Raw americana with contemporary blues rock: European Blues Challenge winner Harlem Lake relives the 1970s.
It’s quite rare for a Dutch band to completely blow away a venue or festival, but Harlem Lake has built up quite a resume across Europe. The quintet tends to impress with their energetic show that makes you long for the 60s and 70s and yet feels like you’ve never heard it before.
”Through Rock, Blues and Soul, the Dutch show incredible depth and a feeling of perfect fluidity, all guided by the intense and powerful voice of their singer. Monumental.” - Rock ‘n Force
Every week Harlem Lake proves that good blues music can be found outside the US and England and so their band name proudly refers to their home base: the Haarlemmermeer polder. Harlem Lake already took their idiosyncratic southern blues across the border, culminating in winning the European Blues Challenge in Sweden (2022).
In autumn 2021, the band self-released their debut record ”A Fool’s Paradise vol. 1” which was well received by international press. Singer Janne Timmer and keyboardist Dave Warmerdam wrote most of the songs during the pandemic. Despite all the cancellations, they turned this period into a musical bloom.
On the 24th of February, Harlem Lake delights their fans with a new record. ‘Volition Live’ contains 6 songs from ‘A Fool’s Paradise vol. 1’, 6 covers and 1 new original, all recorded live. The band recorded two of their biggest live shows of 2022; mainstage Culemborg Blues (28.08.22) and a theatre show at Better Get Hit Festival (10.09.22). The best of both worlds made the cut: the ecstatic energy from the festival stage as well as the honest focus from a theatre hall.
Occasionally, Harlem Lake’s strength as a quintet is enhanced by their XXL band, adding horns and backing vocals, and of course the new live album is recorded with this 10-piece band. Not just on the record, but especially live, they excite listeners with thrilling guitar and organ work by Sonny Ray and Dave Warmerdam, supported by jam masters Kjelt Ostendorf and Benjamin Torbijn on bass and drums. The four guys accompany their singer, Janne Timmer, who takes the listener on an exciting journey with her soulful yet powerful voice.
“Musically, there are some parallels to an American band in which partners also play a formative role. So there were quite a few of the visitors who made comparisons with the Tedeschi Trucks Band. What can be said in any case is that Harlem Lake doesn't need to hide behind prominent acts in the genre.” - Sounds of South about their show at Die Kantine in Cologne.
Besides their genre transcending sound, seasoned blues men Robert Cray and Walter Trout, among others, revealed to be impressed by the band. Trout invited them as his support act in the Netherlands (2021) and when reunited at Swing Wespelaar in Belgium (2022), Sonny Ray was featured during Trout’s show.
”Their guitarist, Sonny Ray, articulates with feeling, winks at the greats and weaves beautiful polyphonic tapestries.” - Musicmaker
Harlem Lake is currently working on their third studio album, which is a follow-up on the previous one and will be called: ‘A Fool’s Paradise vol. 2’.
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