Review in the summer edition of Sing Out Magazine. read it here»
Review Waitin‘ On Roosevelt from ‘Juke Blues‘.
By Ian Marriss - Juke Blues, the leading blues magazine in the world.
By Ian Marriss - Juke Blues, the leading blues magazine in the world.
Review Waitin‘ On Roosevelt from ‘Block Magazine‘.
Champagne Charlie – Waitin’ On Roosevelt Mr. Charlie’s Blues Records 2008-6 (73:38) (www.champagnecharlie.nl)
The most prominent Dutch acoustic roots-band Champagne Charlie made this CD in co-operation with the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg (capital of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands)
On this CD they covered songs that were popular during the governing terms of Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945). The subject of these songs was the president himself.
It is matter-of-course that Guido van Rijn who graduated in 1968 with his dissertation ‘Roosevelt’s Blues, African-American Blues and Gospel Artists on President Franklin D. Roosevelt’ provided the inlay with explanations and text transcriptions.
Just one glance at the packaging tells us that Champagne Charlie did not move in too hurried a manner. On the cover of the booklet, in front of “the Little White House” Roosevelt poses with his daughter Anna and a string-band (Bun Wright’s Fiddle Band) in 1933.
Beside the table of contests are the six gents of CC, sitting in front of a similar “White House”, (still) waiting on Roosevelt.
After just a few songs it is obvious that the Dutch band, who recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, delivered their supreme production with this CD.
The executions are crisp and sparkling and the joy of these dedicated musicians virtually jumps through the speaker-boxes!
The virtuosi on strings, Theo de Koning and Geert de Heer - who by the way handle a wealth of vintage string instruments – take care of the ever exciting accompaniment and solistic intermezzi.
And then there is Gait Klein Kromhof perhaps the only Dutch harmonica player whose style is drenched in that of the pre-war ancestors of the blues-harp. His playing mixes effortlessly with the sounds of old guitars (Kalamazoo, Hðfner, or National), mandolins and banjos.
The pleasant, “lived-in” voice of Sjef Hermans is the icing on the cake of which Peer Bout (bass) together with Peter Lenselink (percussions) form the bottom-layer.
This cd is produced under direct management and that shows us again that the established companies don’t expect any more financial gain from this type of music.
However, one day it will be clear that this product by Champagne Charlie should be in the top ten of the Dutch (“Neder”-) blues of all times and that within the sector “acoustic” it certainly belongs to the best blues ever produced within our dikes.
Block, Magazine for Blues, number 145, fall 2008 by Rien Wisse.
Champagne Charlie – Waitin’ On Roosevelt Mr. Charlie’s Blues Records 2008-6 (73:38) (www.champagnecharlie.nl)
The most prominent Dutch acoustic roots-band Champagne Charlie made this CD in co-operation with the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg (capital of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands)
On this CD they covered songs that were popular during the governing terms of Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945). The subject of these songs was the president himself.
It is matter-of-course that Guido van Rijn who graduated in 1968 with his dissertation ‘Roosevelt’s Blues, African-American Blues and Gospel Artists on President Franklin D. Roosevelt’ provided the inlay with explanations and text transcriptions.
Just one glance at the packaging tells us that Champagne Charlie did not move in too hurried a manner. On the cover of the booklet, in front of “the Little White House” Roosevelt poses with his daughter Anna and a string-band (Bun Wright’s Fiddle Band) in 1933.
Beside the table of contests are the six gents of CC, sitting in front of a similar “White House”, (still) waiting on Roosevelt.
After just a few songs it is obvious that the Dutch band, who recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, delivered their supreme production with this CD.
The executions are crisp and sparkling and the joy of these dedicated musicians virtually jumps through the speaker-boxes!
The virtuosi on strings, Theo de Koning and Geert de Heer - who by the way handle a wealth of vintage string instruments – take care of the ever exciting accompaniment and solistic intermezzi.
And then there is Gait Klein Kromhof perhaps the only Dutch harmonica player whose style is drenched in that of the pre-war ancestors of the blues-harp. His playing mixes effortlessly with the sounds of old guitars (Kalamazoo, Hðfner, or National), mandolins and banjos.
The pleasant, “lived-in” voice of Sjef Hermans is the icing on the cake of which Peer Bout (bass) together with Peter Lenselink (percussions) form the bottom-layer.
This cd is produced under direct management and that shows us again that the established companies don’t expect any more financial gain from this type of music.
However, one day it will be clear that this product by Champagne Charlie should be in the top ten of the Dutch (“Neder”-) blues of all times and that within the sector “acoustic” it certainly belongs to the best blues ever produced within our dikes.
Block, Magazine for Blues, number 145, fall 2008 by Rien Wisse.