Sad to hear today that Rick Derringer has passed away. In six decades in Rock music Derringer was not just a top guitaristist but also well known as a songwriter and producer. He also had fame as a pop singer with The McCoys and the single “Hang On Sloopy”. As well as Johnny Winter (see the picture above from Bonn Museumsplatz in 2007) Derringer also worked with many other top musical performers across a broad range of music including Steely Dan, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Cyndi Lauper, and Barbra Streisand and, more recently, with Ringo Starr.

Dottendorfer Ortszentrum – 11.04.2025

As far as Jazz talent goes you couldn’t get more local to Dottendorfer Jazznacht than Julia Kriegsmann. She was raised in Friesdorf and noted at tonight’s show that her first ‘appearance’ overall was possibly at the nearby library as a child playing the part of a parrot. Today I am pleased to say she is playing her familiar Alt Saxophone and introducing her new CD ‘Dark Days & White Nights’ which reviewer Thomas Kölsch describes in ‘Jazzthetik’ as “The music of Bonn-born saxophonist Julia Kriegsmann thrives on contrasts: delicate stretches versus energetic high performance, contemporary improvisation versus traditional jazz. A production full of original sound colours between alto saxophone and the sound of the vibraphone”. Thomas usually gets his analysis spot on, and this was no exception as the evenings music proved.

The first Friday of April saw Folk Club Bonn up to it’s chin in women’s names. It was certainly one of the easier themes for musicians to find a song title under. Would ‘Jock Stuart’ be elbowed out at evening’s end in preference to ‘Goodnight Irene’ I wondered? As is famously known – at FCB anything could, and quite possible will, happen. As long as it’s not plugged into an amplifier when it happens.

You would be excused for thinking that you were at this year’s Blues Caravan show. Particularly since most of the evening’s acts could be found on the RUF Records roster. But no – this venture was put together by guitarist Krissy Matthews who thought it “would be nice to go out on the road with some friends” and to put on a show exactly how THEY wanted to do it. Krissy obviously has a lot of female friends too as the list of guests proved: Dani Wilde, Kim Jennett and Heidi Solheim were announce in advance. In addition,Somewhere along the way New Jersey’s Katie Henry got to join the party too. The result was an evening at Bonn Harmonie of great music and pure enthusiasm, an evening enjoyed by both band and audience alike – and proof that women really are a force to be reckoned with on today’s Blues/Rock scene.

Hot off the press – Musik im Park will be back this Summer. Here are the dates and bands for this years concerts at Bad Godesberg Kurpark’s Trinkpavillon. Fingers crossed that the weather is kind and all shows will take place outside in the sunshine!

More details HERE