"The impact I have been noticing from my point of view is that because the art stands alone as “interesting” or fun by itself, it makes people outside the inner circle curious and in turn they start to check out the Blues behind the art. That’s a really cool thing because it gives access from another source or direction. This implies that together the roll of both have a great value in today’s society and points in the right direction."

Brian Kramer: Blues Art & Beyond

Multitalented artist Brian Kramer from Brooklyn was barely out of his teens when he began hanging out with legendary blues men, picking up tips and advice from folks such as Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, whenever they visited his hometown of NYC. Junior Wells took a particular liking to Brian and paid careful attention in showing him the right moves and how to play from the heart. Brian Kramer says: “…for the past forty plus years I have been on a journey of discovery within the Blues and roots music. This has led me across the globe and in incredible situations as a musician, playing alongside or collaborating with many of my idols and artists I admire. With the pandemic outbreak in 2019, like so many others I found myself in an unimaginable situation; I suddenly couldn’t travel and play my Blues for a live audience. Everything stopped. My first talent was drawing and as a young man I attended the High School of Art & Design in New York. About a month into the pandemic, a fan of my music who was aware I also drew, asked me to create an illustration for him. Drawing that first picture somehow reconnected me to a sensation that I had not experienced in a long time, and it was a very pleasant distraction from the endless uncertainty of the moment. So, I started to draw again, every day, for ten to twelve hours…”

(Brian Kramer / Photo © by Pelle Piano / Lightnin' Hopkins Illustration © by Brian Kramer)

Brian has shared the stage, traded licks and recorded with the Legendary Taj Mahal, Toumani Diabate, Bob Brozman, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Robin Ford, Bobby Rush, Cory Harris, John Mayall, Sven Zetterberg, Jimmy Dawkins and many others. 2013 Brian had his debut novel; OUT OF THE BLUES published (Bullet Point Publishing). January 2015 Brian Kramer was officially recognized and inducted into the BLUES HALL OF FAME as a Master Blues Artist along with the members of Brian Kramer Band.

Interview by Michael Limnios                   Archive: Brian Kramer, 2012 Interview

How has the Blues Culture and Art influenced your views of the world? 

BK- On one side lately it’s actually a bit of an escape from the world. I start the art process very early every morning and as a rule I don’t turn on the TV or news or engage in social media until I have a good handle on what I’m creating, which can be 6 or 8 hours later. So I totally lose myself in it. On the other side as a Blues musician, I get to use the emotional release of the music on stage to vent what is going on in the world and deal with all the insanity. Which is probably the most honest way the Blues has always been utilized since the start.

Where does your creative drive come from?

BK- My creative drive comes from the way I’m able to get a glimpse of a favorite, iconic musicians in my mind and then try to capture the essence of that on paper. My approach to the art is very much the same as to the music; make every line count and mean something. Keep it simple. Some days the “inspiration” may not be there, but I still have to start, and that usually leads me to something interesting.

Why do you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following?

BK- It’s REAL! So much music today feels flat and there are so many choices with how music gets in our ears with social media etc, whether we like it or not. But I’ve witnessed when a young person hears the Blues and gets to absorb it, they react to the honesty and depth of soul. That will never change as long as we have good people to pass it along and fortunately there are still many devoted folks around the world, like yourself who keep it in our view.

"My approach to the art is very much the same as to the music; make every line count and mean something. Keep it simple. Some days the “inspiration” may not be there, but I still have to start, and that usually leads me to something interesting." (Photo: Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin Hopkins, Joh Lee Hooker / Illustration © by Brian Kramer, a contributing writer of Blues Matters Magazine)

What were the reasons that you started Blues Artistic researches? What is the driving force behind your continuous support for your art?

BK- Well, my first talent as a young man was drawing and went to school for that, but then when I caught the Blues bug, everything in my being wanted to learn and study what I was feeling from that culture. It was a challenge to occupy both worlds, so I set aside the art to develop my music. 2019 when covid hit, all us working musicians suddenly had no gigs for years. By mystic accident a fan who saw some of my early sketches asked me to draw a Blues musician for him, which took me by surprise. So I started that and for the first time during that period, I was focused on something creative for hours, without having to worry about the reality of not being able to play live or think about how the bills would get paid. The very next day I decided to do it again and haven’t stopped since. I was very rusty and mainly doing it for myself as a distraction from all the worry, but because I was doing it every single day, I started to develop and refine it fairly quickly. What I didn’t expect as I was sharing the latest creations on social media, was that many musicians and Blues icons I have always admired started to write me to tell me they can “feel the music” in these drawings.

Muddy Water’s guitar player Bob Margolin saw a tribute of Paul Oscher I did after he passed away and told me the drawing was better than any photo and asked if he could publish it with his article about his friendship with Paul. Ian Siegal asked me to illustrate his last album Stone By Stone which was a huge honor as a fan of his music. To be asked to represent a great musician with my art is an incredible dream. Rick Estrin and Eric Bibb... Those cats can have anyone they want to represent their image, so that level of support to me has just validated that I’m somehow on the right track.

What is the impact of Blues Art and Culture on the socio-cultural implications? What is the role of music and art in today’s society?

