Forward to the roots
Philipp Fankhauser convinces with his rediscovered Blues and a new album.

Piazza Blues Festival in Bellinzona, end of June 2003: the international Blues scene meets. Its' rather rare to encounter a Swiss Blues band in that surrounding, at least on main stage. But this year Philipp Fankhauser replaces Clarency Spady at very short notice. And the alleged makeshift turns out to be the highlight of the evening; an evening that after all is well staffed with stars like Lucky Peterson. Philipp Fankhauser proves with his appearance and the new album that he's on the right path.

Detour
It's been a long journey for Blues man Philipp Fankhauser, to find his way back to his Blues. He's experienced highs and lows in the course of his career. With the Checkerboard Blues Band he once had considerable success. But he had to go on, move to the USA, where he did not really break through. He endured the malice and mockery of the know-it-alls in Switzerland. But he insisted and he launched his career again with this trio. He's worked on the instrumentation of the band, he's worked on his guitar skills, and he's waited to produce an album until he and his two partners, Checkerboard Blues Band drummer Tosho Yakkatokuo and  bassist Richard Cousins, were sounding the way he wanted it to sound.

The Essential
On his new album "Live - So Damn Cool" (Funkhouseblues/Musikvertrieb), he re-discovers his roots in the classic tunes he was listening to at a very early stage of his career.

It's that deliberate reduction to the essential, the return to the acoustic guitar and the old school Blues, that he makes a major step forward. Because Fankhauser has never been as convincing and self-contained as he is on this new live album.

At first glance it may be somewhat surprising if one, after that many years in the Blues business, records well known Blues classics as "That's Alright" and "Key To The Highway". But the doubts soon dissappear, as he succeeds with the sleight of hand to make these songs his "own" through his biography. For the selection of the songs  narrate his first Blues experiences, from his idols and mentors like Johnny Copeland and Margie Evans. His development as a songwriter is highlighted as well; from the newly recorded tune "Dedicated", which is full of admiration for the greats up to his new song "Life's so damn' cool", that turns out to be his personal anthem, it has been a long way to his independence.
 

Simon Johner
www.derbund.ch

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