the evening it’s clear that this
is ‘ladies night’ and not
‘Fight’. Smiles alround and a frantic version of
‘Whole Lotta Love’.
A song about life on the Blues
Caravan and the showcloser ‘You can have my
husband, but don’t mess with my
man’, and it’s all over bar the partying –
which is where I started this
article. These shows may be hard on the
musicians but they sure are easy on
the ears of the public. Thomas Ruf and
your idea for a Blues Caravan – I
salute you!
Me hard at work
researching with Candye & Dani (no, really, it's WORK!)
Popularity: 3% [?]
Blues Caravan 2008 in Bonn
“What happens when you take three in-charge divas from different countries and put them all together on a bus in the dead of winter for 65 shows? Each one of them used to calling the shots and running the show, each with distinctly different personalities, playing styles and communication skills. Who will fold? Who will triumph? Who will cry first?”
That’s how Candye Kane described the first Ladies Only Blues Caravan Tour in 2005.
The answer was ‘Good things happen’ and so this coming Sunday (27 Jan) sees the Caravan making a stop for the fourth year running in Bonn’s Harmonie. Candye is back again too and this time there’s the chance to see a rising star of British Blues Miss Dani Wilde (pictured above) from that down south home of the blues Brighton.
My advice – don’t miss it!
BluesCaravan Tour 2008: “Guitar’d and Feathered”
In just three years, the Ruf Records BluesCaravan has become an extremely popular
musical event reaching more and more blues fans in more parts of the world. After stopping
off in Paris, London and Berlin, the 2007 edition played over a dozen concerts in the USA
and was a featured attraction at the renowned Notodden Blues Festival in Norway. Setting
off under the title “Guitar’d and Feathered,” the trio of outstanding artists on the 2008
BluesCaravan tour promises to continue the trend.
“Guitar’d and Feathered” is the name of an exciting new album by California singer Candye
Kane. Kane was on board for the initial BluesCaravan in 2005 and rejoins the tour on the
heels of her hot new release. Famed for her flamboyant style and powerhouse vocals, the
award-winning singer has authored eight albums to date on labels like Antone’s, Rounder,
Sire and of course, Ruf. The current “Guitar’d and Feathered” project teams her with an allstar
cast of six-string heroes including Kid Ramos, Popa Chubby and Ana Popovic. With or
without such high-octane support, Kane never fails to win over the hearts of her audience.
One of the artists holding up the “Guitar’d” end of the bargain is Deborah Coleman. The
Virginia native has earned 11 Blues Music Award (W.C. Handy) nominations and has long
been a respected performer in the United States. Last year, she finally got a chance to show
off her talents to European audiences on the 2007 BluesCaravan tour. Boasting slick chops
and an uncanny stage presence, Coleman can lay back on soulful, groove-oriented numbers
or tear it up with some incendiary rock. Those who caught last year’s performances won’t
want to miss this return engagement.
The BluesCaravan also has been instrumental in breaking talented young artists to an
international audience. Ruf Records’ latest discovery is British singer/guitarist Dani Wilde.
Inspired by American greats like John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy, Wilde – who’s just in her
early 20s – has already shared stages with stars like Jools Holland and Gary Moore. While
major labels were coveting her for her mainstream appeal, she decided to stay true to her
first love, the blues. “In 33 years in the music business, I’ve never heard a British female
singer of such brilliant raw talent,” said one industry insider. Listen for yourself!
In 2007, Ruf Records was recognized by the Blues Foundation with the “Keeping the Blues
Alive” award. The stellar roster assembled for the 2008 BluesCaravan tour offers further
proof that the music is alive and well. Featuring solo sets by each of the three performers as
well as a jam session finale, the BluesCaravan is an unbeatable live blues experience.
Vincent Abbate
BluesCaravan
www.bluescaravan.de
Popularity: 2% [?]
