Next Week: Tallinn, Hämeenlinna, Lappeenranta

Not really a tour but nevertheless, there are three gigs coming up next week: Esmaspäeva Jazz at Swissotel Tallinn on Monday 18th in Tallinn, Estonia, Albertin Kellari on Friday 22nd in Hämeenlinna, Finland and Carlos Ravintola on Saturday 23rd in Lappeenranta, Finland.

The tickets for the Tallinn show are almost gone - at the time of writing, there are 7 seats still available: click HERE to get yours now!

All three concerts are acoustic, but here's some electric footage that has just surfaced on YouTube: playing in front of the Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art store in Clarksdale, Mississippi during the Deep Blues Festival in October 2019. Filmed by Jeff Eaton. 

Blues Blast Review

John Mitchell reviews "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" and "Tartu Lockdown" in the American Blues Blast Magazine: "There is plenty of opportunity to appreciate Andres’ skillful playing on an all-original program in Clarksdale... Andres varies the pace well, moving from the uptempo “In The Dark” to the reflective “Build Me A Statue” which sounds like a classic Delta blues slowed down to quarter speed." Read the whole thing HERE!

Blues News Review: "Best A Class"

In the current issue of Finland's Blues News magazine, TT Tarkiainen reviews "Mississippi to Loch Lomond": "Tunes familiar from previous releases work even better in front of a live audience... As we know, he can conquer his audience without any pointless maneuvers. As a slide guitarist, Roots is the best A class."

Check out the CD HERE and the magazine HERE!

Number 9 in the French Airplay Chart

"Mississippi to Loch Lomond" has reached #9 in the Collectif des Radios Blues Francophones most-played blues albums chart for France, Belgium, Quebec and Africa, moving up from the 12th place it held in April. Merci beaucoup!

Reviews & More in Muusika Magazine

The June issue of Muusika magazine includes Andres Roots' piece on the music he experienced in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee last October, as well as Meelis Hainsoo's review of the "House Arrest" EP and the "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" album, of which he writes: "You hear virtuosic musicianship pickled with warm humour and the emotional response of the audience: everything a concert needs to have."

Powerblues: Top Releases for May

"Mississippi to Loch Lomond" is included in this month's Powerblues - the monthly list of recommended blues releases compiled by Le Collectif des Radios Blues francophones which unites blues radio presenters in France, Belgium, Quebec and Africa. See the complete list HERE!

Blues in Britain review

"Andres plays some fine solo blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi, with excellent slide, bass string snapping and fine finger-picking on a bunch of traditional sounding but actually original instrumental compositions," writes Norman Darwen in the current issue of Blues in Britain of the "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" album, noting that Jeff Eaton's "sleeve notes are excellent too."

You can hear and download the album on Bandcamp HERE or order the disc direct HERE.
    

Album Teaser

Here's a first look at the "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" CD:

"Bullfrog Medley" from Clarksdale

Here's another tune from the upcoming "Mississippi to Loch Lomond" live album - recorded at the Deep Blues Festival, Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Photo by Peter Lee from outside the Xanadu Music & Books in Memphis, Tennessee.

Snake Girl Blues - Deep Blues Festival

Here's another live recording from the Deep Blues Festival - recorded at the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi on Oct. 18, 2019, mastered by Asko-Romé Altsoo, photo by Peter Lee. Live album coming in March!!!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, everybody!!!

Here's some news to kick it off: there's a new live album coming in March - recorded in 2019 at the Deep Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi, at the Endla Jazz Club in Pärnu, Estonia and at Memorial Hall in Milton of Buchanan, Scotland. Cover photo by Jeff Eaton, design by Siret Roots, full tracklist below.

1. In the Dark (Cat Head, Clarksdale, MS, USA, 19.10.19)
2. Build Me a Statue (Ground Zero, Clarksdale, MS, USA, 18.10.19)
3. Bullfrog Medley (Ground Zero, Clarksdale, MS, USA, 18.10.19)
4. Snake Girl Blues (Ground Zero, Clarksdale, MS, USA, 18.10.19)
5. Meow Meow (Ground Zero, Clarksdale, MS, USA, 18.10.19)
6. Legacy Blues (Ground Zero, Clarksdale, MS, USA, 18.10.19)
7. Right Across the Hill (Endla Jazzklubi, Pärnu, Estonia, 4.10.19)
8. Waltzin' Blue (Endla Jazzklubi, Pärnu, Estonia, 4.10.19)
9. Birdsong Thing (Endla Jazzklubi, Pärnu, Estonia, 4.10.19)
10. 4 AM Hot Dog (Buchanan Memorial Hall, Scotland, 2.3.19)
11. Jook Jones (Buchanan Memorial Hall, Scotland, 2.3.19)
12. Spanish Run (Buchanan Memorial Hall, Scotland, 2.3.19)
13. Station Blues Medley (Buchanan Memorial Hall, Scotland, 2.3.19)
14. The Sheik of Hawaii (Buchanan Memorial Hall, Scotland, 2.3.19)
15. Wagon Swing (Buchanan Memorial Hall, Scotland, 2.3.19)

Ground Zero Pics

Here's a few photos by the Deep Blues Festival's official photographer Peter Lee from the concert at the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi on October 18, 2019.

"In the Dark" from Cat Head

Here's another live recording (audio only!) from the Deep Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi - this time from the Cat Head stage in Delta Avenue.

Live in Clarksdale!

Here's an audio recording made on Oct. 18th, 2019 at the Deep Blues Festival: "Legacy Blues" from Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi!

US Tour Pics

In October, Andres Roots played six shows in the US - a solo set and one with Robert Floyd Stevens on drums at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas, a solo set at Xanadu Music in Memphis, Tennessee, and three more at the Deep Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi, including one at the Ground Zero Blues Club. Here's a few photos from the trip by Jeff Eaton and Jukka Juhola.