Special Austria : Hooked On Blues - I Have To Stop (feat. Bonnie Lee, Magic Slim, John Primer, Nick Holt) (1994) / Austrian Blues Summit (1998)

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Hooked On Blues - I Have To Stop (1994)

The little Austrian band that hooked... Magic Slim

There is in Austria a nice little label launched in 1974 by a blues fan, Hannes Folterbauer, who managed to sign some good blues artist from Chicago like Eddie Taylor Jr., Vance Kelly, Magic Slim and his Teardrops, John Primer after he left the Teardrops, and "the Sweetheart of the Blues" aka singer Bonnie Lee.

Meanwhile in Austria a bunch of young blues crazies formed a band baptized Hooked On Blues. A few years later, Magic Slim was in Austria for some concerts and happened to hear them perform. He was so impressed by their understanding of Chicago blues that he advised Wolf to make them record, and consequently Wolf organized a first session. When Magic Slim came back to Austria with the Teardrops (which was featuring John Primer on guitar, and Slim's brother Nick Holt on bass), Wolf set another session, this time including Slim, Holt, Primer and Bonnie Lee.

Slim sings on “Black Night” and plays guitar on “Jammin' With Slim” of course, two tracks on which Nick Holt is on bass. Primer is on “Sad Sad Day”, and Bonnie Lee sings “You Got Me Running”, a total of four tracks featuring guests. Hooked On Blues are on their own on the remaining numbers.

This first album is almost worth the work of some of the best Chicago blues combos and it's not surprisingly that Magic Slim was so appealed by the Austrians led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Sigurd Fassl, who signs half the material.

The legendary Magic Slim

On the guests side, with his unmistakable loud passionate voice Slim sings “Black Night”, a slow pounding number à la Willie Dixon written by “Fats” Washington, on which Peter Kern's guitar makes you forget that Slim is not playing on that track, and on harmonica Christian Sandera is perfect on all the tracks he plays.

Bonnie Lee

Bonnie Lee's abrasive voice takes on an enthralling lively version of Jimmy Reed's famous “You Got Me Running”. John Primer is on vocals on a 10-minute version of Muddy Waters' “Sad Sad Day” and delivers a great guitar show, playing regular and slide.

“OK I'll… hey let's… let's.. let's do a… hey...  just a little…  just a little jam… we wanna jam”, mumbles Slim before taking his guitar for a too short final 6-strings battle.

Magic Slim, John Primer & Nick Holt

On the band's side, their assimilation of the Chicago sound is indeed impressive. Tracks like the fast blues “Crazy 'bout My Baby”, “Low Down Dirty Shame”, Little Walter's “Just Your Fool”, their soulful cover of T-Bone Walker's “Cold Cold Feeling”, “Sky Is Cloudy” or “Since The Day I Found Out” stand out as if the band had grown in the Windy City. As for Oliver Humer, he reveals an appealing pianist, particularly catchy on his own boogie-woogie composition, the gripping “Never Miss You“.

Just one little hitch though : Fassl is a better songwriter than singer. His voice is the weak point of the band, it's obvious when compared to Slim's vocals on “Black Night”. This talented group deserved a real blues vocalist. Anyway he left the band in the early 2000s to join the Mojo Blues Band... ■

Austrian Blues Summit (1998)

The blues strudel of the wolf

Hooked On Blues appears again on the Wolf Records compilation “Austrian Blues Summit” released four years later, which features two of their previous tracks, “Goin' Out Tonight” and “Never Miss You”. And two of the HOB members are featured individually outside the band : Peter Kern and Chris Sandera.

A total of sixteen different artists or bands are compiled on this showcase of some of the most representative musicians of the Austrian blues scene, from the Wolf Records stable but not only.

Hooked On Blues

A special treatment was reserved to Hooked On Blues as mentioned already, to Dana Gillespie, Joachim Palden, Christian Dozzler and Peter Kern who each appear twice.

There's veterans from or resident in Austria who are now famous in their country, and for some, internationally : the Mojo Blues Band, Dana Gillespie, Hans Theessink, Christian Dozzler, Al Cook (Alois Koch), Andy Lee Lang, Sir Oliver's Blues Distillery, The Untouchables, Martin Pyrker. There's also promising musicians at the time  like Peter Garstenauer, Bluespumpn or Ripoff Raskolnikov ( !) who have since confirmed their talent.

