Richard Koechli & Blue Roots Compagnie

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." - Nicky Rossiter, August 2005 on www.rambles.net

"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 - Celtic World Radio, Australia

" 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 - Folk World, Tom Keller