Michael Van Merwyk - Blues Everywhere I Go

Album: Blues Everywhere I Go
Size: 98,1 MB
Time: 42:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Styles: Blues, roots
Art: Front, back

1. Blues Everywhere I Go (4:49)
2. I Never Really Thought About Evil (4:46)
3. Raise Your Voice (7:18)
4. Cool Down (2:06)
5. Abi's Boogie (5:07)
6. All Because Of You (4:33)
7. Bye Bye Blues (4:04)
8. Feel Like Going On (3:40)
9. Liars & Fools (6:10)

The 2m blues giant Michael van Merwyk celebrates his 40th stage anniversary in 2024 with his new album "Blues Everywhere I Go" on Timezone Records. His music is a testament to a deep connection to the roots of the blues, coupled with a sincere passion and an unmistakable sound. As an acclaimed songwriter, he has been able to capture the essence of human emotion in his lyrics and express it with his powerful voice. His musical journey has taken him from the streets of Memphis to the stages of Moscow, and from the far reaches of Scandinavia to the sun-drenched Canary Islands. Van Merwyk's performances are not just concerts, but emotional experiences that take the listener on a journey through the spectrum of human emotions.

The multi-award-winning German guitarist, slide guitarist, singer and songwriter is a "songster" who travels from city to city to play his songs as the soundtrack to an evening in clubs, bars, pubs, festivals and living rooms. For his new album "Blues Everywhere I Go", he has recorded his oldschool deep blues, roots music and boogie with a number of experienced musicians such as blues legend Abi Wallenstein. The music is driven by raw rhythms, intense blues vocals and wild slide guitars. Eight new songs penned by MvM and a cover version of Phil Wiggins' "Cool Down" tell stories of the ups and downs of life and all the shades in between...just the way life goes.

The album was recorded over two days with two different bands in two different studios. For the "Hamburg Session", Abi Wallenstein (guitar), Martin Röttger (drums), Georg Schroeter (piano), Marc Breitfelder (harp) and MvM met at the HOME studios in Hamburg. At the "Bielefeld Session", MvM went into the "Watt Matters Studio" with his companions Ollie Gee (bass), Ollie Spanuth (drums) and the charming duo "White Coffee" (background vocals). The result is an exciting, raw and modern blues album with a distinctive voice, rich groove and lots of slide guitar. And all with the unmistakable musical stamp of Michael van Merwyk. The listener will feel better after listening and leave his blues at the checkroom.

Blues Everywhere I Go mc
Blues Everywhere I Go gofile

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Delta Boys - Front Porch Stories

Size: 163,7 MB - 443 MB
Time: 71:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s - Flac
Released: 2010
Styles: Acoustic- harp blues
Art: Front

1. 29 ways (2:41)
2. Circumstances (5:27)
3. Big fat mamas (2:06)
4. Coffee! (2:58)
5. In the dark (3:00)
6. I don't wanna know (4:03)
7. Memos's swing (3:31)
8. Bad blues (4:58)
9. I wonder why (3:29)
10. Going down the road (2:47)
11. I can see clearly now (4:57)
12. Voodoo music (3:43)
13. Nobody knows me (2:45)
14. Singing waterfall (3:20)
15. Dark & stormy night (6:01)
16. Corina (2:31)
17. Smile & walk (3:44)
18. Tennessee waltz (3:41)
19. Ease my pain (5:39)

With their “Front Porch Stories” program, “The Deltaboys” turn the stage into a southern veranda (Front Porch). With acoustic guitars, many harmonica, two expressive voices and passionate enthusiasm for playing, they tell sad and amusing stories of love and life. The two musicians Michael van Merwyk and Gerd Gorke have both been on the road in acoustic music for over 25 years and both independently winners of the "German Blues Challenge" in which Germany's best blues musicians are chosen every year. Their acoustic blues and soul have so far sounded all over Germany and half of Europe. You could already hear your voices in the USA too.