Peter Garstenauer

Peter Garstenauer (not Gastenauer as mistakenly spelled on the compilation cover) opens the waltz with his band. This torrid guitar-slinger is the local SRV, I don't think of any other way to describe him though the track compiled here is a rather sober one compared to his usual style. His “No Doubt” exhales clear flavors of Hendrix and SRV.

Let's skip Hooked On Blues that we just presented, and meet the Mojo Blues Band with “Black Silk”, a title that suits perfectly the sound of Erik Trauner's slide guitar and has not much to envy to the great Chicago blues bands.

The Mojo Blues Band in 1998

The MBB is the most renowned blues band of Austria and has been the main breeding-ground of Austrian blues. Some of the best blues musician in the country were part of its line-up at one time or another since the band's birth in 1977, and some are featured on their own on this compilation like Christian Dozzler, Joachim Palden or Dana Gillespie. One time the only blues band in Vienna, they often backed blues artists from the US performing in Austria, the best possible formation.

Dana Gillespie in the late 1960s

Born in a wealthy family of the British gentry, Richenda Antoinette de Winterstein Gillespie aka Dana Gillespie is a case. On “Big Boy”, her vocals are red-hot sexy just as the way she looked in her prime time in her native England when she led a very “liberated” life and used to hang around and work (and sometimes more…) with some of the best musicians of the British Blues explosion period (Donovan, Jimmy Page, David Bowie…)

In the 1980s, blown by her sulfurous reputation, she relocated in Austria, the country of her father's family, she joined the Mojo Blues Band as lead singer for a few years. She's featured twice here : with Joachim Palden on “Big Boy” and solo on the nice rolling boogie “Make Your Pudding”.

Christian Dozzler

Multi-instrumentalist (piano and organ, harmonica, accordion) Christian Dozzler (ex-Mojo Blues Band co-frontman) and Peter Kern (Hooked On Blues' guitarist) deliver two tasty classic country blues : “I'm Mean” and the “Wild About You Baby” with Dozzler on harmonica and Kern on slide guitar in a very Jimmy Reed mood, each man singing one of the songs.

Hans Theessink

In 2000, Dozzler moved to the US to join Larry Garner's band, with whom he toured for a couple of years before settling in Dallas and pursuing his solo career. He regularly plays with Anson Funderburgh.

Hans Theessink, a native Dutch, known throughout the world as a fine country blues musician, settled in Vienna in 1982 after marrying his Austrian manager. His unique deep voice is quite appealing as his excellent slide style on guitar. His outstanding “Late Last Night” is among the best moments of this compilation.

Oliver Mally

Oliver Mally, guitarist and leader of Sir Oliver's Blues Distillery, was influenced by the great Chicago blues guitarists and most particularly by Buddy Guy. On “Fool For You”, he sings with a pleasant gruff voice and delivers fine soulful guitar.

Joachim Palden & Dana Gillespie

The pianist Joachim Palden, who regularly teamed up with Dana Gillespie, is another former member of the MBB. Here his blazing boogie-woogie “Down The Road A Piece”, one of the highlights of the album, is enough to realize he's a superb keyboard master.

Al Cook & Roosevelt Sykes

Despite his rock'n'roll look a la Gene Vincent, guitarist-singer Al Cook is a legendary blues torch-bearer in Austria. Here he teams up with younger harmonicist Chris Sandera (member of Hooked On Blues) for a tasteful instrumental acoustic gospel blues “Blue Prayer” in a rootsy style. He comes back later for a second with his band for the throwback barrel-house number “No Kind Hearted Woman's Slave”. A note of nostalgia...

The Untouchables

Zydeco time with The Untouchables, considered at the time as the best R'n'B band in Austria, who delivers the lively “Dancing With The Ladies”.

Andy Lee Lang

We stay in Louisiana, and most particularly in New Orleans, with the pianist and singer Andy Lee Lang. This musician who can play indifferently rock'n'roll à la Jerry Lee Lewis, country, blues, soul and even the kitschiest songs, is also a kind of legend in the Austrian music business. He is contributing the compilation with a rejoicing second-line dixie-flavored “Louisiana Mardi Gras”.

Martin Pyrker

We extend our stay in the Crescent City with pianist Martin Pyrker solo on “Return To Blues”, a piano instrumental in the tradition of Fats Domino, Champion Jack Dupree or Allen Toussaint...

Bluespumpn

For the ending of the compilation, Wolf Records has chosen two incredible and galvanizing artists.

