Micke and Lefty & Chef – Viralliset sivut

NEWS

TOUR

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ABOUT

MEET THE BAND

Micke Bjorklof:

vocals, drum&percussion, harmonica, guitar

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Lefty Leppänen:

vocals, acoustic & resonator guitars, harmonica

©Beate Grams [:fi]41-MBTrio2018Eckernförde_DSC_3024 © BEATE GRAMS[:]

Chef:

vocals, bass

BIO

ELECTRIFYIN´ ACOUSTIC BLUES

Entertainment with a capital E!!!

Micke Björklöf and Lefty Leppänen together with Mr.Chef are forming one of the most exciting acoustic blues and roots line ups in European blues scene today. One of their strongest trademarks is the powerful three-part harmonies as well as strong lead vocals sung by all band members. The band also stands out with their original material. It´s a rich mix of American roots music with influences from early delta- and country blues, spiced up with some bluegrass, rock, soul and Hawaiian flavours, with emphasis anyway on Blues! All these key elements with worldclass, explosive slide guitar, suitcase drum set and harmonica together make the band sound distinctive and authentic in the blues scene.

Through the years Micke & Lefty feat.Chef have stirred up audiences with their entertaining and energetic live shows wherever they play, from small club stages to big festival arenas in following countries: USA, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Slovakia, Hungary and Estonia. One of the career highlights has definatelly been when they opened for ZZ Top 2010 with an audience with over 15000 people. Trio represent Finland at the first European Blues Challenge in Berlin 2011 and at IBC in Memphis, USA 2012 being semifinalist.

Micke & Lefty has been working together over twenty years and collaborated on 8 albums so far. Both musicians are also a part of top Finnish bluesrock band Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip. Micke & Lefty has been working together over twenty years and collaborated on 8 albums so far. Both musicians are also a part of top Finnish bluesrock band Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip.

Micke Bjorklof: vocals, drums & percussion, harmonica, guitar

Lefty Leppänen: vocals, acoustic & slide guitar, harmonica

Chef: vocals, bass

HISTORY

These two gentlemen started their musical collaboration in 1997 when the lead singer, harmonica player and bandleader Micke Björklöf (born –65) was looking for a new guitarist to his band, Micke Björklöf & BlueStrip (formed 1991) and asked Lefty Leppänen (born –66) to join the band. This world-class slide guitar virtuoso is also known from his previous work with Keystone Cops and his solo project Southpaw Steel N´ Twang. After playing few years together, they started talkin´ about doing some acoustic duo shows while the band was having a break from touring. They both shared a passion and love for older acoustic delta and country blues music; this would be great opportunity to play the music they both had strongly been influenced by. Their first show as duo, Micke and Lefty took place when they were asked by the festival organizer to fill up with an acoustic show due some cancellations. But a real kick-start came little later when they got a chance to open the show for Robert Plant and B.B King on the main stage at Puistoblues, the biggest blues festival in Finland, with audience over 10 000.

Musically it started as a spinoff from the MB& Blue Strip band, playing acoustic versions of the same material. Over the years it became and grew to a totally own band with original material and own repertoire. In the fall 2003 Micke & Lefty started to work on their forth coming debut album. “We thought it would be nice to get some upright bass on some tracks so we asked Mr. Chef Kivimäki to join us in the recording sessions”, says Björklöf. Those sessions were a blast! This talented young man has been cooking´ his bass rhythms and singing with Micke & Lefty since then. Nowadays Micke & Lefty perform mostly as trio with Chef but are still doing some duo performances every now and then. Their critically acclaimed debut album “Big Bag” was released 2004 by Bluelight Records. The album introduced strong original material among couple of unique performances of classic tracks.

2010 Micke & Lefty feat.Chef celebrated their 10th anniversary with releasing a new album “Up the Wall” (Hokahey Records!). This was already the fifth album where Björklöf and Leppänen were collaborating. With the follower to the critically acclaimed “Big Bag” album they took a huge step forward; hundreds of live shows had improved their unique band sound and made this trio very tight and groovy, which you really can hear on the album. The album was mainly recorded live in studio just to get as close as possible of the magic of a live show. Also bass player Chef has got his space as lead vocalist this time. Up the Wall album contains 11original tracks and 2 cover tracks, Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie” and Willie Dixon’s Big Three Trio’s “Come Here Baby”.

