Kai Strauss - Electric Blues (2014)

Kai Strauss is a well known name among European blues lovers and "... is truly amazing, as authentic as any Texas or Chicago axe slinger around. I was in totally awestruck.", a quote from radio DJ Gary Reinhard from Rochester New York.
Strauss was born in 1970 in Lengerich, a small working class town in Germany. He picked up the electric guitar at the age of 14 and fell in love with the Blues through his parents record collection and the weekly Monday Blues Jam in Osnabrueck/Germany.
After playing with several local bands Kai Strauss formed “The Bluescasters” in 1989. With the addition of singer and harmonica player Memo Gonzalez from Dallas/Texas in 1995 the band kicked into higher gears and the Gonzalez/Strauss collaboration lasted for 15 years - recording five CDs and touring successfully all over Europe as “Memo Gonzalez & The Bluescasters”.

Strauss quit his long time band mates in 2011 to start The Kai Strauss Band feat Jeffrey Amankwa – a soul/roots band with strong emphasis on original song writing. But Kai couldn’t get rid of the Blues. In Denmark 2013 during his first tour as frontman, singer and guitarist Strauss got a lot of positive feedback from enthusiastic blues audiences and decided to start a 100% blues format again -
“Kai Strauss & The Electric Blues Allstars” was born.

Now, 2014, less than a year later Strauss presents his long overdue solo debut album released on the Dutch label Continental Europe/CRS . “Electric Blues” features guest appearances by US top league blues masters Sugar Ray Norcia, Darrell Nulisch, Sax Gordon, a.o. and represents a no nonsense collection of classic blues tunes and originals played by an international all star line up having a great time at what they’re doing best. Kai Strauss is a passionate live performer and countless gigs from small clubs to big festivals helped him to shape his authentic and intense guitar playing deeply rooted in the classic styles of the 1950ies and ‘60ies.
“Being the singer and bandleader I can put together a repertoire of originals and covers by some of my all time favourites like Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rogers or B.B. King. It’s more personal and a lot of fun.”