Front Porch Stories MP3
Front Porch Stories FLAC

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Michael Van Merwyk - Blue River Rising

Size: 125.9 MB
Time: 53:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Acoustic Blues
Art: Full

01. Blue River Rising (6:00)
02. Won't Get Any Better (3:10)
03. Keep Sinking (3:53)
04. Strange Man (3:46)
05. Circumstances (5:20)
06. The Blues Will Do Your Heart Good (3:13)
07. Lonely Days (2:32)
08. Heal My Wounds (3:24)
09. I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore (5:08)
10. I Don't Want Your Millions, Mister (3:05)
11. Bye Bye Blues (3:17)
12. Dark & Dreary (2:29)
13. Road Of Life (4:18)
14. Travel On (3:43)

If you listen to Michael van Merwyk’s music with your eyes, you’ll see a very tall, imposing white German guy, with a Dutch name – an unlikely purveyor of the deep-roots, down-home blues. What’s he going to do, you might wonder. After all, he seems far removed from the origins of American roots music.
A much preferential method is to listen to music with your ears. Then you will hear an accomplished, fiery songster belting out fierce and emotive songs in the acoustic roots & blues tradition. He does it with reverence and dignity. He’s not faking a black accent, not disrespecting the African American heritage of this music that was rooted in the exploitation and oppression of the Jim Crow era. He’s not claiming to have invented it; or, giving himself false credit for keeping it alive. He plays it with respect and passionate devotion. In a deep, meaningful way with a tip of the hat to the originators during the golden era of this music.
He’s startingly good, as a singer/songwriter and guitarist, slide or fingerpicking. There have been great European blues singers and songsters since the mid-1960 as part of the folk & blues revival. Michael van Merwyk now deserves a seat at the table with the best of them. He sings in a rich tenor, almost baritone voice, and he is a swiftly skilled, virtuosic guitarist.
His new release “Blue River Rising“ has everything done right, exquisitely tasteful, well-crafted songs, with hot, superb instrumentation. All that in a generous set of songs, mostly written by van Merwyk. His harmonica partner Gerd Gorke plays along sensitively and elegantly, adding just the right touch to van Merwyk’s powerful and gritty merrymaking.
This fine album will give you a deserved dose of fun and joy in this mean pandemic, and that’s what roots & blues music has always done, give you lift in troubled, hard times. We need this now, the real deal, for sure, and it works like dynamite!

Blue River Rising MP3
Blue River Rising FLAC

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Michael Van Merwyk - The Bear

Size: 112,9 MB
Time: 48:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Shotgun Boogie (3:41)
02. Blues Stop Knocking (3:10)
03. Sometimes Angels Come In Red (3:59)
04. The Bear (Acoustic) (4:33)
05. We're Human (4:12)
06. It's Fun Being Crazy (4:03)
07. Deep Blue Sea (5:37)
08. Bad Blues (4:11)
09. Fool Yourself (2:52)
10. Dark & Stormy Night (5:03)
11. The Bear (7:07)

MvM is a highly decorated and well established figure in the european music scene and has paid his dues on numerous tours and sessions all over Europe. Over the years he earned several awards like „Best Blues Singer“ or Best Guitarplayer“ in germany and even placed 2nd at the IBC in Memphis in 2013 as the first european Band in the long history of the award. His encounters with international greats and local heroes have led to an ever deeper understanding of blues and roots music. He played Pubs, Cafés, Bluesfestivals, Singer/Songwriter Festivals and private Parties and has always the right songs for the right occasion. It ´s always about the music and the people. On his new CD “The Bear“ he is back to the Blues with stories about life’s ups and downs and in-betweens. No matter if MvM plays on his own with his beloved old Dobro or if he’s backed by a small band including the great Christian Dozzler on piano & harmonica, Micha Maas on drums and Tobi Fleischer on bass, there ´s always a relaxed but powerful energy in the music.