Key tracks on the “Up the Wall” album: “You Better Me”, the first radio single is strongly soul and gospel influenced song with great harmony vocals. This song also has some real crossover potential. “Up the wall” the title tracks for the album, with Micke on lead vocals. This is a really authentic down-home blues song. This will also be the first ever-filmed music video for the band. “Clean up” is a tight Louisiana flavoured rock´n roll song with Chef on lead vocals. “Guitar man” is an up tempo blues song with lyrics from blues guy’s hard but rewarding life; it’s also Lefty’s showcase of his fantastic slide guitar playing. He also sings this track.

DISCOGRAPHY

MICKE & LEFTY feat CHEF – Let The Fire Lead

2020 (Hokahey Records)

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Tracklisting:
01. Tell That Woman
02. Always Something Good
03. Big Bill Blues
04. Small Town Baby
05. Let The Fire Lead
06. The One
07. Gotta See My Church
08. You Gorgeous You
09. No Stuff Is Good Enuff
10. Rock n Bowl
11. I’m Steady Rollin’ Man
12. I Got to Tell you

MICKE & LEFTY- BIG BAG

2004 (Bluelight Records)

It´s Allright Tonight
I Can´t Be Satisfied
Dollar Blues
Broken Window State Of Mind
Mississippi
Another Mean Red Spider
Love´s Made a Fool Of You
If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day
Do The Right Thing
Got You On My Mind
Coffee, Bacon And Eggs
Hawaii In Space

Produced by Micke Björklöf & Ville “Lefty Willie” Leppänen

Line up:

Micke Björklöf: vocals, drums & percussion, dobro, harmonica
Lefty Leppänen: vocals, guitars, mandolin, tenorbanjo, harmonica

Additional musicians:

Miikka “Chef” Kivimäki: upright bass, acoustic bass, background vocals
Mika Virkkala: fiddle on “Love´s made a fool of you”
Kimmo Ahola: grand piano sound on “If I had possession…”

MICKE & LEFTY feat.CHEF – UP THE WALL

2010 (Hokahey! Records)

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You Better Me
I´m A Guitar Man
Up The Wall
Clean Up
Come Here Baby
Ultimate All-around Man
Good Friend
Busy
Attention
You know
Good Ol´ Train
Polk Salad Annie
Don´t Take It So Hard

Produced by Micke, Lefty and Chef

Line up:

Micke Björklöf: vocals, drums & percussion, dobro, harmonica
Lefty Leppänen: vocals, National steel, pedal steel, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, harmonica
Chef: vocals, upright bass, acoustic bass

Additional musicians:

Pekka Gröhn: organ

CHECK OUT ALSO MICKE BJORKLOF & BLUE STRIP ALBUMS

DigiMusalinkki: https://lnk.to/mickeleftyupthewall

REVIEWS

Blues Blast Magazine, USA

When hearing the words ‘three-part harmony’, what types of music come to mind?

Gospel might be first and foremost, with soul and country close behind. How about

this magazine’s favorite subject? Most of the harmony there typically comes via

instrumentation, especially guitar and keyboards. However, Finland’s Micke Björklöf

(Micke, pronounced ‘Mickey’), his colleague Lefty (Lefty Leppänen) and frequent trio

member Chef (Chef Kivimäki) aim to bring this vocal specialization back to the blues.

Up The Wall is the fifth album on which Micke and Lefty have collaborated, featuring

eleven original songs and two covers (Willie Dixon’s Big Three Trio’s “Come Here

Baby” and Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie”). This duo has been together since

1997, when lead vocalist and harmonica guru Björklöf sought a new guitarist to join

his band – Micke Björklöf and Blue Strip, formed in 1991. Lefty Leppänen, a worldclass

slide virtuoso, is also known from his previous work with the Keystone Cops.

