Since their CD “Checkin' In” from 2009, the Delta Blues Band has had a rich collaboration with
singer Miriam Mandipira. She has performed concerts all over Scandinavia, most recently with
great success at the Jonstrup Festival and the Malmoe Blues Festival.
This spring she filled the Palladium Theatre in Malmø, with Delta Blues Band as her backing.
This collaboration resulted in Miriams appearance on Delta's new CD “Stonewashed”, that's
being released just before the festival.
The Malmoe Festival wrote: “Here you really can talk about world class! Blues and soul at it's
absolutely finest. Miriam held the audience in a breathtaking grasp at the Palladium theatre,
with the help of the Danish blues guru Troels Jensen and his band”.

Miriam Mandipira is from Zimbabwe and started singing at a very young age.
In 1996 she joined the band Luck Street Blues as lead singer, and she played with this band until
she moved to South Afrika in 2005, where she joined this country's leading blues act, Strange Brew.
She earned herself the reputation as ’The Queen of Blues’ in sourthern Africa, but left it all behind,
when she moved to Denmark in 2007. Here she has displayed her great musical talent and broad
variety of styles in different band constellations, from straight blues to soul, gospel and jazz.
Miriam has a peowerful voice, and in her choise of music she draws upon her great inspirations
such as Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Brown, Bessie Smith and Aretha Franklin.

Guitarist Frank "Paris Slim" Goldwasser was born in Paris, France in 1960, but moved to the
San Francisco Bay Area at the age of 21. His initial blues inspiration was Hound Dog Taylor.
He was immediately hired by Troyce Key (who gave him the stage name of Paris Slim) to play
in the house band at Key's legendary Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland, and eventually assumed
leadership of the group.
He toured the West coast, appearing on prominent local venues with acts like Jimmy McCracklin,
Lowell Fulson, Percy Mayfield and Charlie Musselwhite. Later frequent tours all over the US and
Europe followed.
He released his first single in 1984, and four years later, his CD debut "Blues For Esther", which
received a nomination from the prestigious W.C. Handy Awards. Its follow-up, "Bleedin' Heart",
was co-produced with Joe Louis Walker, who guested along with Sonny Rhodes.
He relocated to Southern California in 1998, and became a fixture on the vibrant L.A. blues scene,
continuing to absorb new influences and hone his art. His CD "Bluju" was produced by Randy
Chortkoff (of Delta Groove), and it received acclaim as one of the most progressive blues releases
in years, while still remaining firmly rooted in the blues tradition. The association with Chortkoff led
to a spot as regularly featured guitarist in The Mannish Boys both in the studio and on the road.
Franck Goldwasser has since recorded with the Alastair Greene Band, and relocated to Portland,
Oregon, where he has appeared with people the late Paul Delay, D.K. Stewart, Lloyd Jones, Jim
Wallace, and Bill Rhoades and the Party Kings.
We are happy to welcome this great guitar player to Copenhagen Blues Festival, where he is joined
by his French rhythm group. This man has The Blues” - that’s for sure !

The Blues Sermon is held in the cript of Grundtvig's Church.
Reverend Palle Kongsgaard delivers a Sermon on the subject:
"The Highway Blues and the Heavenly Journey"

Classical blues music retains the idea that life has it's dark side and that people are forsaken to
poverty and suffering. The lone traveller on 'the highway', is an often used picture of loneliness,
fear, heartbreak and social exclusion. With it's 'black' realism, the blues opens up for the light.
The blues revive visions of a different world of freedom and justice and peels off constriction
and false spirituality, revealing a new hope.
On his newest CD, “Flying High”, Kenn Lending mixes highway blues with a gospel sound,
and during the service, his songs are put together with the biblical message.

After the service there will be a short concert with Kenn Lending Blues Band.

Saturday and Sunday afternoon the blues moves out on the water with 'Canal Tours'.

Sunday, Lothar and Nand deliver their entertaining delta blues show 'on-board'.
They place spontaneity and the joy of playing at the helm, inquisitively pondering
the earlier blues from the Mississippi countryside. Armed with an array of instruments,
they both sing, Lothar plays guitar, drums and hi-hat with his feet, while Nande juggles
the mouth harp, jug, washtub-bass, spoons and percussion. Lothar and Nande are
accomplished musicians, both alone and as a duo. They have both received the
festival's Blues Award for their engaged stake in the blues.

Note: the boat tour starts and ends in Nyhavn, just across no. 3.

WE ARE SORRY TO REPORT, THAT BARTOF HAS CANCELLED THIS CONCERT !

The brilliant guitarist and singer René Evald has been on the Danish music scene
since the late 60's. He plays an atmospheric and bouncy roots/rock/americana blues.
On his CD “Copenhagen Time”, from 2008 René presents nuances of blues, folk
and rock. He gives the songs his own interpretation , with intensity, stunning
equilibrium, perfecting the details. The Canadian 'Real Blues Magazine' has placed
“Copenhagen Time”, on it's list of world best blues-release.

By tradition, the festival's closing event is the acoustic roots and blues jam at Mojo.
This time the jam is hosted by Tim Lothar. After 25 years as drummer with Lightnin' Moe,
he started researching the classic American delta blues. With undisputed talent and great
musicality, Tim started a new career as singer and acoustic guitarist, soon released one of
the most critic acclaimed Danish debut-CDs. In 2008 he received the festiva'sl Blues Award
- so, all in all, not a bad career change !