After a successful debut in 2012, India’s pioneer Blues festival, SIMPLY THE BLUES is back with its second innings in Mumbai on 8^th December 2013, featuring an international line up of artists and a groove like none other at St. Andrews Auditorium, Bandra.

Showcasing very special artists this year as part of its two city tour (Bangalore 7^th December 2013 and Mumbai 8^th December 2013), StarKonnect Events & Promotions bring together the legendary British singer, song writer, and blues musician Dana Gillespie with acclaimed boogie-woogie pianist Joachim Palden. Dana has been nominated 3 years in a row, as the Top Female Blues vocalist in UK and an inductee into the British Blues Hall of fame, with over 60 albums to her credit. Joachim is a hot favourite on the European circuit and brings his special blend of boogie-woogie to the mix as well.  

Dana Gillespie has performed with music legends Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Ian Siegal. She says she has a karmic connection with India, and is often fond of quoting Max Mueller “What India cannot teach me, I don’t need to learn”.

Anil Mehta, Partner, StarKonnect Events & Promotions says- “Blues fans in Mumbai and Bangalore are in for a treat, as the boogie-woogie style of Dana is pure energy. With a vocal mastery that has been her calling from the time she performed in the original Andrew Lloyd Webber opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” on London’s Westend, she has audiences shouting for more.”  The kind of Blues that Dana does is generally upbeat and danceable which she considers as an uplifting sort of Blues.  Says Dana - “I like people walking home from my show with a smile on their lips and a spring in their step.”

Festival Director Luke Kenny says “Boogie-woogie as a blues style has not had that exposure to Indian blues fans, and in Joachim Palden, we have a world class boogie-woogie pianist. His style is quite puristic, and when he plays, he really stomps his piano in a way that completely thrills his audiences. They always say in the Blues business that to really play a great boogie you need a 'left hand like God' and Joachim has such hands! With Joachim, it is Strictly Blues!”

As part of the initiative to provide Indian blues musicians a platform to get wider exposure to perform alongside international musicians, we have Samantha Edwards opening up the evening. Samantha has a distinctive jazz and blues style, which over time has led to her being considered one of the foremost and sought after Jazz & Blues singers in India. Over the last 20+ years Samantha has performed at over 700 live events; 150+ advertisement jingles and 125+ film background scores and soundtracks. She has led 7 bands vocally with styles in music straddling Retro, Pop, Jazz, Blues, Country, Funk, R&B and Hip Hop. Samantha is joined by Karan Joseph on keys, Sanjay Joseph on guitars, Karl Peters on bass and Benny Soans on drum.

As Joyce Arora, Partner, Starkonnect Events & Promotions says “Simply The Blues, was started as an initiative to provide Indian blues musicians a larger platform to perform upon. It has now evolved into also providing our musicians, an opportunity to play alongside some of the best international artists. Hence we have our very own Benny Soans from Mumbai, backing Dana Gillespie and Joachim Palden. Benny has been on the Mumbai music scene for decades, playing alongside Indian jazz legends such as the Johnnie Baptist Big Band, Louis Banks, and alongside international stars Herbie Hancock and Chico Freeman.”

Post a very successful launch in 2012, Simply The Blues is now in its second leg with a twin city tour this winter in Bangalore and Mumbai. The earlier gigs in Mumbai have seen bands like Smokestack, Soulmate, Blackstratblues’, and the Bengaluru-based quartet Ministry of Blues.

Tickets are available on www.bookmyshow.com and at the venue St. Andrews Auditorium box office.