The two of them, along with bassist Chef, present a smorgasbord of songs. These

three are scrumptious:

Track 02: “I’m a Guitar Man” – This autobiographical, up-tempo tune with a rollicking

beat and witty lyrics could (and probably should) have been first. Lefty Leppänen

launches into it with friendly ferocity: “Started out as a troubadour; I played the

streets and bars. I never made the headlines like ‘em rock and roll stars. But I don’t

mind – I’m a boy no more, and I’ve found the thing that I’m looking for.” His mastery of

the National steel guitar is consummate, especially on the song’s bridge. He also

sings carefree lead vocals, which are only a trifle hard to understand.

Track 03: “Up the Wall” – The title track is a traditional electric blues stomp, featuring

a killer electric guitar refrain by Lefty and whip crack-style sound effects to mark the

beat. Everything about “Up the Wall” screams ’blues purist heaven’ in blazing red

neon lights. “Gimme your number,” Micke pleads repeatedly, but when punctuated by

the cracking sound, it seems far more like a command than a request. Is this a

romantic song? Maybe not, but it’s danceable anyway.

Track 08: “Busy” – Number eight may be considered the flip side of “Up the Wall”,

after all the metaphorical ‘climbing’ has been accomplished. Our narrator has found

that it’s time to settle down: “Workin’ like a bee, lovin’ like a man. Feeding the tribe, I

do the best I can. I’ve been busy – I’ve been a good ole family guy. I’ll keep the big

wheels a-rollin’ until the day I die.” Micke plays suitcase, hi-hat drums and triangle

while Lefty takes the vocal lead again.

Included with this album is a handy lyrics booklet. Micke and Lefty will drive blues

fans Up the Wall – with desire to hit the ‘play’ button on their CD players!

Bman´s Blues Report, USA

I just received the newest release, Up The Wall, by Micke & Lefty (Featuring Chef).

Opening with acoustic ballad, You Better Me, Micke Björklöf on vocals,

drums&percussion, harmonica, guitar, Lefty Leppänen on vocals, acoustic- and national

steel guitar and Chef on vocals and bass sing in incredibly sweet harmony. I’m A

Guitar Man is an acoustic track featuring alternating vocal leads and hard driving Texas

style boogie. Lead resonator guitar soloing by Lefty is quick and clean. Up The Wall

has a simple country blues feel with cool guitar and harp riffs under vocal lead by

Micke, and clean bass and drums. Clean Up opens with a cool slide riff and had a early

sixties rockabilly feel. Slick slide work throughout and clever vocal backing make this

one of toe coolest tracks yet. Come Here Pretty Baby again showcases cool vocal

harmonies and clever guitar finger work. Ultimate All Around Man has a bit of a Cajun

feel with a light march beat from Micke. With it’s light springy feel and Lefty’s cool

resonator work and lead vocals make this a radio likely favorite. Good Friend has the

feel of a contemporary “old style” country blues. Nice acoustic 12 string by lefty and

harp work by Micke highlight this track. Busy really has a fast paced rhythm with train

like rhythm and slick country infused blues guitar riffs. Very nice! Attention again rubs

up against the rockabilly fence with rim shots and vocal harmonies. Nicely coordinated

guitar and harp lead gives this track additional spunk. You Know has a really nice bass

opening by Chef. With a general feel of St James Infirmary, this is a cool dramatic track

with nice vocal harmonies, a willowy harp solo from Micke and spatial pedal steel work

from Lefty. Good Ol’ Train has a real country flavor with soft country vocals and

featuring a really sweet guitar solo from Lefty. Pablo Grolin also adds a cool organ part

throughout. Tony Joe White’s Poke Salad Annie gets a more Latin feel but maintaining an acoustic sympathy and slide guitar overdrive. Nice take on a classic track. Wrapping the track is Don’t Take It So Hard, a melodic ballad. Again strong vocal harmonies highlighted by Lefty on guitar, banjo and mandolin define this track. A full bluegrass breakdown provides a fitting close for an interesting release.