About Bernard Allison

Whenever Bernard Allison clicks on his Mesa Boogie rig, it’s strictly chills and thrills for the listener. After 17 years of recording experience, Bernard can dig into the soul of his music and strike musical pay dirt. He easily transforms the rawest of emotion into notes that speak to everyone. On "Chills And Thrills", the magical 12th disc of his career, Bernard has perfected his sound. Instead of just using his guitar, he has become mature the artist who uses the full palate of musical colors in his band to paint his stories. Just like his famous guitar totin’ father Luther Allison. “In order for anything to expand, you have to take a risk,” says Bernard Allison. “Blues is about experimenting and getting your feelings across to someone else. And if you want to keep it going, people are going to have to give it all a chance because we’re losing all our creators. Because I’ve been taking risks on every album I’ve recorded, this record is just a logical progression from everything else I’ve done. Instead of playing rippin’ 12 bar blues guitar over and over, there are bluesy songs, soul, funk, R&B songs and a couple of rock things which shows the overall musicianship of Bernard Allison.”

If there ever was a CD for all occasions, this is it. It’s got the chill songs to curl up with on a rainy day, or the thrill music you’ll blast when you’re driving late at night. By adding the rhythm guitar of Bernard’s guitar soulmate Eric Gales, every song explodes into a guitar player's head trip. There may be no finer string slashing then when Bernard and Eric trade outrageous headcuttin’ jabs on the Hendrix influenced “When I’m Gone.” And, like the master artist he is, just when you are ready for all the wah wah tension bo be released, Bernard Allison quietly paints “Missing Tyrone,” a picturesque tribute. The title cut opens the record with Bernard’s trademark funk meets blues sound. that signature sound permeates other tunes like “Compromising For Your Need,” “Heart of St. Paul,” and “Groove With Me,” Bernard’s treatise on the modernesque blues he’ll continue to play around the world. But Bernard’s got so much more. On “So Devine” Bruce McCabe’s piano and Jose James’ alto sax steals the show. On “Just Me And My Guitar,” Bernard Allison shows off the frantic slide techniques he learned in the 1980’s from Johnny Winter. For slow blues, Bernard and pianist Rusty Hall turn in a first rate guitar and piano performance on “That’s Why I’m Crying.” But any fan of Bernard Allison knows that every show or record comes with one of his father’s songs. “I always make a point to record one of my father’s songs. Though my pop’s gone, for me, he’s not gone anywhere. He’s looking down at me every minute. He knew where my heart was and what I wanted to do.” Here, Bernard reprises Luther’s 1980’s tune “Serious,” played with Bernard’s errie, Luther-like vocal attack. For those who can't get enough, Bernard strips “Serious” down to just piano and guitar in his after hours styled closer. This is the deep-seated commitment of an artist taking his art and commitment to the next level with heart and soul.

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Über Bernard Allison

Längst ist Bernard Allison aus dem Schatten seines Vaters, der Blueslegende Luther Allison, hinausgetreten. Bernard Allison entwickelte über die Jahre seinen ganz eigenen Sound, eine rockig - funkige Interpretation des Blues. 1990 stellte er mit seinem furiosen Album „The Next Generation“ (Mondo Records) seine musikalischen Fähigkeiten erstmals einer breiten Öffentlichkeit vor. Nach ausgedehnten Tourneen in Europa kamen in rascher Folge weitere Alben auf den Markt, die dem Vorgänger in nichts nachstanden. 1999, zwei Jahre nach dem Tod seines Vaters, entschied sich Bernard Allison, zurück in die Staaten zu gehen. Mit seinem explosiven Lead- und Slideguitar- Spiel, seiner energiegeladenen Stimme und dem über-wältigendem Songwriting gelang es ihm seine Karriere auch im Heimatland voranzutreiben. In den letzten Jahren tourte der früher in Paris wohnhafte Bernard Allison fast ununterbrochen. Das Ziel: eine amerikanische Fangemeinde aufzubauen, die so groß ist wie seine europäische.
 Sein neuestes Album "Chills & Thrills" erschien am 23.11.2007 bei Jazzhaus Records. Darauf sind 13, meist selbst geschriebene Songs, die die ganze Bandbreite seines musikalischen Könnens wiedergeben und zeigen, wie er sich weiterentwickelt hat: soulgetränkte Bluessongs, treibende Funkgrooves und rockige Gitarrenriffs.

 

 

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Tourdates

02.11. NL-Weert, De Bosuil
04.11. D-Hilpoltstein, Kulturgipfel Stadthalle
06.11. DK-Horsens, Kulisselageret
08.11. DK-Frederikshavn, Bluesfestival
09.11. D-Unna, Lindenbrauerei
11.11. A-Velden, Bluesiana
16.01. D-Worpswede, Musichall
17.01. D-Hannover, Bluesgarage
18.01. D-Rheinberg, Schwarzer Adler
20.01. D-Köln, Kulturkirche
21.01. D-Aschaffenburg, Colos Saal
22.01. D-Mühldorf, Haberkasten
23.01. D-Siegen, Oase
24.01. D-Freiburg, Jazzhaus
27.01. D-Essen, Zeche Carl
28.01. D-Mainz, KUZ
31.01. D-Hamburg, Downtown Bluesclub
01.02. D-Kassel, Fiasko
04.02. D-Salzgitter, Kniestetter Kirche
09.02. A-Salzburg, Rockhouse
19.02. D-Kaiserslautern, Kammgarn
20.02. CH-Aarburg, Moonwalker
21.02. CH-Rubigen, Mühle Hunziken

booking contact:
Jazzhaus Booking
Riad Idilbi
Glümerstr.2b
79102 Freiburg
Germany
Fon: 0761-791978-20
Fax: 0761-72935
idilbi(at)jazzhausbooking.com
www.jazzhausbooking.com

Further information you will find at:
www.bernardallison.com
www.myspace.com/bernardallisongroup

 
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