Philipp Fankhauser

“The Yakkatokuo-Shuffle” is literally legendary in the European music scene. Nobody swings and grooves like Tosho Yakkatokuo. And it’s really only by coincidence that Tosho became a Blues drummer. Being a long time member of the famed “Sofa” and “Wild Hearts”, he was more in the Funk and Hip Hop corner of the music business. He joined Philipp Fankhauser’s Checkerboard Blues Band in 1990, and was siding for Katie Webster, Johnny Copeland, Margie Evans and many others. In 1993 Johnny Copeland thought of firing his regular drummer and to “import” Tosho to the States later that year! Over the years Tosho Yakkatokuo has been working with Clyde Wright, the Bo Katzman Band, Vera Kaa, and Yvonne Moore, besides being a sought after session musician. Tosho Yakkatokuo exclusively plays Mapex drums and Sabian cymbals.

Angus Thomas began making a name for himself in the late 1970′s while playing with rock and blues veteran Harvey Mandell, and with John Mayall, with whom he recorded the album “No More Interviews” on DJM Records. In 1981, Angus was playing hard-pop music on RCA Records with Jimmy Mack. Producing their album was Rick Derringer of Johnny and Edgar Winter, and solo career fame. 1985 brought the opportunity to work with jazz legend Miles Davis, and the next year Angus Thomas toured with blues legend Albert King. Later that year, he was working with former J Geils frontman Peter Wolf, and they released a record on MCA Records. Angus Thomas has worked and cooperated with with such luminaries as: Stanley Clarke, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Eddie Harris, Johnny Winter and many other music greats. Educated at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, the Conservatory in Versaille, France, as well as at the Eastern and Southern Universities at Illinois, Angus Thomas has studied and composes on the string and piccolo basses as well as on the ’63 Fender Jazz Bass he usually employs on stage. Born and raised in Chicago, Angus pursued his higher education on two continents, culminating with his Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music Degree. He has graced The American Institute of Music in Vienna, Austria, The International Institute of Creative Music Education in Tatabanya, Hungary and Cultural Exchange Projects in Oberschützen, Austria with his extensive teaching experience. As a seasoned studio musician, the „Angus Bangus Sound“ can be heard weekly on television’s hit series “King of Queens“. Angus Thomas exclusively plays Lakland bass guitars.

Hendrix Ackle is one of Switzerland’s finest sidemen, collaborateurs, session musicians on keyboards. He has been and still is working with and for an illustrious list of people, that reads like a who-is-who of Swiss music. Amongst them being Philipp Fankhauser, Michael von der Heide, Lovebugs, Sina, Stop the Shoppers, Kuno Lauener, Polo Hofer, Büne Huber, Adi Weyermann, Dada Ante Portas, and many more. Whenever there is need of any kind of piano or organ part that combines an authentic Blues/Soul feel with a Pop vibe, he is the first one to call. The collaboration with Richard Cousins on their own project „Hendrix Cousins“ put him on the map of a more international scene as a genuine songwriter, singer and musician and led to working with and for people like Robert Cray and Ivan Neville. He currently is a permanent member of the Philipp Fankhauser Band and is working on a new solo project. The Basler Zeitung recently wrote about him: „A lot is only insinuated in his music, it sparkles and pulls you towards him. Hendrix sings like a crooner, he’s shmoosing, reflecting, and he’s highly doubtful. Sometimes he’s crying his heart out – and he’s good! Listen closely to him!

Hendrix Ackle plays a Yamaha CP1 piano on stage.

Marco Jencarelli met Philipp Fankhauser in 1992. At that time, playing behind Yvonne Moore, he was paying his first dues. In 1993 he was invited by Fankhauser as second guitarist to join him for his sold out welfare shows at the famed Mühle Hunziken in Rubigen. These shows resulted in the Philipp Fankhauser  & Checkerboard Blues Band “Thun – San Francisco” live cd. Marco stepped out on his own to become an important live and session player for Rams, Jazzattakk, Funky Brotherhood, Keiser Twins and Vera Kaa, among others. He re-joined Philipp Fankhauser and his band in 2006. In the last ten years he has been building his Soundfarm Recording Studio on the outskirts of Lucerne, where he engineered, among many other productions, Fankhauser’s 2006 “Watching From The Safe Side” album, 2008 “Love Man Riding” album, and the 2010 „Try My Love“ album.

Marco Jencarelli exclusively plays Blade guitars and Harper amplifiers.