Biography
Volker Strifler Band (VSB), See also The Volker Strifler Band a popular Northern California based tour-de-force of musical talent, has become a rising musical phenomenon garnering local, regional and national recognition. VSB is fronted by their namesake and founder, Volker Strifler, whose remarkable talents as singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist extraordinaire are helping propel both him and the entire band toward world-wide recognition.
It's not hard to understand why VSB is making such a splash. This band moves languorously from jazz and roots, to blues/rock and a funky calypso rhythm; with performances highlighted by their show stopping guitarist, a thundering rhythm section, white hot horns, and one funky, soulful keyboardist!
Spiced with the British flavor of Peter Green and Eric Clapton and infused by the stylings of artists like Wes Montgomery and Ry Cooder , Strifler creates music that ranges from modern Blues rock to soulful chunky back beats reminiscent of a mid 50’s R&B ballads, blending it all with country blues/roots and touches of jazz. The mixture is topped off with the lazy, slurred singing style of Strifler’s husky vocals producing the seductive magic of music performed with deep conviction and amazing originality. With the upcoming release of his newest CD “Let the Music Rise” Strifler expertly crafts songs that achieve the near-impossible feat of not only creeping into the brain but under the skin, borrowing from every decade, not just the classic blues era of the 1940s.
While he has recorded and/or toured with many of the top modern blues artists like Ford, Chris Cain and the Ford Blues Band he has spent time learning from legends like Lowell Fulson. Strifler proves that “blues” is a feeling more than a style, giving his tunes a solid anchor but not confining himself to genre clichés.
I love traditional blues; I listen to it in my car, but I’m not keen on emulating it. There are guys out there like Nick Moss who floors me he’s so good at it. (But) I want to give a sense of hearing something you won’t hear anywhere else. Volker Strifler
However it is his songwriting that truly stands out from the crowd, lending a caring sensitivity that erases lines and connects his audience by recognizing that life is the ultimate shared experience, one that is defined by both joy and sorrow and an acute social awareness. He has a compelling soulful voice that is confident but not brash putting life in perspective offering frank discourse and humor dealing with the tribulations that periodically come our way. Strifler aptly proves that music is a refuge where optimism and human resiliency reign, souls are cleansed and spirits raised.
Spiced with the British flavor of Peter Green and Eric Clapton and infused by the stylings of artists like Wes Montgomery and Ry Cooder , Strifler creates music that ranges from modern Blues rock to soulful chunky back beats reminiscent of mid 50’s R&B ballads, blending it all with country blues/roots and touches of jazz. The mixture is topped off with the lazy, slurred singing style of Strifler’s husky vocals producing the seductive magic of music performed with deep conviction and amazing originality.
Strifler spent his childhood in Heidelberg Germany and didn’t start playing music until he sold his motorcycle at the age of 17 after he, and two friends, decided to start a band. They played a lot of rock & roll (UFO, Scorpions, the Sex Pistols whatever was happening) on US Army bases until an American ex-G.I. hired them as a back up band for traditional American Blues songs. Strifler continues to marry enough blues styles to grab the casual listener by the throat and reconsider the form. From upbeat dance songs to down-home back porch scorchers he conjures up an enticing mixture of old and new styles with hard to find originality amply validating he is a talent to be reckoned with. In 1996 Volker recorded his fledgling solo release titled ‘Full Moon’ then in 2002 released his eponymous 1st release on Blue Rock’It records to great reviews. It is compiled of mostly originals and showcases his talents as a player, singer, songwriter. The release of his third solo CD ‘The Dance Goes On’ shows just how gifted Strifler is as a guitar player, singer, songwriter as well producer. As proof, the CD was added to play lists in numerous radio markets throughout the United States and abroad, including the legendary WWOZ in New Orleans, San Francisco’s KPFA, Santa Cruz’s KPIG and many more.
“One of my favorite releases of the year, it’s as impressive lyrically as it is musically. That he’s a killer guitarist with a superb voice adds to the overall appeal…” Mark Gallo of Blues Bytes writes.
Strifler has also lent his talents to the Ford Blues Bands releases of ‘Tribute To Paul Butterfield’ ‘In Memory Of Michael Bloomfield’ ‘Another Fine Day’ and ‘1999’ as well as currently fronting the band, touring Europe and the US.
www.volkerstrifler.com
Band line-up and bios:
Volker Strifler: Guitar and Vocals
Gary Silva: Drums
Don Bassey: Bass
David Schrader: Saxophones
Carl Bowers: Trombone
(Chip) Roland Condon: Organ and Piano
Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Feel free to contribute!
All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
