JB & The Hüggeli – The Blues Supadupa
JB Records
11 tracks – 45 minutes
JB and The Hüggeli are from Horsens, a small town in Denmark. They started as a trio in 2015 using the Danish name Det Hyggelige Blues Band. The word hyggelige translated into English basically meaning cozy or pleasant and can be used as an expression of affection. Hüggeli does not have a direct translation but is also used as an expression to convey a sense of warmth and comfort. The band originally performed as a trio consisting of Jesper Bjarnesen on vocals, harp and guitar, Jais Eriksen on bass and Oscar “Big O” Eriksen on drums. They later added Hans Jergen “Hanse” Jensen on tenor sax. The current group is competed with the addition of Josef Baumgarten on piano and organ. Hanse joins with a six-piece horn band on three of the tracks. That ensemble includes Ole “Fesser” Lindgreen, an 87-year-old jazz legend on trombone.
The group describes their music as Texas and Chicago blues with a solid swing. The album opens with “Ain’t It Good” “to be free just to be what you want to be…but more important to go out and do good”. JB’s shows off some guitar licks with Hanse’s sax kicking in followed by a solo by Josef on organ. Notes of Stevie Ray Vaughan drift in. “Blues In My Hometown” does bring the swing. “When I turn on the amp and pull those six silver strings in blues for everybody in a tribute to all the Kings”. JB next declares “I don’t want to do nothing. I don’t to go nowhere. I just want to sit here in “My Comfy Chair”. You can almost feel him sitting there rocking while listening to the song. He slips some leisurely harp into the mix.
“Blues House Party” brings all the horns out for a jumping party song. He invites all of us to come along “I will tell you why. They have good people there. They have a barbeque. They have ice cold beer and whiskey too. They have a band on the stand tearing the place apart”. Sounds like a good time. “Ale 100” “makes me feel so blue cause I cannot drink Ale 100 without you. I wanted to drink and get high when you left and said goodbye”. ” I have been sober since you left me.”
“Not From Texas” has a notable history. In 2022, Texas guitar man Alan Haynes toured Europe and while in Denmark invited JB to sit in with him. For the occasion, JB wrote this song for the pair to play. The song cites JB’s dream to go to Texas to play there, particularly in clubs like Antone’s. JB decided to include the song on this record and invited Alan to record a guitar track for the album. He agreed and mailed a track to JB from his Texas studio. Alan owns Stevie Ray Vaughan’s 1962 Fender Stratocaster that he named “Red” and plays it for the addition on this track.
“Hüggeli Hüggeli” brings out the horns again for a rocking time announcing the band as a dance step noting “we will be happy here with you. There is no reason to be blue. The only thing we want to do is to try to make you happy too”. The band will “Get Funky” with Hanse’s sax leading the way and JB offering some excellent solo work and Josef’s organ humming along. “You Look Like a Blues Boy” “when you are walking down the street. You say hi to everybody and are kind to everyone you meet. But you got the blues on your mind and your heart is filled up too.”
“Get My Baby Back” gets thing rocking again as he declares “I got this woman; I don’t want to leave her alone.” If you see my woman, tell her I am coming back”. The title track, “The Blues Supadupa” is a celebration and tribute to the Danish blues community.
The band is excellent and would easily serve as a great addition to any blues festival in America. JB’s vocals are comfortable and inviting. The band is well ingrained into the Texas sound they want to emulate, but mixes things up to create their own unique vision of the blues.
