Hank Shizzoe In Concert - With Sonny Landreth (2-CD)

(2002 'CrossCut') (126:50/23) Enhanced CD - kommt mit einem Bonus 'Live'-Videostück, 'Stagger Lee', featuring Sonny Landreth / comes with a bonus 'live' video track featuring Sonny Landreth. -- . Nach vier Studioalben im Verlauf von acht Jahren war die Realisierung eines Live-Albums für Hank logische Konsequenz - und für die meisten seiner Fans die Erfüllung eines Traums. Das letzte, selbstbetitelte Album konzentrierte sich auf die Songs von Hank und liess wenig Raum zur instrumentalen Entfaltung. Wer Hank einmal 'live' erlebt hat weiss, mit welcher Intensität und ausgeprägten Soli er seinen Songs eine extra Portion Spannung verleiht. Und exakt dieses gewisse Etwas, das nur auf der Bühne passieren kann, ist perfekt eingefangen worden. Der Sound ist unglaublich nah an dem Erlebnis vor der Bühne, direkt und kraftvoll und mit einer Transparenz, die es in diesem Masse bei Liveaufnahmen nur selten gibt. Loose Gravel sind eine hervorragend eingespielte Rhythm Section und der perfekte Support für Hank. Das zusammen würde schon genügen, um über zwei Stunden ein äußerst entspanntes Rockkonzert zu Hause geniessen zu können. Doch der besondere Höhepunkt passiert auf CD #2. Als besonderer Gast wurde Sonny Landreth aus Louisiana eingeflogen. Er gilt bei seinen Fans und Kritikern gleichermassen als Gitarren-Zauberer. Seine Art, Slideguitar zu spielen, ist einzigartig auf dieser Welt. Zu hören, mit welch unglaublichem Einfühlungsvermögen er mit Hank als Gitarrist auf der Bühne kommuniziert, läßt mir Schauer den Rücken herunterlaufen. Zwei der weltweit besten Slidegitarristen auf einer Bühne - was will man mehr? Wer abseits vom Blues auf exquisiten Gitarren-Riffs und -soli steht, kann kaum besser bedient werden! Kommt im acht-seitigen Digipak / on his last, self-titled album Hank's focus was on the songs. The arrangements were tight, not allowing to stretch-out on guitar. With four studio albums in the catalog, Hank felt it was time for a live record, an album all his fans have been waiting for! Who ever had a chance to experience Hank Shizzoe & Loose Gravel 'In Concert' knows about the extra portion of intensity, power and feeling that can only be produced on stage, in front of a supportive audience. This live double-CD brings you more than two hours of the finest in American style roots rock. The sound is just perfect. You'll get the impression of shuffling in front of the stage, without having to leave the ambience of your living room. Loose Gravel featuring the fabulous Michel Poffet on upright bass, and the rock-solid Christoph Beck on drums, are the perfect support for Hank's extensive guitar, and slide guitar soloing. The trio recordings alone would be a gem. But CD #2 is giving you extra value. Exclusively for the live recording sessions last September, we flew Sonny Landreth in. The slide guitar player from Louisiana is member of the top-five club of excellence, one of the finest players on this planet. His interplay with Hank and the band is amazing. That part of the show is a real highlight, both in instrumental versatility, and human experience. This is the album, Hank's fans have been waiting for. It's also a good start for all those that love great guitar music. HANK SHIZZOE - voc/gtr/bouzouki, MICHEL POFFET - upright bass, CHRISTOPH BECK - drums. Special guest: SONNY LANDRETH - slide gtr (12 tracks).

Hank Shizzoe

”Those who care about these things have been knowing for a long time that Hank Shizzoe is the best roots-rock songwriter and guitar player who’s not hailing from the US. And that he would still be one of the best even if he did come from the Promised Land.” – Rolling Stone Magazin

Hank Shizzoe, born 1966, lives and works in Bern, Switzerland. He got his first guitar when he was sixteen, and to this day the instrument has never let go of him. 

Later he was writing songs. He still does that today. And he began to sing, a passion that still remains with him today.

Sometime in the nineteen nineties - meanwhile matured into a veritable (slide) guitar virtuoso - he began recording his music. Hank has released 16 albums since 1994.

The next step for Hank, the multi-instrumentalist - he also plays bass, drums, marimba and triangle on his productions - was for him the walk on stage. Since then he has played more than 1,500 concerts, partly solo, partly with his own band or with others, he performed in Trondheim, Tangier, Budapest and Los Angeles as well as many places in between. He has performed with Bob Dylan, Ali Farka Touré, ZZ Top, David Lindley and Bo Diddley, was a member of Stephan Eicher's group and recorded a live album with Sonny Landreth. He played in New York City's famous Carnegie Hall, was awarded the Prix de la Scène of the renowned Paléo Festival Nyon, and has been involved in numerous productions of other musicians, both as a guest player and producer, in genres as diverse as rock, folk and pop, wrote theater and film music, and Hank is a regular guest on radio broadcasts. He loves mountains, forests, motorcycles, California and appreciates good food. www.hankshizzoe.com- Detlev Hoegen, Februayr 2019