KAI STRAUSS & THE ELECTRIC ALL STARS ( II )
Kai Strauss is a well known name among European blues lovers and „… is truly amazing, as authentic as any Texas or Chicago axe slinger around.“, Gary Reinhard, WITR Radio/Bad Dog Blues, Rochester New York.
Born in 1970 in Lengerich, a small working class town in northwest Germany Strauss picked up the electric guitar at the age of 14 and discovered his passion for the music of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan and many others as a teenager in the 1980s.
In 1989 Kai Strauss formed “The Bluescasters” a band that, with the addition of singer/harmonica player Memo Gonzalez from Dallas/Texas in 1995, recorded five CDs and toured intensively all over Europe and as far as the USA. The Gonzalez/Strauss partnership lasted for 15 years until 2011 when the guitarist stepped into the front man’s role and started performing under his own name.
So far Kai Strauss recorded two solo blues albums for the Dutch roots label Continental Blue Heaven. Just like his award-winning debut CD „Electric Blues“ (Blues In Germany Award for Best Album in 2014), Strauss new album „I Go By Feel“ could easily be called an international blues summit. The fully packed studio effort features collaborations with Delmark recording artist Mike Wheeler (Chicago), ex-Luther Allison drummer Tommie Harris (Alabama), Tony Vega (Houston), Sax Gordon (Boston) and The Netherlands’ blues harmonica export No.1 Big Pete van der Pluijm who contribute just the right amount of variety to Strauss’ straight-ahead, natural blues formula. „I Go By Feel“ not only confirms Strauss‘ reputation as being in the top league of Europe’s electric blues guitarists but also shows that the 45-year-old has evolved into a convincing singer, songwriter and producer.
Kai Strauss is a passionate live performer with “…exceptional tone and phrasing.” Blues Revue, USA and honed his chops over the course of more than 20 years of playing clubs and festivals. The sympathetic band leader tours all year with his international group Kai Strauss & The Electric Blues All-Stars.
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