New names: Emily Hill, Kai Strauss Blues Revue (with “Sax” Gordon Beadle and Robbin Kapsalis).
On Sunday 16 March, Tivoli/Vredenburg presents Utrecht Blues Festival for the third time, a small festival with steaming big city blues, soul, rock-‘n-roll and everything in between!
Utrecht Blues Festival wants to program the blues in its full breadth, and preferably with artists that you can’t enjoy every weekend on Dutch stages.
With the previously announced southern soul diva JJ Thames (and her fantastic backing band) and up-and-coming blues talent Sean “Mack” McDonald (who is often mentioned in the same breath as singer/guitarists like DK Harrell or Toronzo Cannon), the blues from the dark south of America is covered.
With the rocking bluesabilly shuffles of “Big” Monti Amundson and the dirty swamproots of the Dutch top trio La Ratte, every blues lover can indulge themselves on March 16, 2025.
We are happy to add an absolute European blues hero as the next act. Kai Strauss has been working hard for about 20 years, organically kneading the influence of his great examples such as SRV and the three Kings into his own funky blues style.
Where you can also hear traits that this musical omnivore picks up from his listening sessions from pop to jazz and a lot of American roots music. It is not without reason that Alligator boss Bruce Iglauer is a fan of Kai, who made a splash with his band at the Curacao Blue Seas Festival and the Holland International Blues Festival in Grolloo.
We present Kai and his entire 6-piece band as an exclusive performance in the Netherlands in the form of the Kai Strauss Blues Revue with prominent guest roles reserved for tenor saxophonist-stage animal Sax Gordon and singer Robbin Kapsalis.
Furthermore, the Dutch top talent Emily Hill has also been added to the line-up of Utrecht Blues Festival 2024. This young singer with an old soul heart is widely praised for her passionate performances.
Because the festival, following the legendary and illustrious Bluesestaffette, will once again occupy the main hall, break stages will be added to the programming in several places. Emily Hill will play two acoustic sets especially for this.
More names for March 16, 2025 will be added. Candidates can be nominated, contact us at this website’s email address BluesJazzScenes@gmail.com