Bluespumpn is led by an incredible blues shouter with a grinding gravel voice, "Zappa" Johann Cermak. The name of the band is something of an enigma, and the title of their song, “Boogie Of Love And Insanity”, reflects a good dose of humor. Angry scorching blues-rock guitar lines flashes run through the song (“Zappa” ? Fritz Glatzl ?), making it a stand-out of the album.

Ripoff Raskolnikov

Finally, Ripoff Raskolnikov (I suspect it's a stage name 😜), a promising young artist at the time, proves his talent and his originality on the 7-minute super soulful slow “Salty Solitude” : stellar guitar and intense rasping vocals.

An interesting panorama of the Austrian blues scene in the late 1990s through the eyes (or rather the ears) of Wolf Records. ■

Videos

Sigurd Fassl, ex-leader of Hooked On Blues

■ Hooked On Blues

 ► Davis, Vienna (Austria), 2008 :

 → Part 1 : https://youtu.be/yFomtzyhYi8

 → Part 2 : https://youtu.be/ua1kjK9HeKk

 → Part 3 : https://youtu.be/6Cma6eGTm10

 → Part 4 : https://youtu.be/lmj_AGvrgJY

 → With Hermann Posch : https://youtu.be/Gnou-_U12e8

Peter Garstenauer

■ Peter Garstenauer
► With Fritz Glatzl and the Diving Duck Blues Band, Linz (Austria), 2000 : https://youtu.be/yTED3R-JPhY?t=897
► “Rock me Baby” with the Rynhrd Boegl Group, Enns (Austria), 2012 : https://youtu.be/Ix4TwSJ4Jn0

Mojo Blues Band nowadays

■ Mojo Blues Band
► Metropol, Vienna (Austria), 1992 : https://youtu.be/Mu8ppU7NtO8
► Isernhagen (Germany), 2016 : https://youtu.be/fCdE0Swm2vM
► International Jazz Festival, Moscow, 2018 : https://youtu.be/PDIOQ5BPo7s?t=368
► Jazzland, Vienna, 2021 : https://youtu.be/Gd0I6NLNjys

Dana Gillespie with Joachim Palden

■ Dana Gillespie
► With The Mojo Blues Band, 1984 : https://youtu.be/ai5HfSR7OCc?t=390
► With guests Al Cook and M. Wichtl, Metropol, Vienna, 1985 : https://youtu.be/wKtMnAe4V6I
► With Joachim Palden Quartet, Jazz Ascona, Switzerland, 2017 : https://youtu.be/_R0ectPpNZ4
► With guitarist Jake Zaitz at David Bowie Glam Night tribute show, Rome (Italy), 2020 : https://youtu.be/Bs5V7KIlvFM
► With Joachim Palden Trio, Brasov Jazz & Blues Festival, Romania, 2021 : https://youtu.be/Nt52m5ui76o?t=118

Christian Dozzler on harmonica with Hans Theessink

■ Christian Dozzler
► Davis, Vienna, 2009 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/HiVxgOgGHWE
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/7T3yGqSwjEw
► Vienna Blues Spring, Reigen Club, Vienna, 2016 : https://youtu.be/v85QU6U7CdE
► With Hans Theessink, Orpheum, Vienna, 2016 : https://youtu.be/UarZtumtzPE
► The Christian Dozzler Band, Blues Fest & BBQ, Bedford, TX, 2017 : https://youtu.be/45DBpk0qUOM
► With Anson Funderburgh, 2021 : https://youtu.be/Dok2UV5OhlU

Christian Dozzler & Peter Kern

■ Peter Kern
► Peter Kern & his 50’s Rhythm Stompers, Reigen Club, Vienna, 2020 : https://youtu.be/Vsdcsl8AeWA
► The Tunnel, Vienna, 2020 : https://youtu.be/VzXwCTaKm1w
► Peter Kern Trio, The Tunnel, Vienna, 2023 : https://youtu.be/QoGfLKe54pw
► Peter Kern Band, Vienna, 2023 : https://youtu.be/GxtzqEdP6_k

Hans Theessink

■ Hans Theessink
► With Louisiana Red, Donauinselfest Music Festival, Vienna, 2000 : https://youtu.be/8EY84DlaQ-Q
► Jazzland, Vienna, 2010 : https://youtu.be/_76AUQaWhtY
► “Walking the Dog”, with Knud Møller, Roskilde (Denmark), 2016 : https://youtu.be/jxiGcLMuJbA
► “Saint James Infirmary”, with Knud Møller, Metropol, Vienna, 2018 : https://youtu.be/Sgu9n5IUvCM
► Hans Theessink & His Blues Buddies, Reigen Club, Vienna, 2023 : https://youtu.be/cIixFKBTKIY

