Description
With his Electric Blues All-Stars, Kai Strauss has made a name for himself all over Europe with dynamic, driving live shows and award-winning CDs, featuring an individual style that's based on the urban blues tradition, but taking in big chunks of soulful and funky grooves. And this band knows how to rock the house!
Colleague blues hero Mike Andersen got a chance to listen to Kai's new album:
Back in the '90s, when I was a young man, I spent my savings on a ticket to the legendary Danish blues festival, Djurs Bluesland. I remember setting up our tent and making our way into the festival grounds. Then, suddenly, the sound of an electric guitar came cutting through the canvas of a tent, straight into the heart of a Danish teenager.
I ran towards the stage. There was one of the coolest guitar players I had ever seen, making a Stratocaster sing. I was blown away.
That was my first encounter with Kai Strauss. I've been a fan ever since. There is a sense of urgency in every note he plays. Always full of bite, beautifully phrased -- yet delivered with a laid-back attitude and unmistakable charm.
Over the years, I've seen Kai perform countless times as a world-class sideman. In recent years, I've watched him fully step into his role as a frontman, his voice and guitar playing completely in sync.
To my ears, he is one of Europe's finest blues artists.
This album is a testament to that.
-Mike Andersen
