Kai Strauss has been a well-known name among European Blues lovers since the early nineties.
The guitarist and singer discovered his passion for the music of Albert King, Buddy Guy, the Vaughan brothers and many others as a teenager in the 1980s and soon countless nights at the local blues jams followed.
From the mid 1990s on you could find him on stages all over Europe alongside Texan harmonica player Memo Gonzalez and today, after more than 25 years on the road, Strauss is mentioned in the same breath with contemporary US blues guitar heavy hitters.
Now, at the age of 50, he released his sixth album – aptly titled “In My Prime”. Strauss is an experienced musician with a signature style, grown up from the respect he has for his idols.
He knows all the pioneers: Guitar Slim, Luther Tucker, all three Kings, Otis Rush and Magic Sam.
You can’t pin him on anyone, and yet they all live through his playing, traditional and contemporary all in one.
Strauss understands that the music should always tell a story. On “In My Prime”, a first-class band lights a fire of 70’s funky blues influences underneath Kai, and his heartfelt vocals and strong guitar playing full of punches of feelings and emotions shine through new original songs about personal experiences (“Guest In The House Of The Blues”), current topics (“World Crisis Blues”) and also the dark side of life (“Put That Bottle Down”).
Maybe he is, as he says, in his prime with this release. But “In My Prime” is definitely not just a repetition of his previous work, but evidence of his musical and personal growth that will ensure him as a meaningful and exciting blues artist for years to come.
Strauss is a multiple German Blues Award winner and tours all year with his international group Kai Strauss & The Electric Blues All Stars.
ALEX LEX (Osnabrueck/GER) – DRUMS
Worked with: Keith Dunn Band, Louisiana Red, Billy Boy Arnold (Walter Davis Project, LIVING BLUES Award 2014), Big Daddy Wilson, Bob Margolin
KEVIN DuVERNAY (Seattle/WA) – BASS
Worked with: Johnny Copeland, Big Jay McNeely, Tommie Harris & friends, The First Class Blues Band, Frank Biner
THOMAS FELDMANN (Steinfurt/GER) – Saxophone, Harmonica
Worked with: Buddy Ace, Igor Prado, The First Class Blues Band, Memo Gonzalez & The Bluescasters, Blues Company, B.B. & The Blues Shacks
NICO DREIER (Muenster/GER) – Piano, Organ
Worked with: The Bluesanovas, Jimmy Reiter Band, Tommy Schneller Band
HORST BERGMEYER (Osnabrueck/GER) – Piano, Organ
Worked with: Tommie Harris, Albie Donelly, Supercharge, Gregor Hilden
