Circle the 8th of March in your diaries Bonn Blues lovers – The RUF Records Blues Caravan is coming back to The Harmonie.
Would you believe, it’s been seventeen years since Thomas Ruf first had the brainwave of a showcase
tour. Three rising stars from the roster of Europe’s most respected boutique record label.
Three live sets that run the gamut of emotion and genre. And a finale each night, featuring the mother of all live jams, with all three performers cutting loose together.
‘Blue Sisters’ is this year’s title for the RUF Records Blues Caravan Tour that rolled into Bonn on Sunday. Following on from last years ‘Guitars with Guitars’ though perhaps ‘Maidens with Microphones’ would have been more in keeping?. Certainly there was Blues in the music, but none of these girls was playing it Bessie Smith style. Texan girl Tasha Taylor had the roots of her Soul star father Johnnie’s sound to draw on, Finland’s Ina Forsman made more than a passing nod to Reggae in her set and Layla Zoe’s closer was clearly tilted firmly in a Rock direction.
Thomas Ruf was kind enough to arrange a few minutes before the recent Blues Caravan show for me to interview this years ‘Girls With Guitars’ stars.
So imagine if you will getting a few minutes alone with three pretty, young and talented ladies. Yep, sometimes life isn’t so hard. Join me now at the table with Heather Crosse, Sadie Johnson and Eliana Cargnelutti in a spotlessly clean dressing room for a coffee and a chat.
Thomas Ruf in Bonn 2011
RUF Records currently feature an excellent interview with Founder and CEO Thomas Ruf on their website.
Ruf shares his memories of legends Luther Allison and Louisiana Red, suggests that the heart of Blues Music comes from Musicians playing for love rather than money, and reveals ‘ghostly goings on’ during a recording on Beale Street…
INTERVIEW ON RUF WEBSITE
