"There will always be an audience. Young people in the United States tend to come to blues and jazz later in their lives, but there are still younger people interested. Everywhere else in the world, blues and jazz is very well received and respected, and there’s a younger fan base. A lot more so than in the US. There’s always a new fan made every day, and someone else gets excited by this music, and it will carry on for many more…

"I believe music, at certain times in our lives, in society, is one of the ONLY ways to reach and connect with people! We know that from the '60s."

The Refugees: Back To The Roots

Folk/Americana trio The Refugees to release CALIFORNIA, an homage to harmony-focused California bands of the 60s & 70s on May 19th,…

"Blues is just such a powerful force that I believe it will keep on inspiring people for generations to come, as long as the word is still being spread. We get to do that and hopefully may continue to do that for a long time."

Little Hat: One-man (Trio) Band

Little Hat is probably Holland's best-kept secret. Rockin’, sleazy and…

"Life is the meaning of life, we can meditate but we have to eat and shit sometimes, so keep it simple."

Nicko Christiansen: Yin- Yang Blues

Nicko Christiansen was born in 1950 in the Hague at the seaside of West Holland. He started to accompany himself on the guitar, mainly songs of Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Bill Haley when he was eleven.…

"Music, blues or not, is art and culture. Some songs you have written give people a certain feeling and experience and with other songs you try to share the lyrics as well. You always have something to say. With my music I try to contribute to a free and carefree society. A musical ideology that is never finished. But most of all, let people enjoy our music!"

Sweet Bourbon: Born A…

"Regardless of genres, music can be a way of addressing racial or other problems. Does it have any effect? I’m not sure but it defnitely doesn’t hurt expressing your thoughts and feelings. Does it matter anyway what colour your skin is? We all bleed red! Do we need to agree on everything? I don’t think so. It’s okay to disagree, to have your own opinion, as long as you don’t enter extremist territory."…

"Music in general brings people together. Apart from the protest blues is about."

Barrelhouse: On The Road (Again)

Old photos are like old memories; some are bright and clear, some are vague. 'Do not Look Back' is what Van Morrison already sang. An easy advice to follow for a young Tineke Schoemaker at the time. 45 years and 12 albums later you…

"A soundtrack to the Beat Generation: put Allen Ginsberg in a steamy juke joint deep in the Delta in the 1950s, surrounded by Afro-American sharecroppers. Everybody gets drunk, everybody gets stoned, everybody gets naked."

Ben Schot: Avant-garde Beside The Sea…

"People trying new things like Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Howlin Wolf, They really created something new. Most modern blues bands try to sound like an old record. In that case I’d rather listen to the old record."

ElectroBluesSociety: Organic Dance music

ElectroBluesSociety are a Dutch-based "Organic Dance music" duo mixing electronics with raw,…

"I think blues and roots music were a kind of freedom of expression to people who didn’t have a whole lot of freedom. In later years (60s) the music probably helped spread a political message too, but to what extent is not up to me to say!"

Machiel Meijers: Tailgatin'…

"I associate the blues with life. I think the blues represents every facet of life out there, whether it be good, sad, or bad, or anything else. In other words, I think the blues is the soundtrack to life." 

Alicia Marie Venchuk: The Future…

"Blues has always been the most important ingredient for me, specially the passion and the drive to create something out of nothing. It’s this thing which you can’t calculate but when it falls into place and works for everyone then these are the moments ...freedom."

Jan Akkerman: The Wizard of…

"If something like a music form can more or less dictate your whole future life (my life would have been Very different without the blues, I Know!) It must be something very powerful and Real!"

Willem van Dullemen: Real Deal Vintage…

"I think as long as people keep listening to blues and acknowledge the roots and be respectful to that, we have nothing to worry about. But I see and hear a lotta stuff I don’t really like concerning acknowledgement of the REAL roots."

Big Pete: The Blues King…

"I think without music things would have been worse and at the same time I wish that music could connect people even more. "

Mischa den Haring: Acid Blues Groove

BLu ACiD is Mischa den Haring and Jan…

"Blues, John Lee Hooker and Howling Wolf in particular, awakened my inner, my core as a musical human being."

Boudewijn Bonebakker: Keep On Truckin'

The title of the new Gingerpig album,…

"The youngers never heard the real blues men and ladies."

Bert Lek: The Flying Blues Dutchman

Dutch Bert Lek is well known as a photographer, reporter, promoter, radio producer and…

"Rock & Roll music, in its purest form, is honest. It speaks of life experiences, emotions, and relationships. I think music fans want music that is honest."

The W.S. Holland Band: R & R Vertigo…

"Blues is an universal language. It is music you can put in a lot of your own personality and emotions. People understand the feeling immediately."

Champagne Charlie: Time Machine

Champagne…

"Because it (Blues) connects with people. That music is TRUE. The stories are true."

Bob Lanza: Treatment With The Blues

Bob Lanza has been a bandleader on the…