The CD starts with the sarky „Shotgun Boogie“ about the „shoot first, ask later“-mentality he experienced during a visit in Mississippi. There are lovesongs, like the kitschy, soul drenched „Sometimes Angels Come In Red“, straight blues like „It’s Fun Beeing Cra- zy“, folk influenced tunes like „Deep Blue Sea“ and a tribute to MvM ´s favourite Slideplayer Tampa Red on his cover of „Dark & Stormy Night“. There ´s a lot of slideguitar and lapsteel on the new album – uncompromising, atmospheric and as incisive as a surgeon ´s knife. The music is a mixture of genres from all over the world with a heavy dose of Blues: „American Music – Euro Style“. Recorded live at the Watt Matters Stu- dio in Germany with only a homeopathic dose of overdubs and effects. Just musicians in one room playing just one take for each song and the head for the next Pub. If you close your eyes you feel like one of the musicians, sitting right in the middle of the band. ~Blues Magazine.

The Bear MP3
The Bear FLAC

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Michael Van Merwyk - Songster

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:14
Size: 137.9 MB
Styles: Acoustic blues
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:06] 1. Heroes
[2:21] 2. reaking The Law
[3:27] 3. Bankrobber
[3:39] 4. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
[3:32] 5. Get It On
[4:16] 6. Black Is The Colour
[3:50] 7. Love Will Tear Us Apart
[4:06] 8. You've Got Another Thing Coming
[3:17] 9. Personal Jesus
[3:03] 10. Should I Stay Or Should I Go
[3:57] 11. I Was Made For Loving You
[3:41] 12. Over The Hill
[3:51] 13. Living After Midnight
[4:13] 14. The Number Of The Beast
[3:35] 15. I Feel You
[5:14] 16. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

An absolutely crazy acoustic cover album was recorded by blues musician Michael Van Merwyk with "Songster". With a deep voice and economical Dobro guitar he reduces the songs to the core. Some things can only be recognized through the text. That's the way Judas Priest, Iron Maiden or Kiss songs have never been heard. He was particularly good at the Judas Priest hit "Breaking the Law" and Michael Van Merwyk shows that a good song is just a good song, no matter in what form it is musically packaged. I would never have thought that the song "The Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden would be a Roots Blues version. Whether Depeche Mode, U2 or T-Rex, Michael Van Merwyk makes every song his own and thrills on all 16 tracks of the album with a deep growling voice and great slide guitar. All rock fans who sometimes have to think outside the box have heard this record. Strong 8 points for this courageous album. (Translated from German.) ~Chris Streider

Songster mc
Songster zippy

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Michael Van Merwyk - Fight The Darkness

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:12
Size: 98.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. The Well
[2:19] 2. Tell It Like It Is
[4:11] 3. Fuck You, Mr. Trouble
[2:32] 4. Heavy Load
[5:37] 5. Fight The Darkness
[2:05] 6. Just One Lie
[2:50] 7. Coffee
[3:13] 8. Motormouth Baby
[2:04] 9. Diddley Boogie
[3:56] 10. Count Your Blessings
[2:26] 11. The Way You Cook
[2:50] 12. So Endless The Night
[2:46] 13. Every Once In A While
[3:11] 14. If I Die Tomorrow

