"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 in Plonsk / Poland, switched to the music profession immediately after completing her pedagogical studies at the University of Warsaw. Her international career began with the band "Le Blue", a first album was created, and extensive tours took the band to many European countries as well as the U.S.A. At the same time, Beata began to work for Polish television and film music productions. In Germany she started working with Wolfgang Bernreuther and Rudi Bayer in the band "United Blues Experience" in 2008. Frequent concerts and several album releases established the excellent reputation of this formation. At a harmonica meeting in 2013, she met Berlin based acoustic guitarist Eberhard Klunker, with whom she has performed frequently since. She also works with the Berlin band "Blue Airtrain" and the Polish vibraphonist Milosz Rutkowski. Occasional Beata Kossowska performs as a soloist. Beata Kossowska is not only a fascinating virtuoso harmonica player, but also an extremely expressive singer, have been found here who produce music beyond all genre boundaries.     

(German-based singer/harmonica player Beata Kossowska, born in Poland / Photo by Eberhard Klunker)

Beata Kossowska's musical spectrum ranges from traditional blues to jazz and funk. The focus here is on own compositions and arrangements. Beata Kossowska passes her extensive musical skills on to her numerous students in various adult education centers and in various workshop projects. She has published innovative harmonica tutorial books: "The harmonica in practice" and "The princess, the pirate and the harmonica" Beata has been an endorser for Suzuki Worldclass Harmonicas since 2013. Her latest 12-tracks album "Colours of Harmonica" released in 2021.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the Blues and Roots music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

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.

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? Where does your creative drive come from?

I think music is my soul and everything, what has to do with a place where I have been, and I am and what I need as well. Music comes out of my heart and shows me this way what I should play and even push me how to practice achieving the purpose of my expression.

What were the reasons that you started the researches of harmonica? What are the secrets of harmonica’s sound?

The reason was funny. I had harmonica as I was a child at home like most of people. I was dreaming to play harp or flute but at home was only harmonica. So I took it and tried to play the children cartoon melodies.

"I miss maybe the people who I was playing with or maybe the feeling. This you can‘t take with you because this create the people, time and circumstances. Each of them you cannot repeat." (Beata Kossowska's musical spectrum ranges from traditional blues to jazz and funk / Photo by Ralf Baschinski)

What moment changed your music life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

When I played in Memphis, I realized that I am aloud to play from my heart. When I was in a singing school, I was listening to the singed people who sang very good but always the same. I thought maybe it´s something wrong with me because I can‘t sing always the same way. Every second brings another feeling so I couldn‘t sing one song whole the time the same way and with the same feeling like them but I thought maybe I am wrong. Than in Memphis I sew a lot of „free“ musicians -they just played and didn‘t care. Then this fantastic audience- they wanted me to play more and liked me like I am. After that my eyes opened and I understood what music is about. I was very junk at that time and this experience chanced me because I learned to listen to my heart. And you know, when you follow your heart, everything goes the right way, not the easiest but right.

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

Oh yes. Mostly when you play you meet wonderful people like at the last harmonica festival in Birmingham. Everybody was happy to play music. It was just about music world and this is a magic world, just like a „fairy tale“. Everything was only good.

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

I miss maybe the people who I was playing with or maybe the feeling. This you can‘t take with you because this create the people, time and circumstances. Each of them you cannot repeat.

Fears for the future …hmmm… maybe this, that everything could be replaced by computers but I don‘t think so really because I hope some people will have a need to play instruments, hopefully even some of them try to make a music only with a computer. I think the human being needs to make a music his own and even if the trend is like that somewhen will flow out of inside of Soul the need to create the music from the basic.

"I think music is my soul and everything, what has to do with a place where I have been, and I am and what I need as well. Music comes out of my heart and shows me this way what I should play and even push me how to practice achieving the purpose of my expression."

(Beata Kossowska / Photo by Sara Rynowska-Szostek)

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

To be natural on the stage. That means to show them that music makes a lot of fun and makes happy through the notes I play, or I do it with them. To be like we are and don‘t close us inside of our body. I think my energy and authenticity which flows out of my music can positive „infect“ another people. Of course, not everybody must like it. I just want to say through my music: be happy, enjoy your life, be yourself- you can do it and if I could help you a little its’s great. Nobody told life is easy but if you go this way you will be glad.

What does to be a female artist in a Man’s World as James Brown says? What is the status of women?

Ha ha…not always easy… I play the „man instrument“, so I had to sometimes to convince some man that I am aloud to play it and even that I can play it „although“ I am a women - but only sometimes.

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