Richard Koechli & Blue Roots Compagnie

Artist Information

Biography

+++ The song "Mister Marketing Man" just made the RUNNER UP (top-thirty) at the Singer/Songwriter-Award, Round 6/2007 (We are listening.org) !! Thanks so much ! +++

Singer/Songwriter, Guitarist, Composer, Producer and author

Koechli is a professional and popular roots-musician from Switzerland since 1990.
He has played with many well known artists like Larry Garner (“…maybe I don't remember your face, but I never forget your Slide-guitar!”), Philipp Fankhauser, Hank Shizzoe, Jens Krüger, Yvonne Moore, Polo Hofer, Max Lässer, Reto Burrell, Jenny White, Andy Martin, N.Y.Cole, Keiser-Twins. He works as Studio musician and a producer for artists such as Daenu Brueggemann, KRIZZ or Blues-Max - and he has written two successful guitar-books for the famous German editor AMA ("Slide Guitar Styles" and "Best in the West“, translated in English and distributed by MELBAY). His new book „Masters of Acoustic Bluesguitar“ will be released 2008.

2002, Koechli decided to combine Celtic-Folkmusic with the Blues and he has produced an album called „Blue Celtic Mystery“ (MARA Records LC 06842). "Highly recommended!" (Glen Clifford, celtic-musicians.net). “He takes the myths of our lands and adds music that retains a hint of the ancient but is truly 21st century in style. He concocts new tales for our timeless times!“ (Nicky Rossiter, www.rambles.net ).

Koechli was a guitarist and instrumental-composer for a long time, but now he definitely seems to be on his way to the world of Songs. Together with his groovy and brilliant backup-band "Blue Roots Compagnie", Koechli just recorded a new album (meanwhile to be fourth), which presents him in best Singer/Songwriter manners and as a master of Slide guitar: The CD "laid-back" will be released in February 2008 on the label MARA-Records (LC 06842, distributed by AMA-Verlag, Cologne). Roots Music of the finest one, in two languages (French and English), sensitively produced! Koechli puts together the spirit of all his inspirations: from Blind Willie Johnson, Fred Mc Dowell and Elmore James to Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, from Gary Rafferty, Zachary Richard, Eric Clapton and Randy Newman to … his biggest influences: the laid-back-Masters J.J. Cale and Mark Knopfler.

Instrumentation

BLUE ROOTS COMPAGNIE (France):

Richard Koechli (vocals, guitars),
JeanMarie Peschiutta (acoustic-guitars, mandoline, backing-vocals),
Natalie Shelar (bass, backing-vocals)
Patrick Darnaud (drums, percussion)


BLUE ROOTS COMPAGNIE (Switzerland):

Richard Koechli (vocals, guitars),
Fausto Medici (drums, percussion),
David Zopfi (bass),
Heini Heitz (acoustic-guitars),
Michael Dolmetsch (keyboards, hammond)

Discography

As Composer/Artist

- Richi Köchli "Trains of Thought" (1993, greenmeadow)
- Richard Koechli "Envole-toi" (1997, Hear Wego 38237, cod)
- Richard Koechli "Blue Celtic Mystery"
(2003, MARA Records/AMA-626635)
- Richard Koechli "laid-back" (2008, MARA-Records/AMA-626668)


As producer/arranger:

- Hans Marty "gschpannt" (1999)
- Hans Marty, "vu miär zu Diär" (2003, Zytglogge-Verlag Zyt 4885)
- KRIZZ "Blue And Grey" (2004, Turicaphon ESP 73648)
- Daenu Brueggemann "Eis fuer e Blues und di"
(2005, Zytglogge-Verlag Zyt 4091)
- KRIZZ "Blue Moods" (2006, Turicaphon AG (AMC 9517510)


As author (books with CD):

- Richard Köchli "Slide Guitar Styles" (1997, AMA-Verlag, ISBN 3-927190-90-X)
- Richard Köchli "Best in the West" (2000, AMA-Verlag, ISBN 3-932587-35-9)
- Richard Köchli "Best in the West", English-Translation by Martin Theiler USA (2004, AMA-Verlag/MEL BAY, ISBN: 3-89922-015-3)
- Richard Köchli "Masters of Acoustic Bluesguitar" (will be released in 2008 by AMA-Verlag).