Not so long ago, Blues Magazine spent a pretty long article on Michael van Merwyk. An extremely active musician who brings out CDs in varying compositions with the regularity of the clock. In addition to his full band The Bluesoul, he regularly plays as a duo with harmonica player Gerd Gorke under the name The Delta Boys. But he also does not shy away from international collaborations, he did a tour with Larry Garner and he is regularly on the podium with Big Daddy Wilson. But he also picked up an old love in the meantime, the Westphalian band The Snooks, who released the first album 'Greatest Hits' twenty years after their existence. The Snooks is a Rock 'n Roll band that consists of two guitarists, a double bass player and drummer and brings own covers from Talking Heads, Eurythmics, Joy Division, Johnny Freeman, Ben Harper, Depeche Mode and David Bowie. As if that was not enough, Michael van Merwyk also started up Big Mike & Double Dynamite, a band that plays a combination of raw delta blues, soul, country, rockabilly with even a hint of polka. They themselves describe their music as wild bluesbilly where you have to imagine that Howlin 'Wolf is jamming with Hank Williams, or Bo Diddley is rocking with Merle Travis. Plate material has not delivered this formation yet, but that does not leave Michael van Merwyk long awaiting. In 2013 he joined Bluessoul at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and won second place. The last edition he and his duo partner Gerd Gorke took office during the thirty-third edition of this international festival in the category of soloists / duos. With another award for "Best Blues singer 2016" and "Best Blues guitarist 2016" in the pocket, the last period has been very successful for this gifted and likeable German blues artist. (Translated from Dutch.)

Fight The Darkness mc
Fight The Darkness zippy

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Michael Van Merwyk & Bluesoul - Ease My Pain EP

Size: 128 MB
Time: 23:48
File: FLAC
Released: 2014/2016
Styles: Acoustic Blues
Art: Front

01. Blues Keeps Calling My Name (2:58)
02. Happy Man (3:04)
03. Cheeky Darling (2:42)
04. A Soul Ain't Worth A Dime (4:46)
05. I Love Thinking About My Baby (3:42)
06. Easy My Pain (6:34)

Persone::
Michael van Merwyk (vocals, acoustic guitar, Dobro, Weissenborn)
Jochen 'Skinny Joe' Bens (acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo)
Bernhard Weichinger (snare, cymbal, cajon, percussion)
Ollie Gee (acoustic bass)

After winning the German Blues Challenge 2011, Michael van Merwyk & Bluesoul took second place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA, at the beginning of February 2013. The four musicians played confidently and confidently in the final with their fresh and independent music. "American Music - Eurostyle" caused a sensation in a field of 124 band acts from 16 countries. Their placement in the motherland of the Blues can be described as sensational, even more so because in the 29-year history of the IBC this was the first time a European band achieved a placement at all!

Michael van Merwyk's style is unmistakable: autodidactic and emotional. His voice growls like a mixture of D.r John and Johnny Cash, his guitar playing is funky like Johnny Guitar Watson and rough as Albert King. Whether acoustic, electric or on the lap-steel: if it has strings, it is played. His musical personality is equally popular with international musicians and organizers, so he was invited as one of the few Europeans with his band Bluesoul to the prestigious "Lucerne Bluesfest" and played on CDs by Larry Garner and Big Daddy Wilson. He regularly tours all over Europe - from Finland to the Mediterranean coast, from the Atlantic coast to Moscow. (Translated from German)

Ease My Pain EP

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Michael Van Merwyk & Bluesoul - New Shoes

Year: 2015
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:38
Size: 98,2 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues, rock
Scans: Front, back

1. Won't Get Any Better (3:16)
2. Warm (4:35)
3. Happy Man (3:41)
4. Lullaby (3:58)
5. New Shoes (2:46)
6. At Least Some Day (3:11)
7. Desire (5:37)
8. Lonely Days (1:52)
9. Heal My Wounds (4:15)
10. Ain't No Use (7:04)
11. Leaving (2:19)

After winning the German Blues Challenge 2011, Michael van Merwyk & Bluesoul took second place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA, at the beginning of February 2013. The four musicians played confidently and confidently in the final with their fresh and independent music. "American Music - Eurostyle" caused a sensation in a field of 124 band acts from 16 countries. Their placement in the motherland of the Blues can be described as sensational, even more so because in the 29-year history of the IBC this was the first time a European band achieved a placement at all!