Sir Oliver's Blues Distillery

■ Sir Oliver's Blues Distillery
► “Hoochie Mama”, Weinberg Ratsch (Austria), 2008 : https://youtu.be/4pTjiSSzrz4
► “I gotta change”, 2012 : https://youtu.be/sV1ocJS50rg
Kulturfabrik Kofmehl, Solothurn (Switzerland), 2012 :
→ https://youtu.be/ZO4yaH2G_cg
→ https://youtu.be/9qoaMerCf9c
► Troadkastn Bar, Saalbach-Hinterglemm (Austria), 2013 : https://youtu.be/yXcDautl5HU
► The Rockhouse, Salzburg (Austria), 2014 :
→ https://youtu.be/OcLZqVLDBbE
→ https://youtu.be/RT1KwkYBduI

Joachim Palden

■ Joachim Palden
► Joachim Palden & Torsten Zwingenberger, Hamburg (Germany), 1988 : https://youtu.be/uwN9av5Do3Y?t=18

Al Cook

■ Al Cook
► With Martin Pyrker, his daughter Sabine and Axel Zwingenberger, Jazzland, Vienna, 2003 : https://youtu.be/N6mVgm4tND0?t=181
► Al Cook Trio, Troadkastn Festival, Saalbach-Hinterglemm (Austria), 2015 : https://youtu.be/Ye_cqGzinBs
► Al Cook Trio, Jazzbrunch at Handwerk Restaurant, Vienna, 2020 : https://youtu.be/ZzUUdyqvgjM
► Benefit concert, Vienna, 2021 : https://youtu.be/0a8_hMd5lIo?t=168
► Kulturfabrik, Kufstein (Austria), 2019 : https://youtu.be/eKeqNpZRHoY

The Untouchables

■ The Untouchables
► "Hey Joe", Metropol, Vienna, 2011 : https://youtu.be/kQQ7l1B21zI
► Bill Haley Medley, Metropol, Vienna, 2012 : https://youtu.be/cqK6NoAtA6I?t=83
► Documentary report on the band, 2018 : https://youtu.be/aKNrDIJ_Zn0

Andy Lee Lang

■ Andy Lee Lang
► City Club, Vienna, 1996 : https://youtu.be/1iGctQzvCZg
► “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On”, 2009 : https://youtu.be/MiZ1m0gKdME
► Vienna, 2019 : https://youtu.be/-W7ooH4TBqU?t=66
► Viva Las Vegas show, 2019 : https://youtu.be/wIT_mapmR3k
► Andy Lee Lang & The Spirit, Rathauspark, Vienna, 2021 : https://youtu.be/wIT_mapmR3k?t=390

Martin Pyrker & his daughter Sabine on drums

■ Martin Pyrker
► With Hermann Posch, Jazzland, Vienna, 2010 : https://youtu.be/MqMFjwSP6QE
► Blues & Boogie Festival, Hamburg (Germany), 2013 : https://youtu.be/26NUCjUIfYk?t=50
► With his daughter Sabine Pyrker on drums, Linz (Austria), 2017 : https://youtu.be/TRpjRZrSqtE

Bluespumpn

■ Bluespumpn
► Orpheum, Vienna, 1999 : https://youtu.be/yXMgbN1SWeI
► Arbeiterkammer, Linz (Austria), 2013 : https://youtu.be/oLdRBPSzTwY
► Szene, Vienna : https://youtu.be/dZUEj2k-aBA
► “Ring of Fire”, 2023 : https://youtu.be/SBnZJeD3uy0

Ripoff Raskolnikov

■ Ripoff Raskolnikov
► Serbia, 1996 : https://youtu.be/ctFjcybPCZc
► Solymár, Hungary, 2012 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/f8-BNaifGaM
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/RP5NRFp6G54
► The Pub, Graz (Austria), 2014 : https://youtu.be/vd6u29XZENI
► With "Sir" Oliver Mally & Little G Weevil, Budapest (Hungary), 2016 : https://youtu.be/DV3lb35-lqQ
► Pécs (Hungary), 2022 : https://youtu.be/8eUVrtDw9kU

And just for the fun of it…
► Traditional Austrian music on accordion by one Johann Pfuisi in Graz : https://youtu.be/CUE6LsKaVUs

Not Zydeco...

... not jazz either

... blues ? Not sure but the public seems to appreciate.