Don "Papadon" Washington (Ogdensburg NY,USA / p,voc)
donwashington.com  Press picture 

Quando ho sentito Don Washington suonare per la prima volta (in ottobre dell'anno scorso) quasi non credevo alle mie orecchie. Uno stile di blues che pensavo già estinto. Invece ecco che me lo trovo davanti suonato da Don Washington da Ogdensburg nello stato New York. Don canta pezzi propri con liriche veramente geniali, la sua voce potente si abbina perfettamente al suo pianoforte blues. Don apparirà per la prima volta in un concerto in Europa! In esclusiva il 22 aprile a Lugano! Non perdetevelo per niente al mondo!

Don started playing the piano at the age of five. It was a rule in his father's house that every child learns how to play an instrument and sing. Being the youngest of five children, Don was determined to stand out from the pack, and that he did! In addition to mastering the piano, he learned to play the organ, drums, saxophone, tuba, bass, guitar, and harmonica. Don's father, the late William M. Washington, groomed his children to be his personal praise and worship team at the Royal Church of God in Christ, in Kent, N.Y. It was during this time that Don learned the vocal and instrumental styles and techniques that would later make him a blues man. It wasn't until the early 1990's that Don became interested in the blues. Like many young, black kids, he thought that this music was old, outdated, and just left over from slavery. This thought would soon be changed! In the spring of 1991, Don had a chance to see Buddy Guy perform live at the Penguin Club in Ottawa, Ontario. The performance was so powerful that Don left the show mesmerized. He realized at that moment that his gospel roots gave him the tools he needed to play and sing the blues.
Armed with powerful hands and a deep, muscular voice, "Papa" Don is ready to shout the blues like a country preacher.
Exclusive and FIRST CONCERT in Europe!

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne (Vancouver, CAN/ p and voc)
kennybluesboss.com Press picture

Chi era presente l'anno scorso al Palazzo dei Congressi si ricorderà benissimo della grande performance di Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. Durante la mia tourné negli Stati Uniti in ottobre ho incontrato di nuovo Kenny al Festival di Detroit dove abbiamo suonato ad una serata dedicata a Johnny Johnson, il pianista scomparso di Chuck Berry. Kenny ha fatto un concerto veramente eccezionale, così geniale che l'ho riinvitato al Festival di quest'anno. Bentornato a Lugano Kenny!

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne (a.k.a. Kenneth Wayne Spruell) was born in Spokane, Washington USA, raised in San Francisco and is now a Vancouver based blues pianist who is being hailed as a cross between Amos Milburn and Fats Domino. Lots of traditional blues and boogie-woogie with a taste of Kansas City Swing and New Orleans Rhythm best describes Kenny's music. The "Blues Boss" puts down some of the most compelling piano blues you can hear anywhere. His piano and warm vocal style lend themselves to the more urbane, West Coast blues style as pioneered by the bluesy Charles Brown, the shouting Big Joe Turner to the rockin' Fats Domino. In addition to his talent and piano skills, he's got energy with a capital 'E' and the charisma to make it to the top. North American's call his style, 'Traditional Blues' piano like that of Amos Milburn (that kind of blues style is very much missed) and the European's call it, 'Rockin' Boogie' like that of Fats Domino and Pete Johnson. It's true what they say about the 'Blues Boss' "He's one hell of a Boogie-woogie man". Kenny Wayne's musical roots are firmly planted in New Orleans Jazz and Blues, even though he was born up North, he definitely acquired his feel from his Louisiana parents. He developed a true West Coast feel over many years in the Jazz, R & B and Blues scene of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Aside from being a featured headliner, he has backed artists ranging from Charles Mingus, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Rhodes, Joe Louis Walker & rocker Jeff Healey.
After his big success last year we welcome back BLUES BOSS in Lugano!

Vince Weber (Hamburg, Germany/ piano and vocals)
vince-weber.de

Vince Weber di Amburgo é il pianista/cantante di boogie woogie più famoso della Germania. Ha registrato il suo primo disco negli anni settanta. Negli anni ottanta era l'unico pianista in grado di fare il tutto esaurito nella sala dei concerti di Amburgo. Negli anni novanta ha dato innumerevoli concerti in coppia su due pianoforti con il collega pianista Axel Zwingenberger. Per la prima volta a Lugano al Festival di Boogie Woogie. Benvenuto in Ticino Vince!