Michael van Merwyk's style is unmistakable: autodidactic and emotional. His voice growls like a mixture of D.r John and Johnny Cash, his guitar playing is funky like Johnny Guitar Watson and rough as Albert King. Whether acoustic, electric or on the lap-steel: if it has strings, it is played. His musical personality is equally popular with international musicians and organizers, so he was invited as one of the few Europeans with his band Bluesoul to the prestigious "Lucerne Bluesfest" and played on CDs by Larry Garner and Big Daddy Wilson. He regularly tours all over Europe - from Finland to the Mediterranean coast, from the Atlantic coast to Moscow. (Translated from German)

Personnel: Michael van Merwyk (guitar, lap steel, vocals), Olli Gee (bass), Jochen Bens (guitars), Bernhard Weichinger (drums).

New Shoes mc
New Shoes zippy

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Michael Van Merwyk & Bluesoul - New Road

Year: 2012
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:45
Size: 140,3 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues
Scans: Front

1. New Road (5:15)
2. Gravy (5:18)
3. Darkest Night (3:45)
4. Call My Name (2:56)
5. Next Trouble To Come (3:09)
6. Hooked (6:50)
7. Road To Ruin (5:03)
8. Blue Feeling (6:08)
9. I Still Believe (4:30)
10. Don't Want To Know (4:32)
11. Diddley Bow (2:20)
12. Love Is Blind (4:51)
13. Lucky As Hell (2:03)
14. Will Love Find Me Again (3:59)

After winning the German Blues Challenge 2011, Michael van Merwyk & Bluesoul took second place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA, at the beginning of February 2013. The four musicians played confidently and confidently in the final with their fresh and independent music. "American Music - Eurostyle" caused a sensation in a field of 124 band acts from 16 countries. Their placement in the motherland of the Blues can be described as sensational, even more so because in the 29-year history of the IBC this was the first time a European band achieved a placement at all!

Michael van Merwyk's style is unmistakable: autodidactic and emotional. His voice growls like a mixture of D.r John and Johnny Cash, his guitar playing is funky like Johnny Guitar Watson and rough as Albert King. Whether acoustic, electric or on the lap-steel: if it has strings, it is played. His musical personality is equally popular with international musicians and organizers, so he was invited as one of the few Europeans with his band Bluesoul to the prestigious "Lucerne Bluesfest" and played on CDs by Larry Garner and Big Daddy Wilson. He regularly tours all over Europe - from Finland to the Mediterranean coast, from the Atlantic coast to Moscow. (Translated from German)

Personnel: Michael van Merwyk (guitar, lap steel, vocals), Olli Gee (bass), Jochen Bens (guitars), Bernhard Weichinger (drums).

New Road mc
New Road zippy

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Michael Van Merwyk - Catching The Rain

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:57
Size: 139.5 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Watch Out!
[5:22] 2. Hard Way To Go
[4:39] 3. Shut Up!
[3:57] 4. Here Comes Love
[3:20] 5. Cheeky Darling
[3:09] 6. I Love Thinking About My Baby
[5:38] 7. Tell Me Ya´ll
[3:01] 8. If You Want Me To Leave
[5:07] 9. A Soul Ain´t Worth A Dime
[3:43] 10. The Boogalizer
[4:26] 11. Smile And Walk
[4:04] 12. Love Grown Cold
[5:37] 13. Nothing But Life
[4:35] 14. Oh Yeah! 4.0

MICHAEL VAN MERWYK - gtr/voc, ANDREAS ARLT - gtr, RAPHAEL WRESSNIG - org/Wurlitzer, ERKAN ÖZDEMIR- bass, HENK PUNTER - drums.

Superb set of contemporary electric urban blues. Michael has been leading Blue Soul, one of the leading bluesbands from the central western region. This is his first solo album, recorded with a bunch of great players. Michael's a powerful vocalist and a stylish string bender. Excellent songwriting and recording. Highly recommended.

Catching The Rain mc
Catching The Rain zippy

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