BK- The impact I have been noticing from my point of view is that because the art stands alone as “interesting” or fun by itself, it makes people outside the inner circle curious and in turn they start to check out the Blues behind the art. That’s a really cool thing because it gives access from another source or direction. This implies that together the roll of both have a great value in today’s society and points in the right direction.

"One of the most important, long time understandings and ongoing lesson is the “mystic” element of attraction as a musician. We don’t know what or who or how we will affect people, and where the music will take us in the world, but you learn to trust that it will have an impact." (Buddy Guy & Eric Bibb /  Illustration © by Brian Kramer, recognized and inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame)

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

BK- I do always go back to my favorites; Robert Johnson, Muddy, Lightnin’... But I’m also pleasantly surprised sometimes from within the current Blues world. The great thing about drawing the Blues as opposed to playing the Blues is that I am constantly being introduced to many great performers, past and present that were not on my radar before, simply because I didn’t have that focus. So people ask me all the time if I know of and have drawn certain players and when I look into them, I am inspired. My main fear for the future is that because it’s increasingly more difficult for Blues players to earn a living with music being available for free everywhere, it will discourage the potential for good players and songwriters to want to continue. That was a big problem for me and there is almost no value or return in investing in making a record in the studio, when you know very few will want to buy it, outside of your fan base. That needs to change, which is my hope.

What moment changed your music life the most?

BK- Jeeze, I could write a book on that! As a teenager and young man in Brooklyn studying these Blues, having Junior Wells encourage me to continue gave me great confidence to grow. Then Larry Johnson and Eric Bibb asking me to play by their side and record with them. Meeting and hanging out with Stevie Ray, that was an unforgettable moment!. Shaking hands with Lightnin’ Hopkins... These are just a few key people and moments that each changed and evolved my understanding. Now, with the art creation there are a whole new set of highlights beginning, which is not bad at this stage of my life at 61 years old. I just finished an incredible collaboration illustrating a children’s book with Eric Bibb. He called me up a few months ago and said he wrote a song that he wanted to have illustrated and wanted only me to do it. It was the most enriching and fun challenge I have had so far in this whole process. We had such a great time creating a backstory together that didn’t exist in the song text as well as bringing to life visual characters that he was singing about. You can listen to the song as you are reading the text while enjoying the drawings in the book at the same time. Every day was a joyful exchange and inspiration between the two of us. Now it’s completed and we are looking into getting it published.

What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

BK- Being part of the Vesprem Blues Festival last year in Hungary and having my art on display, framed and hanging from every single corner, dangling from the ceiling of the huge festival venue, and also performing at the festival was a truly surreal experience. It was literally a Blues festival inside of a Blues Art gallery.

"My main fear for the future is that because it’s increasingly more difficult for Blues players to earn a living with music being available for free everywhere, it will discourage the potential for good players and songwriters to want to continue. That was a big problem for me and there is almost no value or return in investing in making a record in the studio, when you know very few will want to buy it, outside of your fan base. That needs to change, which is my hope." (Earl Hooker & Junior Wells / Illustration © by Brian Kramer, a multitalented artist from Brooklyn, based in Sweden)

The relationship between music and other forms of art – such as painting, video, cinema - has become increasingly important. How do you see this relationship yourself and in how far, do you feel, does music relate to other senses than hearing alone?

BK- Music always encourages a visual response. When we were younger, the simplicity of great LP cover art was a gateway into unlocking another layer of enjoying and digesting. Great poster art from the 20’s and 30’s onward were intriguing ways to convey and portray music and musicians that we didn’t normally see in photos. These days it’s hand in hand, especially with youtube and people wanting to see what they are getting. For me I have discovered with the art that I can give myself and others a refreshed way of seeing or viewing something that may have become too familiar. Because I still infuse every line I draw with the same understanding as every lick I play, that it needs to speak to honesty and connection. Almost more than to likeness. So this kind of style I’ve developed, it gives a new, fresh look at those we admire once again. Hopefully you “see” them and it makes you understand a deeper appreciation. Music is definitely related to the other sense, but the music gives us the access to activate a heightened ability from the other visual aspects.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

BK- One of the most important, long time understandings and ongoing lesson is the “mystic” element of attraction as a musician. We don’t know what or who or how we will affect people, and where the music will take us in the world, but you learn to trust that it will have an impact. When or how or where that manifests is not in our control, but it will happen. It’s a bit insecure in nature because you are depending on something that is like “faith”, but the lesson is that for me it has always led to and continues to lead to discovering something new and valuable and creative. All of a sudden finding myself in the same room or environment with someone I admired, then on stage, then in the studio. Every step leading to the next, whether I felt qualified or not. It also makes you careful not to prejudge or be overly disappointed, because there are things going on that we are just not aware of. Learning to roll with it and find value... All of my greatest experiences, beyond my dreams came from having patience with this understanding, not second guessing myself, and allowing myself to get to know who I really am through the Blues music and now the art of the Blues. And the beauty of that is; it’s still the same exact thing today. I have no idea what will happen next, but I do know I’m going to start creating anyway!

Brian Kramer Blues Art - Home

(Brian Kramer / Photo © by Pelle Piano / Charley Patton Illustration © by Brian Kramer)