Vince sings and plays like someone whose cradle wasn't rocked in Hamburg, Germany, but in the bars of Chicago and New Orleans. His incredible energy and formidable stage presence have certainly kept his audiences rocking all over the world. Vince began playing as a classically trained pianist, but it wasn't long before the Beatles and the blues took his attention. After hearing Otis Spann and Pet Johnson, Vince was lost to Bach and Chopin. Their loss was our gain. His first LP- 1975's The Boogie Man, on EMI- reached number 3 in the Austrian charts and went on to win the highest German recording award and the Coup d'Europe Musicale the following year. He has starred on German television and toured the US several times. In 1977, Vince released his second album, Blues 'n Boogie and this was followed by Boogie on a Blue Song, Octoroon and the 1995 release The Best Yet- a compilation, 2 disc set available through the Amazon.com web store. Vince has played with Jay McShann, James Booker, Chuck Berry and Champion Jack DuPree, among others. When Vince hits the stage, be prepared to boogie.
One of the EUROPEAN MASTERS of boogie woogie!

Martin Schmitt (Munich, Germany/piano and vocals)
martinschmitt.de

Martin Schmitt di Monaco (Baviera) é uno di quei pianisti a cui piace fondere diversi stili sulla tastiera del piano: Boogie Woogie, Blues, Stride oppure composizioni proprie molto originali. Il suo ultimo album l' ha dedicato al grande Ray Charles. Il simpatico tedesco é un abile intrattenitore: il suo show é pieno di vitalità, virtuosismi, carisma... lasciatevi entusiasmare!

Martin Schmitt was born in 1968 in Munich. At the age of 14, he took his first music lessons (piano & tuba) from his grand-father who was a music teacher at the Richard Strauss music Conservatory of Munich. In 1984, for the first time he played blues and boogies live with a large success. Martin is influenced by a lot of masters of jazz piano like James Pete Johnson, Willie « The Lion » Smith, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson or Ray Charles. He has been invited to play with several famous pianists like Ray Bryant and Dr John. He performs at many renomated festivals and clubs, specially in his country. He realesed his first album in 1993 « Handful Of Blues » and his last dedicated to RAY CHARLES in 2005.
Outstanding virtuosity on the 88 keys and a GREAT ENTERTAINER!

With the participation of following guest artists:

John "Nonjohn" Tennison (USA) nonjohn.com
Durante la pausa del Festival a Detroit, il simpatico John mi si é presentato come un mio grandissimo ammiratore... nel frattempo lo sono diventato anche io di lui! Il suo modo di suonare é veramente unico e spettaccolare! Allacciate le cinture!!
John comes from the Piney Woods of East Texas, the cradle of Boogie Woogie!  

Chris Conz (CH) chrisconz.ch
Sono passati cinque anni da quando ho conosciuto questo giovane talento per la prima volta. Era un ragazzino di sedici anni allora. Ora é diventato un grande, non solo di statura ma anche nel suonare il pianoforte.
Silvan's music pal and young boogie piano talent will present his first CD.

Sophie Kramer (CH) sophiekramer.ch.vu
Sophie é studentessa in medicina. Già in programma due anni fa, ha stupito il pubblico per il suo talento e bravura. Benritornata, diamole un caloroso applauso!
The young swiss Boogie Woogie Piano Country Girl and medicine student ready to boogie woogie in Lugano! Welcome back Sophie!

Flying Alligators (Italy) flyingalligators.com
Vincenzo Fesi e Isabella Gregorio sono due ballerini di Boogie Woogie veramente eccezzionali! Hanno vinto innumerevoli medaglie a campionati mondiali. Reduci da una tourné di grande successo negli Stati Uniti dove hanno dato workshops e partecipato a diverse produzioni.
Vincenzo Fesi & Isabella Gregorio. They won several prizes and are for shure one of the best boogie woogie dancing show on the planet! They give workshops all around the world.

Nuno Alexandre (P/CH) nunobass.ch.vu
Nato a Porto, vive da cinque anni a Lugano. Nuno ha una vera passione per gli anni quaranta, lo si può notare dal suo abbigliamento e dagli spettaccolari assoli slap.
Born in Porto he lives since five years in Lugano. Outstanding doublebass player with a big passion for the 40s.


Valerio Felice (CH)  valeriofelice.ch.vu

Uno dei maestri di batteria più richiesti in Ticino. Da notare i suoi spettaccolari assoli di batteria con jonglage delle bacchette!
Watch out for his great solos. He can handle those sticks!


Piano Contest (U20) performers:
Franciska Bouma, Andreas Grünenwald, Christopher Höhl, Elia Marcionetti , Davide Motta, Johannes Paul, Balazs Daniel, Marvin Trummer. The winner is Sascha Kommer (12 years old) from Germany.