In november 1968 speelden C+B tijdens op Jazz- en Bluesfestival in de Rheinhalle in Dusseldorf. Hier werden opnamen gemaakt die verschenen op de lp "Live in Dusseldorf". Een initiatief van de Duitse afdeling van Phonogram Het was een gecombineerd optreden met The Spencer Davis Group voor een publiek van 3000 man. Met een viersporenrecorder maakte Tony Vos opnamen. Op de lp staan behalve twee composities van Muskee/Gelling covers van bekende bluesstukken. In "Sugar mama" van John Lee Hooker blaast Harry een geweldige mondharmonica-solo."Sweet little angel" van B.B.King kreeg een langzame uitvoering en de relatie met Eddie Boyd werd nog eens benadrukt door de uitvoering van zijn "Five long years". Gastmuzikant was de grondlegger van de Engelse blues, Alexis Korner. Korner speelde mee op twee nummers o.a. gitaar in het nummer "No way out" en was een van oorsprong Oostenrijkse diplomatenzoon, die voor de oorlog was uitgeweken naar Engeland. Daar richtte hij begin zestiger jaren Blues Incorperated op. Een groep met mensen als Cyril Davis, Long John Baldry en Zoot Money. Korner was, net als John Mayall, regelmatig te gast in Grolloo. Hij sliep in dezelfde bedstee waarin ook Eddie Boyd en John Mayall hadden gelegen. Harry bezocht Alexis ook een paar keer in London, op het adres Paddington, 116a, Queensway. Vandaar de single "Queensway 116a", de achterkant van "Nostalgic toilet" uit 1968.



De onderstaande hoesafbeelding betreft een zeer zeldzame Amerikaanse uitgave, die destijds niet op de Nederlandse markt is uitgegeven. In de titel staat ook "and the", en dat is volgens kenners uitzonderlijk. (1968 PHS 600-307)



It was in Frankfurt, in March 1968, that I first met Harry, Eelco, Herman, Jaap and Dick.

"This is an experimental concert", I was told "and there is a Dutch Blues band on the bill, too.

Naturally, I had no idea what to expect. I had never heard of any Dutch blues bands; let alone one called "Cuby and the Blizzards". They were good. I was surprised.

There was no real reason-except, possibly. that of the language-why the Dutch should not be as good bluesman as anyone else. I just had not thought about it. That was all.

A friendship developed. At first, it was in thought more than in fact. No matter, it was there.And then, through Pamela Mayall, I began to receive messages from Harry.

I even sent some back. Suddenly, we were working together again, this time at the Bilzen festival.

The Blizzards played magnificently and got the applause they deserved.

The highspot came, when we were all blowing together: The Blizzards, The Small Faces and Chris Farlowe, Harry, The Gentlemen of The Orchestra, and I agreed, that we must do this again sometime.

It was shortly after that, when Harry came to spend his holiday in London, at the time of our first Blues Convention. Eelco was going to make it via Spain (He never got there, but thank you, Eelco for the gorgeous postcard)

Anyway, Harry and I discussed the possibility of playing together in Holland.

And Harry acts on impulse. So I do. But before I knew, what was happening, I found myself at Grollo.

Then, just for kicks, we blew a couple of gigs together before Jan (the band's friend, manager and I know not what else) drove me to Cologne. You are very friendly people, you really are.

We knew then that we were going to play together again in the very near future.

It happened at the Essen festival. Together we brought the house down.

After the audience had been treate to a few hours of Free Form Protestodelic Music,

we could not really have missed. They heard songs, they heard tunes because thát is what

Blues is about-not just twelve bars.

By then, the Düsseldorf Festival had already been planned. The promoter, Karl Lyrman, had been at Bilzen and he was determinated to create as good an atmosphere at Düsseldorf .

This record is the story of how Cuby and the Blizzards stormed their way through Düsseldorf.

This record is part of the story of a very fine Blues band.

A Bluesband, which has devoted itself, despite many defficulties, to developing a love amoungst its people for a people's music. A band, which lives as it plays: simply and directly.

For this is not a specialist music- Cuby and the Blizzards proved by getting their discs into the Chart-a music to collect and occasionally bring out for exceptionally privileged listeners.

This is music for everyone. It would not do well in an intellectual deepfreeze.

Harry's singing and harmonica playing, Eelco's guitar playing,- especially on "Five long years'- and all those things from Herman, Jaap and Dick, they are way above freezing point.

It takes warm people to make warm music.



Alexis Korner



Bezetting:

Harry Muskee: zang en mondharmonica

Eelco Gelling: sologitaar

Herman Brood: piano

Jaap van Eik: bas

Dick Beekman: drum



sound-engineer: Albert Kos Producer: Tony Vos Mastered for CD by Gert van Hoeyen

Photographs: Herman Baaren, Henri ter Hall and Wolfgang Maes

Cover design: Jan Lepair

(r) 1968 Phonogram 8 V, Hilversum, The Netherlands (c) 1988 Phonogram 8 V, Hilversum The Netherlands