"The most important lessons I have learned in my life are humility and perseverance. I have loved the Blues all my life, I enjoy playing it and I enjoy listening to it. I love to see live blues and I go to as many events and festivals as I can every chance I get, for me the greatest source of learning is watching other players perform, from that you often learn what to do, and what not to do."

Mingo…

"If you’re thinking about what you’re playing or technique while you’re performing – you’ve lost the emotional aspect of the music, you are trying to play. All the technique, drilling and hard work has to be done offstage, in your living room, in the shower, or in your head while you’re driving. People don’t want to pay for a ticket to see someone studying, they come for an experience that going to match or surpass their feelings."…

"I miss the lack of attention to the craft of song writing and composition in the music scene. I see this in so many different styles – often exceptional virtuosic musicians with nothing to say in their compositions. In the past their seemed to be a need to be individual, to have an identifiable personal sound."

Richard Rozze: The Lion Has A Message…

"I think it is important for all of us, whether it is fans, musicians, DJs or journalists, to ensure that Blues music is continually acknowledged as the highest form of art, I think even in the last 5 years the "Genre" of Blues has re-emerged as a strong part of contemporary music, and that is a really good thing. I hope my small contribution will show how much I respect the beautiful soulful music that is 'Blues'."…

"There is a universal feeling that comes from this music. It does not matter where a person lives, or what language they speak, the power of blues music can speak to everyone. Blues/Roots music is the musical foundation from which all popular American music stems, it is part of our culture and brings people together."

Cedar County Cobras: Homesick Blues…

"I think music in many ways puts you more closely in touch with your inner self. Music is really a very emotional thing, and being involved in music, whether in its creation, or listening as a fan of music puts you in closer contact with your higher self. That produces profound change in our lives."

Ray: Angelic Music Shines Like The Sun…

"These days for the most part, I miss the deep feelings that Rock expressed. I miss the honesty, the spontaneity, and the message of the 1960’s that for the most part gave us hope and inspired us to push forward, breaking through the boundaries which many of us had outgrown."

Jeff Cotton: Melodic Philosophies, Aloha!

Jeffrey Ralph Cotton…

"Detroit has a deep and storied musical heritage, with a history deeply rooted in blues, soul, and R&B. The city has been home to legendary musicians like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Big Maceo, who helped shape the blues genre. This heritage has created a lasting connection between the people of Detroit and the blues, fostering a strong sense of pride and appreciation for the music."

Chris…

"Blues for me means feeling and expressing your soul, to tell what you feel-really to tell but using the notes. If you are able to do like that, you are able to see the world with your eyes, which are inside of you, deep in your heart."

Beata Kossowska: Colours of Harmonica

German-based singer, composer, and harmonica player Beata Kossowska, born…

"The Blues is an invitation to check in with how you feel, and respond in a language that’s Universal.  It informs my every day, not all about me, I do get to learn old songs, write new/old songs, enjoy the journey of discovery, the ongoing odyssey."

Rene Huard: Blues Calling, Roots Feeling

Niagara-based artist Rene Huard is a…

"Blues is in a sense the seed from which most the other modern genres grew out of. I think often people are sometimes tribal in the music they listen to, but I think many people grow out of that, and I’m hopeful for a reemergence of blues rock music, or more likely, a “new style” that is a reinvention of blues."

Until the Sun: Blues Rock Enchantment…

"Jazz is a universal language and the greatest way to exchange ideas with musicians from different parts of the world. I have played with people from almost every nation. Meeting and collaborating with musicians from different cultures and backgrounds is definitely the biggest journey ever."

Costas Baltazanis: The Odyssey of Jazz …

"I feel like music kind of gives us the answers that we can’t just convey out with words. So, I definitely agree with that for sure. Music has always been a spiritual experience; I take it very seriously and for me it’s always been about feeling. I can definitely agree to that."

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram: The Colossus of the Blues…

"I would like the teaching of music in a more meaningful way in secondary schools. I would also very much like to see a link between music and various other fields of study."

Pantelis Gertsos: MUSICFOR(ce) for All

Athens, Greece-based electric guitarist, tutor/teacher and director of Musicfor (who runs guitarfor) Pantelis Gertsos is…

"Music is Devil’s work so we must make a deal and set the controls…"

Voodoo Drummer: Swingin' The Passion 

VOODOO DRUMMER released Erik Satie’s “Gnossienne No 1” in…

"If we want future generations to obsess over what you or I may class as ’blues music’ you need a more commercial and accessible ‘host’ to open that door. People like Jack White from the White Stripes. Or The Black Keys did it for a whole legion of folks. Took it to the mainstream. You see it with John Mayer too. But just to go out and play (wonderful!) Albert King covers or the like… it’s not going to achieve that same level - no matter how…

"Things usually take a little longer than ya think, a little more work, and the path never looks quite like you thought it would. Pick as many brains as you can. Don’t work with jerks no matter what they have to offer. Try to be authentic and don’t take yourself too seriously. And remember, you can fail at your back up plan too, so you may as well do what you love."

Christine Campbell & Blake…

"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 think it's the traditional Czech humanity and understanding. The fact that blues was partly a banned genre during the communist era also contributes. There was also a defiance against non-democracy and thus an understanding of this music. Today, young audiences can be attracted by the variety of blues music and the fact that blues stands at the core of practically all modern music genres (if you can listen well...)"…

"I think it's very important to have a healthy mix of technique and feeling. I feel like rock guitar leans more towards technical proficiency and blues tends to focus more on feeling and less technique. The problem with either approach is that too much technical proficiency can often start to sound a little too mathematical or academic and relying completely on feeling and ignoring technique can often sound boring and can be too stale or…