meet the bands
Sugar Blue Blues Band
Born and raised in New York, harmonica genius Sugar Bluebegan his career as a street musician, he grew up listening to the jazz greats and then honed his chops by wailing along with Bob Dylan (with whom he would later record...) and Stevie Wonder songs on the radio. Like many American musicians before him Sugar Blue left these shores and relocated to Paris, where he became a first-call studio musician and performing artist. That’s his harmonica blasting on the Rolling Stones’ platinum disco hit “Miss You”.
Considered to be one of the first harp pyrotechnicians, he uses awe-inspiring high-register runs, circular breathing and electronic effects on his harmonicas blending them into his unique, visionary and singular style, technically dazzling yet wholly soulful.
Grammy winner Sugar Blue has been called the Jimi Hendrix of harmonica: he has played and recorded with Willie Dixon, Prince, Rolling Stones, Stan Getz, Bob Dylan, only to name a few...
Full Bio here
Beverly Skeete
Beverley Skeete is probably best known for being the lead singer in Bill Wyman's 'Rhythm Kings' for 20 Years. In that time the 'Rhythm Kings' recorded over ten albums. She can also be heard on the albums of artist such as Tina Turner, Sir Elton John, and many more.
Beverley’s version of “Love Letters” featured one of the last guitar solos from George Harrison ( The Beatles)
Over the years Beverley has performed on films such as Evita staring Madonna, The Beloved which starred Oprah Winfrey, The life of David Gale starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet, and The Hit man’s Bodyguard with Samuel Jackson and Ryan Reynolds where her recognizable sound is evident.
Noreda And Her Band
Noreda Graves is an American singer and songwriter from North Carolina. She is one of the most appreciated soul voices of America. Her sound is a mix of gospel, funk, blues and R&B.
Among her influences are James Brown, Aretha Franklin and the Clark Sisters.
In 2004 she attended an audition in Harlem, New York, to become the lead singer of the Harlem
Gospel Choir. She was quickly accepted and less than a week later she began her first tour with
Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra. In 2017 she decided to make a change and moved permanently to Europe. She founded her band in Italy "Noreda and Her Band" completing her first tour in Italy and later also in Germany. On February 18th 2022 she released “INTRODUCING NOREDA”, her first album containing the unreleased songs, SLAVE and TOO BAD.
London Blues Collective
London Blues Collective is a group of the finest musicians from the UK blues and contemporary jazz scene. Guided by the groovy soul of Kevin Leo and the silvery melodies of Francesca Confortini, the septet brings the blues tradition back with a twist, turning every song into a rollercoaster of rhythm and harmonies, an unexpected ride between the past and the present that blends old fashioned sounds with modern interpretations. The wisdom and musicianship of guitarist Giulio Romano Malaisi and pianist Chris Bland create a perfect dance floor under the expert drumming of Daniele Antenucci (a Guglionesano DOC).
Stef Rosen
Stef Rosen, a Berlin-based guitar player and singer, is recognized as a highly innovative blues artist in Europe. Influenced by soulful electric blues from the 70s and old acoustic blues from the late 20s, he approaches the genre with personal reverence. Rosen has performed globally in blues clubs, festivals, and dance events, both as a solo artist and with bands. In 2017, he toured with Tony Coleman, renowned drummer for blues legends like B.B. King. His recent recordings garnered positive reviews in Europe and the international blues dancing scene. "Soul Mining," produced by RBB Kulturadio Berlin, earned a nomination for "Album of the Year" in Germany in 2019. Rosen, also a sound engineer and producer at Fuzznote Studio in Berlin, won the "Album of the Year" award in 2020. His latest album, "Soulify," released in February 2022, is nominated for "Best Album."
Jessie Gordon
Jessie is a very sun-shy Perth red-headed jazz singer who enjoys swing music, dancing in her kitchen to Otis Redding, eating cheese at any given opportunity and singing in the shower and every other (shaded) venue. Her main musical passions are jazz, blues and roots music. She started singing professionally at the age of 15 and has fronted big bands, jazz duos and every sized band in-between. She has toured Australia, America, South East Asia, Germany, France, Spain, Poland and the UK. She is also a 20 time Fringe World Music and Cabaret Award winner.
She has also recorded nine albums, including one with Mark Turner (Best Friends 2019), an original album (A Work of Friction 2018), two intercontinental albums entitled Berlin Nights (2017) and Unknowable Journey (2020) with Berlin band Ginger Blues, the latter of which won the German Blues Award for 2020, and most recently the eponymous Sassafras (2021).
Martín Burgez Blues Band
Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and now a vibrant resident of Barcelona, Spain, Martín Burguez injects an electrifying energy into the blues world. Starting his musical journey at a young age, he immersed himself in the blues scene, eventually creating his own masterpiece – "Martín Burguez & The Jump Club." Drawing inspiration from legends like T-Bone Walker and BB King, his sonic palette explores West Coast and Jump Blues, paying homage to the golden era of Jazz, Swing, and Rhythm & Blues from the '30s, '40s, and '50s. In an illustrious career, Burguez has released three soul-stirring albums with El Club del Jump, gracing stages alongside international luminaries like James "Bogaloo" Bolden, Lurrie Bell, Jimmy Burns, Tia Carrol, JJ Thames, Slam Allen, Sax Gordon, and more. His musical journey extends beyond Spain, captivating audiences in Europe, Brazil, Chile, and his hometown, Uruguay. Beyond the stage, Burguez shares his blues expertise online, imparting the soulful art of "Blues Guitar" to eager learners worldwide.
meet the djs
Hamed Jenabi
dj coordinator
Hamed’s passion about Blues music and dance made him a full-time Blues DJ, teacher and organizer in Vienna. He is the founder and one of the organizers of “Vienna Sugar Blues” and “Blues Fever Festival”.
He has played at lots of Blues festivals in Europe and loves to give dancers a full journey through the history of Blues and plays lots of different styles, although his focus is more on Blues female singers as he believes that this era should be played more at dance events.
Bibi
For Bibi, music is a great, continuous emotion, the true engine of everything she does!
She has been spinning the decks since 2014, inspiring tons of dancers all around the globe and keeping the party grooving and jumping everywhere she went!
She truly loves everything about the blues on and off the dance floor and she is always researching and expanding her music collection.
Eva
Eva Goes is passionate about Blues, R&B, Funk, and Soul, and she's one half of the dynamic duo Voodoo Blues, alongside Sergio. She also teaches blues dance and shares her love for live music events, primarily in Madrid and Valencia.
Eva is dedicated to promoting women's Blues, striving to amplify their voices whenever she takes to the turntables. She makes it a point to share their stories, emphasizing their crucial role in the history of Blues and the dissemination of this musical style.
In her DJ sessions, you can always expect a harmonious blend of songs featuring female vocalists. On occasion, she dedicates entire sessions to the soulful melodies performed by the talented women of the Blues world. She has DJ'd at international festivals such as ESBF in Madrid and Blue Monday in Porto.
Sergio
Sergio discovered Swing, Rock & Roll, and Blues dance over eight years ago, instantly falling in love with them.
Eventually, he crossed paths with Eva, and together, they dived deeper into the world of Blues dancing, culminating in the formation of Voodoo Blues. From that point forward, Sergio dedicated himself to nurturing the Blues dance scene in Madrid.
In 2019, he co-produced the Maliciosa Blues Fest in the Madrid mountains. In 2020, Sergio relocated to Valencia but continued DJing all over Spain. He was DJ in Cocoa Blues & Fusion Exchange in Barcelona , ESBF in Madrid and Blue Monday in porto.