Take one part blues traditionalist, blend it with a forward-thinking music academy graduate, serve with a side order of skill and a garnish of Nordic beauty. What have you got? Singer/guitarist Erja Lyytinen, a.k.a. “the Finnish slide goddess” (The Blues Magazine).
Since first setting foot in a recording studio 15 years ago, Erja Lyytinen has become a bona fide star in her homeland and a celebrated fixture on the international music scene. She has recorded nine studio albums in locations as diverse as Helsinki, Memphis and Clarksdale, Mississippi, earning numerous awards and honors along the way.
Lyytinen is equally at home in traditional and modern blues and has never been afraid to incorporate styles like jazz, pop and soul. Her 2014 Elmore James tribute album The Sky Is Crying was universally hailed as her best and bluesiest to date. It was named Best European Blues Album and Best Tribute Album of 2014 by Canada’s Blues Underground Network and also placed in the top three international albums of 2014 as chosen by writers at Britain’s Blues Matters.
Live in London, a sizzling live set of Elmore James covers and original material released a year later, culminated with Erja being voted the #1 international solo artist by Blues Matters and Artist of the Year at the Finnish Blues Awards.
For her latest studio album Stolen Hearts, released in early 2017, Lyytinen convened a talented group of musicians in Helsinki in the summer of 2016, then ventured to London’s State of the Ark Studios to record with multi-platinum selling engineer and producer Chris Kimsey, known above all for his contributions to classic Rolling Stones albums like Sticky Fingers and Some Girls.
During the past year, she has played a sold-out tour of Finland with her compatriot Heikki Silvennoinen and made her first-ever concert appearances in India.
Fans seem to agree with this because Erja barely had time to breathe since Stolen Hearts has been released.
In addition to two successful tours throughout the UK, she also took part in the Finnish TV-show Tähdet, Tähdet (Stars, Stars) and sang for half a million people each week.
The icing on the cake came in late November 2017 when it was announced that Erja won a European Blues Award for “Best Guitarist”.
Finally, in December 2017, Erja was voted the 7th best blues guitarist in a poll of The MusicRadar.
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Lee Ainley’s Blues Storm
The unique vocal pairing of mother and daughter Lee and Tori Ainley. The raw, untapped talent of teenage guitarist Elliot Young. Musical direction by a former A&R manager who worked with John Mayall, Peter Green, Buddy Whittington and John Lee Hooker.
Put these all together with the driving rhythms of one of the South Coast’s most in demand blues drummers, and you end up with Lee Ainley’s Blues Storm – a band dedicated to entertaining audiences with a stunning selection of Blues infused grooves.
Put on your dancing shoes as it’s Blues Jim, but not as we know it!
“...outstanding song writing and playing”
Blues in the South