Biography

Discography

The Blues Crew

Concert shedule

Pictures

Downloads

Booking

Harp Lessons

Harp and Blues

Links

Contact

My Wine

Press

....... apparently roots grow in the early infancy and that's what happened to me at the age of seven when I sta­ted playing the blues harmonica. Later on I often listed to the radio and I was enjoying different styles of music. When I was sixteen I heard „Muddy Waters“ with his hit "Manish Boy". In that song someone was playing the blues harp and I was taken aback. I wanted to be able playing the same type of music this guy did and I bought myself my first own blues harp. With this became possessed by Blues and blues harp I didn't stop practising for hours and hours. At the beginning it might has toned badly, then although the Blues scale isn't that complex and the Blues harp has "only" ten holes I founded it nearly impractical to elicit those warm and emotional tunes out of this instrument. After some band experiences, in 1993 I was invited to Chicago by a black Blues guitarist. His name is Jon McDonald who is actualy member as a teardrop in Magic Slim's Band. This was certainly the biggest step in my music career and had a formative influence on my personal development. The experience of approximately 40 concerts and jamsessions first were rather a Blues drill I could take home with me. Friends in Chicago called me Harprise; this is connected to my life during these days which meant to listen to Blues radio the whole night long and to play the blues harp until the sunrise

With "Mojo Swamp" I played for four years the Delta Blues which is one of the earliest styles of blues music. As band leader of "Bluesland" and "Mojo Swamp" I performed in notable clubs and at festivals, for example at the Blues festival Bellinzona in 2005, at the Blues Festival Baden and the Musikfestwochen Winterthur. Under the name of Harprise I acted as guest vocalist and harmonica player with the Lazy Poker Blues Band for two years and played along with Lefty Dizz, Casey Jones, Rita Chiarelli und Sulaiman Hakim. With the lastmentioned I maintain a friendship for many years.

Since 2006 I'm on the go with my Blues Crew with the intention to keep the Blues alive.