GenKlubi Tonight!

Yes, tonight: the instrumental lounge trio incarnation of the Andres Roots Roundabout will be appearing at GenKlubi in Tartu, Estonia to perform several brand new numbers - don't miss it!

In addition to appearances at UnderGround Blues in Põlva (Feb. 10th) and Blue Icicle in Pärnu (Feb. 16th), a third February show has just been confirmed: Blue Monday Blues at Clazz in Tallinn on February 20th, with the quartet version of the band that features Indrek Tiisel on harp and vocals.



While we still await the confirmation of an additional Paris gig in March, on April 4th the band will be celebrating Muddy Waters' 99th birthday at Illegaard in Tartu with Dave Arcari (UK), on tour to promote his upcoming album!

Surprise Gig Next Week!

On January 26th, Andres Roots Roundabout will be opening for Moses Hazy, "The Best Live Band in Finland 2007" at GenKlubi in Tartu. And that's next Thursday already...! Let's review: the instrumental trio version of the band - Roots-Eessalu-Terep - will be playing the following three shows over the following weeks:

- January 26th: Genialistide Klubi w/ Moses Hazy (FIN), Tartu, Estonia
- February 10th: UnderGround Blues 2, Kultuurikeskus, Põlva, Estonia
- February 16th: Blue Icicle Festival & Fair, Yacht Club, Pärnu, Estonia

Right. More international shows TBA for March, a Tartu gig with a formidable world-wide alt.blues hero TBC for April. The booking of future Andres Roots appearances in France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg has been turned over to Music Traffic International in Paris - please see the contact page for details!

Last but not least, the French PowerBlues chart (a monthly recommendations list compiled by French-speaking blues DJ's) for January 2012 has not one, but two albums with the Roundabout band in the Top3, both recorded in Tartu, Estonia, co-produced by Andres Roots and designed by Siret Roots: at number 1, there is "The Hollow Log..." by L.R.Phoenix, at number 3, "Leigh's Spider Jam" by the Andres Roots Roundabout. Don't forget: both releases can be ordered straight from Roots Art Records! ;)

Gigs & Stories

Another gig added for February: on Thursday, Feb. 16th, the Roots-Eessalu-Terep instrumental trio version of ARR will perform at the three-day Blue Icicle winter bluesfest in Pärnu. The concert will be held at the Yacht Club and there will also be a blues fair there that night - a chance to check out ROMU amps, the Roots Art CD selection and much more.



Meanwhile, Wim Velderman has reviewed "Leigh's Spider Jam" for BluesMagazine.nl in Holland: "What technique and what words. Without realising, I play the album again and again, there's no calming the storm. I may be up late, but that's all right..."

And Andres' Black River Bluesman profile, which originally appeared in the Jefferson Blues Magazine in Swedish has now been translated to Finnish by Pasi Tuominen for the Jazzrytmit webzine. Mind you, the original piece was written in English and that version is now also available via Blueswebzine.com!


Andres with Black River Bluesman, Steve Lury, L.R.Phoenix in 2007. Photo by Normunds Kalnins.

Underground Blues Vol. 2

Underground Blues Vol. 2 in Põlva on February 10th is very likely the band's very next gig and one to feature several previously unheard tunes. Performed by the "instrumental lounge trio" of Roots, Eessalu & Terep.


Photo by Siret Roots.

More Reviews & New Walden Catalogue

Blues-Finland.com has published an alt.blues special, focussing on three international releases recorded at the White Room in Tartu, Estonia in 2011: "The Hollow Log..." by L.R.Phoenix (UK/FIN), "Leigh's Spider Jam" by the Andres Roots Roundabout, and "The Darkness of My Mind"/"Soul of a Man" vinyl single by Red Mouth (USA). The article is in Finnish and Marko Aho has many nice things to say about both albums that feature the Roundabout band, describing "LSJ" as "considerably more relaxed than its predecessor... luckily it's just the feel and not the quality that's been loosened up"!

British critic Grahame Rhodes has done an in-depth review of "LSJ" for Bluesinthenorthwest.com and, among other things, points out the "fine piano work from Ahti Bachblum", "lovely strings courtesy of Asko-Rome Altsoo and Hanno Maadra" and "the very sweet and lovely toned harmonica of Indrek Tiisel", concluding with "beautifully recorded and played by all concerned... more top class ‘Blues from the Baltic’!"



Meanwhile, the 2012 Walden Guitars catalogue pictured above is now available online and soon in print. More live dates for February and March TBA shortly!