Press release of the 22nd of March 2017

The Sierre Blues Festival unveils its program for 2017

From the 6th to the 8th of July, the Sierre Blues Festival lives out its 9th edition which promises to be Blues of course, but also Soul, Rythm n’ Blues, Blues-Rock, and even extremely Rock.

We have welcomed in the past some great top-of-the-bill performers like the greatly missed Gary Moore, Philipp Fankhauser, Status Quo, Texas, Uriah Heep, Gotthard, Lucky Peterson or Candy Dulfer to mention just a few among the 200 groups who have scuffed the festival stage. A festival grown from the seed planted one evening in 2008 while sharing, among friends, a tasty raclette washed down as tradition would have it by some delicious local beverages. This group of friends, now the organizing committee was thrilled to announce, last December, the signing of the legendary group ZZ TOP for the unique date of « THE TONNAGE TOUR » in Switzerland in 2017 and above all for their « first » visit to the Valais.

The second impressive signing for this 9th edition is with the renowned French band TRUST who is celebrating their 40th anniversary with a tour named « Au nom de la Rage » and who will unite once again on stage Bernie Bonvoisin and « Nono » Krief.

Sierre is one of their only two summer festival dates in Switzerland this year.

Today, it’s with the greatest of pleasures that the Sierre Blues Festival unveils its poster and the complete program for the three evenings

Thursday 6th of July, Funny Blues, Pascal Geiser, Le Beau Lac de Bâle et TRUST

FUNNY BLUES is a project, which, over 5 years ago, was launched in the local schools to present, through singing, the Blues’ culture, the roots of American music, as well as true values and tolerance among those of our future generations. Firstly, under the name of « Blues in School », the project has evolved to become the FUNNY BLUES. It brings together, in the form of a children’s choir, all those who wish to sing the Blues, directed by the expert conducting stick of Thierry Epiney, Composer and choir conductor.

They will have the honour of opening this year’s 9th edition.

PASCAL GEISER is a Swiss bluesman, writer and composer, who won, last year, the Swiss Blues Challenge in which over twenty performers took part and for which the final took place during the Summerblues in Basel. This title allowed him to represent Switzerland during the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in the United States last January as well as permiting him to take part in the next European Blues Challenge which takes place in April in Horsens in Denmark uniting over twenty performances from diverse European countries. He will be accompanied by his quintet. www.pascalgeiser.com

LE BEAU LAC DE BÂLE no longer needs an introduction. Born in spring 1970 from an idea which remains a mystery, even today, The Beau Lac de Bâle is the Blues-Rock band the most« welche » (French speaking) known to this day. Their first performance took place in June 1977, during the then new alternative AMR festival, an extremely active musical association, which took place in the Bois de la Bâtie. In front of thousands of spectators, the band performed accompanied by a choir of 25 « ladies » all dressed in pink and their career took off.

The names alone of the members of the band make up a great part of the legend of the BLB. Dietrich Freezer-Disco, John Cipolata, Petite Berthe, Patou d’Unkou, Roberthy Benzo, Johnny di Pizzaiolo, Claire Asile, Rocky Raviolo, Cellulite Gras Double, Elisabeth Romertopf, Spatule, Edith de Nantes, Emma Tome, Nicole O’dent, Nelly Pliant, Matahari Cola. These are the names present at the Sierre Blues Festival for a unique date in the Valais as part of their 40th anniversary celebration during which the public will be able to enjoy « Je suis Speed », « Va prom’ner le chien », « Dedieu la foire », « Paulette » etc... and their recent hit « Mourir à la Brévine ». www.lebeaulacdebale.ch

TRUST five letters which explode like a cannon ball in 1977 in a France put to sleep by Giscard. TRUST, who, against all odds, was able to revive the French Rock n Roll scene with its powerful grooves and raw lyrics. TRUST, wild, rebellious of which « Antisocial », more than just a song, becomes a symbol for the younger generation fighting political injustice, and works its way into the towns and cities. TRUST, whose great talent got the audience rocking at Europe du Reading’s Rockpalast, remains to this day an unequalled reference in the industry where many celebrities still haven’t forgotten the crazy sound of the « frenchies ». TRUST, the symbol of an entire generation is back to shake the public awake because nothing has changed, and even worse. TRUST, « Au nom de la Rage » tour !

https://fr-fr.facebook.com/TrustOfficiel/

Friday 7th of July. Félix Rabin, Gaëlle Buswel, Dawn Tyler Watson and VINTAGE TROUBLE

FELIX RABIN is a young 21-year-old guitar prodigy from Neuchâtel who performed for the first time during the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2015 where he excelled in the traditional Jam Sessions of the Club, performing with Matthieu Chedid and Avishai Cohen.

The critics were unanimous in predicting a future in blues-rock for him. With his concerts, reaching the core of his audience, his affirmed style, his smooth voice, Félix Rabin reminds us of legends such as Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, delivering a blues-rock 2.0 at the same time virtuous, smouldering and in-your -face.

