"Groovin the Blues" - Abi Wallenstein will create a great atmosphere on July 17 at the Kunsthalle Kühlungsborn with his blues and with the help of Martin Friedenstab.
The "father of the Hamburg blues scene" has achieved cult-like fame over the years and is one of the outstanding blues greats in Europe.
Abi owes this to his 40 years of stage work, with an average of 120 concerts a year, his unique guitar playing: the combination of simultaneous bass-rhythm and riff elements, his eight-string guitar, his raspy voice and, last but not least, his commanding stage presence.
"Whether he's bringing the hustle and bustle of a pedestrian zone to a standstill as a one-man band or making the headliners at a festival look ancient, Abi always knows how to fascinate with his own vocal and guitar playing" (ROLLING STONE)
As probably the only well-known European blues musician, Abi always seeks direct contact with the audience on the "toughest stage in the world": namely street music.
In addition to numerous appearances on radio and television and years of cooperation with Hamburg blues & boogie greats such as Inga Rumpf, Vince Weber, Axel Zwingenberger, Gottfried Böttger and Joja Wendt, Abi has appeared as the opening act for numerous stars such as: Joe Cocker, Daniel Lanois, Robben Ford, Georg Thorogood, Johnny Winter, Fats Domino, as well as a guest at many festivals at home and abroad.
Two of the CDs he has produced in recent years ("StepInTime" and "BluesCulture") have each been awarded the GERMAN RECORDING AWARD. "Fingers and vocal chords steeled by years of street music, Abi is certainly one of the most expressive blues musicians in Europe" (GERMAN BLUES CIRCLE)
Abi won first place at the GERMAN BLUES AWARD in 2011, 2012, 2013 and again in 2014 in the Blues Soloist/Vocalist categories. Finally, he was awarded the prestigious BLUES LOUIS PRIZE (named after Louis Armstrong) at the LAHNSTEIN BLUESFESTIVAL on 26.9.2015 and: July 2017/2018/2019/2020/2021 again honored with the GERMAN BLUES AWARD!
Further information about Abi (biography, musical career) can be found in the books:
DAS BLAUE WUNDER (Blues aus Deutschen Landen) Siebers/Zagratzki
ICH HAB DEN BLUES SCHON ETWAS LÄNGER (Spuren einer Musik in Deutschland) Rauhut/Lorenz
DER PULS DER STADT, Schumann (Lebensbilder/Geschichten aus Hamburg)
