In den frühen 60ern packte jenen Mann, den Bo Diddley als "one helluva guitar player" beschrieb, die Liebe zum Blues und sie hat bis jetzt nicht losgelassen. Es war vor allem der emotionsgeladene Country Blues mit seinem erdigen Sound, der es Hans Theessink angetan hatte und so die Hauptrolle in seinem Werdegang als Musiker spielte.

Kein Wunder, daß seine gefühlvolle Interpretationen des Acoustic Blue inzwischen auch zu seinem weltweit anerkannten Markenzeichen geworden sind. Neben musikalischen Schlüsselfiguren wie Big Bill Broonzy oder Brownie McGhee, war der legendäre Leadbelly einer der größten Einflüsse für Hans. Leadbelly war als wandeldes SongArchiv bekannt, sattelfest in den verschiedensten Stilrichtungen. Diese musikalische Bandbreite ist auch für HansTheessink charakteristisch. Seine Wurzeln liegen zwar fraglos im Blues, aber er hat sich auch von anderen Formen der Roots Music inspirieren lassen. Mit seinen eigenen Songs hat er immer wieder erfolgreich Brücken zur Gegenwart schlagen können, nicht zuletzt durch aktuelle Themen, deren er sich in seinen Liedtexten annahm.

Theessinks erste Platte kam 1970 auf den Markt. Seither hat sich seine Musik kontinuierlich weiterentwickelt und zuletzt einen Status erreicht, welcher für einen Europäer einzigartig ist. Bestätigung dafür sind die zahlreichen Einladungen zu den renommiertesten nordamerikanischen Musik Festivals wie dem "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival", dem "Chicago Blues Festival", dem "Kerrville Folk Festival", dem "Philadelphia Folk Festival", dem "Toronto Soul & Blues Festival", dem "Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival", dem "Edmonton Folk Festival" und dem "St.Louis Blues & Heritage Festival".

Im April 1998 feierte Hans seinen 50. Geburtstag. Aus diesem Anlaß brachte das deutsche Label "Minor Music" das Album "Blue Grooves from Vienna", sozusagen als Jubiläumsgabe, heraus. Die CD ist eine Mischung aus Nummern von älteren Alben und seltenen Aufnahmen. Wenig später im gleichen Jahr kam auch "RTL3 - Gitarre x 3" eine Zelebration akustischer Gitarrenmusik heraus. Hans musiziert hier 4 gemeinsam mit den beiden österreichischen Gitarristen Peter Ratzenbeck and Michael Langer.

Hans ist einer der vielbeschäftigsten Musiker der internationalen Blues-Szene. Er spielt mindestens 200 Konzerte im Jahr -fand aber trotzdem die Zeit, 1998 auch noch die neue CD lifeline seine 15.) zu veröffentlichen.

PRESSE TXT / DEUTSCH

CAN A DUTCHMAN SING THE BLUES? YOU BET! (Frets Magazine, USA)

ONE HELLUVA GUITARPLAYER (Bo Diddley musiclegend, USA)
EUROPEAN SLIDEMASTER SMASH HIT AT BLUESFEST! (Chicago Tribune, USA)

WHAT A VOICE! (Hot Press, Eire)

Theessinks' re-workings of traditional delta-blues are light years past any other contemporary bluesman. His own songs are capable of standing up to the clossics. (Metro West/Boston, USA)

European acoustic bluesmaster Hans Theessink con play guitar with the greats. "Mississippi" and "Blind Willie" - both original compositions - found brilliant quitarsolos with great feeling. (Austin American Statesman, USA)

You may not think of Europe os a hotbed of the blues, but that's only if you haven't heard the dazzling work of Hans Theessink. Armed with a smokin' repertoire he breathes new life into acoustic blues. (Guitarplayer Magazine, USA)

Hans is from Holland, but that doesn't stop him from playing some heartfelt blues. He has internalized this idiom - nothing academic in his fingers, it's all feeling. (Philadelphia City Paper, USA)

Hans Theessink is both a keen student of tradition and an exploratory improviser. His presence, alongside Taj Mahal and John Jackson, assured a savory combination of roots and innovation - a living celebration of timeless Music. (Chicago Tribune, USA)

Hans Theessink is the most creative musician working in the bluesidiom in Europe - certainly the most original and convincing that I've heard. (Blues & Rhythm, GO)

Hans' innovative interpretations of works by bluesgiants, his deep voice, intimate approach, and acoustic slide guitur will inevitably remind many listeners of Ry Cooder's blues style. It would be a disservice to Theessink however, to cast him as a simple imitator, for he is not. His own songs convey the personal interpretive mood of the best of acoustic blues, and is accomplished in a singular, arresting manner. (journal of American Folklore)

His greatest assets lie in a deep resonant voice and the ability to convey a powerful but restrained approach to his guitar craft, particularly in his emotive bottleneck playing. Indeed Theessink displayed the tightest control of dynamics of any acoustic/electric musicians I have seen recently. (Blue Print, GR)

He moves your soul like a good confession. The man has a special gift. When he puts the slide on his pinky, he takes the audience right to the heart of the Mississippi Delta. What sets him apart is stage presence and love for his medium which makes you feel like you're sitting with the man in his living-room. (Reflex Magazine, USA)

His in-the-pocket guitarwork makes for unique music. Theessink's knack for making country-blues contemporary should make him a major new artist in the blues world. (New Music Report, Canada)

Hans played some outstanding und inventive bottleneck guitar with great style und feeling. (Folk Roots, GB)

The most exciting bluesguitarplaying you're likely to hear on these shores. (Hot Press, Eire)

Adventurous blues fans love him, und even the hard-liners can't help but enjoy Europe's answer to Ry Cooder. Hans has got an instantly recognisable sound und he's also a strong, confident composer, often of songs with a social conscience. Thankfully he never gets preachy or sentimental. (Blues on Air, Australia)

With a whiskey-soaked voice und the ability to play almost anything with strings well Hans Theessink cooks up a tasty mix of originals und traditional blues. Each song is performed with a sparse yet funky sound. (New Music Report, USA)

Theessink helps us realize how wealthy our American musical heritage truly is - via Vienna! (Northwest Arkansas Times)

For slide blues lovers, Theessink who sings in a pleasing deep voice - is a find. He left the stage after several encores with an audience wanting to hear more (The Hartford Courant, USA)

His guitar-playing showed impeccable control und yet he played with such depth of feeling und energy that the music proved irresistable to the audience. (Jersey Evening Post, Jersey)