It is with great pleasure that we invite him to open the evening on Friday under a Blues, Blues-Rock and Soul banner.

www.felixrabin.com

GAELLE BUSWEL is a unique artist who leaves no one indifferent. Her voice will reach for your soul. With her spiritual generosity and her natural style along with her dazzling smile, this young lady gives a great live performance. She has over 500 European concerts under her belt and a tour of North America with her 2nd album « Black to Blue » (November 2014).

Gaëlle Buswel comes from Paris. She received, in 2016, the Prix Révélation française at the festival de Cognac Blues Passions before being awarded the national prize of France Blues allowing her to represent her country at the European Blues Challenge soon in Horsens in Denmark.

www.gaelle-buswel.fr

DAWN TYLER WATSON is and exceptional singer who has just won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February where she was up against over 250 participants from all over the world. Affectionately nicknamed « The Blues Queen of Montreal » Dawn Tyler Watson is also recognized as one of the best Jazz singers of the town and has also picked up the first role in Jack Paradise’s film, ‘les nuits de Montreal’.

Awarded several times, this English singer by origin is one of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal’s top-of-the-bill performers, and we are extremely lucky to be able to discover her talent at the Sierre Blues Festival where she is accompanied by the Ben Racine Band. www.dawntylerwatsonband.com

VINTAGE TROUBLE is the head-of-the-bill for our second evening at the Sierre Blues Festival 2017. Coming all the way from Hollywood in California, this unusual foursome born in 2010 is made up of a black singer and three white musicians. Rooted from soul and from Rythm’n Blues, their music is described as « vintage », reminding us of certain blues and rock artists from the 1950’s and 1960’s like the Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry.

They have wowed their audiences across the globe by opening some very prestigious tours notably among which, Bon Jovi, The Who, and AC/DC.

Today, they are head-of-the-bill and promise a simply incredible show and ensure a Swiss exclusivity in 2017.

www.vintagetrouble.com

Saturday 8th of July Psychose, Eric « Slim » Zahl, Van Wilks et ZZ TOP

PSYCHOSE is a local Rock band launched in the 1980’s by four school mates from Ayent. Like many great eighty bands in the French Speaking part of Switzerland, they have almost become « legends » in their own rights, as they have performed in as many legendary sites as our region boasts.

On the 7th of January, they celebrated with «pomp and circumstance» their 30th anniversary, surrounded by all their friends and fans. It is a wonderful opportunity to welcome them to the Sierre Blues Festival for the opening of the Saturday evening.

www.psychose-rock.ch

ERIC « SLIM » ZAHL & THE SOUTH WEST SWINGERS come all the way from Norway. Awarded with the winning prize for the European Blues Challenge 2016 won in Torrita di Siena in Italy, followed by a selection for the semi-final of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2016 (a first for a European performance), they are the Norwegian Blues representatives performing throughout Europe and the United States distilling a mixture of swing, jump blues, rock n’ roll and rockabilly. The performance of the 4 members Eric « Slim » Zahl & The South West Swingers is breath- taking and tinted with a pinch of humour. www.ezmusic.no

VAN WILKS In Austin, city of many great American guitarists, Van Wilks is considered as being one of the best and the town honoured him recently by including him, alongside some of the greatest Texan musical legends, in the Texas Hall of Fame. Recognized as being one of the leading stage performers of Austin for almost two decades, Van Wilks continues to "propose one of the hottest rock guitar performances of the town" declares the Austin Chronicle "creating music which mixes his bluesy roots with a touch of funk, hard rock and a pinch of pop melody". He is great friends with , who declares being his number one fan, and often tours with ZZ Top. Some see in Van Wilks the perfect cross between Jimi Hendrix and Van Halen. It is true that between hard rock and blues his style is unique and his stage performance is explosive. www.vanwilks.com

ZZ TOP what can we say about ZZ TOP which hasn’t already been said?

Perhaps remind you that these American blues rock legends are originally from in Texas and their names are Billy F. Gibbons, and Frank Beard. During their career of almost 50 years, the group which has never change its formation since its first album in 1969, has sold over 70 million albums throughout the world. To talk about ZZ TOP means talking about Billy F. Gibbons who is renowned for being an out-of-this-world guitarist classed by the Rolling Stones magazine at number 32 in its best guitarists of all times ranking. Spotted by Jimmy Hendrix who took him on as opening act in the 1960’s, Billy was just a teenager, born in 1949.

The coming of ZZ TOP to the Sierre Blues Festival has always been the festival’s founder, Silvio Calderi’s dream. Afters 8 years of hard work, of patience, of waiting, but never giving up, and thanks to some precious help, the dream can now become reality. www.zztop.com

Images and info : www.sierreblues.ch -> onglet presse -> mdp : SBF17

Further information : Interviews : Silvio Caldelari, President : 078 615 69 69 – [email protected] Info press : Manu Broccard : 078 778 27 27 – [email protected]