“The role of Musicians is to provide a soundtrack to our lives. Whatever you’re going through when a song hits tends to come back to you when you hear it again no matter how many years go by. Music that resonates with you goes deep and gets lodged in the subconscious. There’s also an element of healing in it. It can calm you down or it can fire you up.”

Jennifer…

“Black music ignited my imagination - I didn't even realize there were issues in the world. I was in a bubble, another universe. My parents and people in general in my life didn't tell me about a lot of things that would have discouraged me from following my dreams. I created an imaginary type of place where I could play music and everything is alright instead of going back to the past. Black music helped me to persevere and be more creative about…

“Probably the same way it has for all musicians. I cannot begin to describe the huge impact that the “golden era” had on everyone and everyone’s music. And still does to this very day. From Elvis to The Stones to Fogerty to …you name the artist and theirs and my fundamentals lie in the roots of blues. The blues simply teach us to write, play and sing from our heart and soul.”…

”Music should bring joy to the people and lift their spirit. If you sing the truth about the facts of life it should soothe peoples soul and make them feel better.”

Michael van Merwyk: Blues n’ Slide

Life according to plan…

"The impact of music on the socio-cultural implications in our world is massive, absolutely enormous. Music is a powerful way of entertaining and communicating, and it has always been used with great effect to reach, teach, influence and in some cases, to brainwash and control societies."

Michael Messer: Fusion (Pure) Roots

Michael…

"I think that as long as there are young people going through all the angst and agony that's included in being young (sexuality; personal identity; finding 'my tribe'; rebellion against 'normal') music will thrive and be full of the frenetic energy that creates it. And it doesn't have to be rock n roll - which may someday go the way of the dinosaur."

Michael Vincent: Electric Bay…

"I think that the genre (Blues) needs to be embraced, taught and shared in a broader sense, it has to be accepted, supported and respected more by black people here in America first. I think people can be made to understand how this music has been so important in the development of our place culturally in society."

Alabama Mike: The Future of the Blues…

"Think of all the music you listen to nowadays, you wouldn’t have it without the blues. Blues is the foundation of music. Those people needed an outlet to let out the extreme emotion they were feeling and the result was the Blues. It’s so important in history and touches the soul. It’ll fall thin but it’ll never truly die."

The International Crossroads Project:…

"The only interesting thing is what makes one person different from the other. It is important to know who you are in life, your values, your approach to every day, your purpose in life, etc. Only then can you be creative and express something creatively valuable."

Michael Kaeshammer: The Art of B/W Keys

Music is a great and powerful connector.…

"My hopes is that a blues musician will be heroic as a player and a person and the money guys will back him all the way. Blues has resurgences. We just need a hero. My fear is that I won’t be able to pay my mortgage this month."

Michael Rubin: I’ll Worry If I Wanna

Michael Rubin was conceived in Memphis in 1969. He went to Woodstock in the womb,…

"Everyone in the whole planet knows that the structure of the jazz harmony is the philosophy and the use of the Modes Scales. Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian. The seven ancient Greek scales... In Greece, in our traditional folk music, we use these scales but from different perspectives. So, the spot of the connection is the same "language" but with different uses in every different genre in Greek music…

"In terms of racial issues, the Beats were especially fond of blues and jazz—Ginsberg’s last hours were spent listening the blues, when he was in a coma—their writings addressed issues important to the Black and Latino people. The Beats were extremely important to socio-political movements such as sexual and gay liberation, the ecology, and others."

Michael Schumacher: Rebellion…

"Blues music has traditionally been engrained in hardship and oppression, and can be hard to appreciate for a lot of people for various reasons, while Rock is all about the freedom and is much easier to get people on board with."

Beauwater: Everything Flows

Raw, bluesy, groovy and authentic. These are the characteristics behind the unique blend of…

"Music for a listener is a vehicle to let emotions come out and run free."

Michael Kaeshammer:

Boogie On The Blues Highway

Born and bred in Germany, Michael Kaeshammer began performing club, theatre, and festival stages throughout Europe in his early teens and continued on that…

"A lot of people think of Blues as sad music, and perhaps even disgraceful to black people as an art form. Nothing could be further from the truth. The blues is soul power and the blues is truth. Many times, people tell me that although they are not blues fans, that my performance touched them. I hope that every musician or performer who has a passion for the blues can experience what I have explained. There's nothing more eye opening than experiencing the…

"Although in my attempt at creating a ‘musical adventure in time travel’ across many different ancient cultures, ranging from ancient-themed Biblical music, ancient-themed Egyptian music, ancient Mesopotamian-themed music, ancient Greek-themed music and ancient Roman-themed music, the one thing all my ancient-themed lyre music has in common, is hopefully evoking  a sense of inner peace and tranquility – if my music can in turn,…

"I miss the genuine honesty of it all. Because the original blues songs were written from their heart and soul and I’m afraid the majority today are just creating lyrics or just mimicking what they think the blues should be. But with this said it would be hard for them to write with the experiences of the original blues guys because times have changed and that type of struggling is hopefully non-existent."…

"Blues and especially jazz were pivotal in breaking down the color line and overcoming prejudice in this country. Rock played that role to a lesser degree, but it still was important in introducing white audiences to black musical forms."

David Dann: The King & His Blues Life

David Dann’s book “Guitar King: Michael Bloomfield's Life in the…

"Blues music origins and the concept of a 'Bluesman" or "Blueswoman" originated within the folk tradition within local communities with a shared cultural, historical social, economic and political experience."

Cadillac Baby’s Bea & Baby Records:

Music, Wisdom & Life Experience…