Official Website

http://www.richardkoechli.ch

Audio

• Promo Medley
  Listen  
• My Slide is crying
  Listen  
• Deep Water
  Listen  
• laid-back sur hamac
  Listen  
• Une derniere fois
  Listen  
• Searching for a new God
  Listen  
• Mister Marketing Man
  Listen  
• Blue Lord (Depression Blues)
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Deep Water
• My Slide is crying
• Une dernière fois
• Searching for a new God
• Mister Marketing Man
• Blue Lord (Depression Blues)

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• A wonderful album [+ Show ]
  

  about the last album (the new one will be released January 2008): "This album quotes Van Morris...about the last album (the new one will be released January 2008):
  
  "This album quotes Van Morrison's quip that Celtic music is blues for white people. Taking inspiration from the music of many Celtic lands, Richard Koechli decided to combine that music with the blues and he has produced a wonderful album in Blue Celtic Mystery. He takes the myths of our lands and adds music that retains a hint of the ancient but is truly 21st century in style. He concocts new tales for our timeless times.
  
  Opening with the strong "Gwydion," he then moves to a much more reflective instrumental called "Codiad yr Haul," or "Sunrise." The album veers between the poetic and the epic. Over two tracks, sung in German, he recounts "Business with Gnomes" and "The Finale for the Gnomes." His mastery of the acoustic guitar is evident on "The Barde Taliesin," a marvelous instrumental piece. My favourite track on offer here takes off from the traditional Celtic and brings us into Cajun country with "The Secret of the Old Cajun." It is sung in French and sounds all the better for it. From the Cajuns of the Bayou he slips seamlessly back to Ireland and "Thuatha De Dannan," the mythical tribe of the distant past. The track conjures pictures of virgin forest, tramping feet and mystical awakenings. The varying rhythms are wonderful to hear and remind us of the Celtic influence on world musical sounds.
  
  Over the course of 12 tracks, this album is a fine introduction to Celtic music for the novice and the veteran alike. The insert is packed with illustrations and background notes in three languages, and the lyrics translations are to be found on the website. This guy thinks of everything."

• an exciting hybrid [+ Show ]
  

  "The is an exciting hybrid of two beautiful art-forms, 'the Celtic and the Blues!' What is really im..."The is an exciting hybrid of two beautiful art-forms, 'the Celtic and the Blues!' What is really impressive about this, is that Koechli and his band managed to put something together without the domination of one side or the other ..... Then there is the original and self-sufficient rhythm of the entire production, which moves proceedings along very nicely. The track line-up on this is impeccable and the couple of instrumentals are delectable. Overall, a lovely achievement! BCM will be on the new playlists."
  
  Glen Clifford for Canberra Public Radio, November 03

• Pretty cool ! [+ Show ]
  

  " Van Morrison was presumably right when he said, the Celtic Music is the Blues for white people. Bu..." Van Morrison was presumably right when he said, the Celtic Music is the Blues for white people. But why not attempt to go one step further with this idea of Black and White and mix the `Blues of the Blacks' with the `Blues of the Whites' together? Yeah, why not. The people called it the Romans Celtae settled in what is today Switzerland and La Tène at the Lake Neuenburg names a whole era in human history. Some of them emigrated in 750 B.C. and finally even reached the British Isles. The Celts knew how to blow trumpet and horn, and the bards accompanied their songs of praise and mockery on lyra-like instruments. Then came the slide guitar, but that's a different story altogether. Richard Koechli is constantly in demand in the Swiss blues, country and rock circles. As slide guitar-player he is one of the Best in the West (which is also the title of one of his music books, perhaps we have the chance to review them as well in the near future). "Blue Celtic Mystery" is a fusion of Celtic folk and melodious blues and rock. Instrumental slide guitar pieces alternate with serene songs. Sometimes sheer powerful, sometimes pure melancholy: Today there are almost no Lamenters, and only superficially or seldom heard in the Blues. On the contrary the suicide rate is growing apparently unstoppable! My song is a personal attempt to explain the valuable traditions. The music is deadly serious, but Celtic cliches are commented upon with a twinkling in the eye. In the end, it's pretty cool ! "
  
  "Folk World" online music magazine
  Tom Keller, 5/2003
  http://www.folkworld.de

Setlist

Normally, Koechli plays 2 Sets (2 x 60 minutes); Songs from his new album “laid-back”, some tunes (instrumentals) from his older CDs, and some assorted cover-songs from the Folkrock- and Blues-roots. But he and his band are flexible and willing to be as close as possible to each event/audience.

Basic Requirements

Calendar