DOCKERY DAWGS - PRESS RELEASE

"Moan" is the title of the debut album from the Norwegian acoustic blues duo Dockery Dawgs. The record is released on Sonor Records in Trondheim. "Moan" contains 17 songs from all the greats from way back when in the history of the blues. Names such as Tommy McClennan, Bukka White, Robert Wilkins and Robert Johnson is represented on this album. Together with their six original songs, this makes for a nice and pleasant listen.

John and Geir started playing together in 1986, in a rock and roll band, but found in 1992 the blues and formed the band Blues Medicine. In 1998 they wanted to get to know the blues a little bit better and began to listen to acoustic bluesgreats such as Charlie Patton, Son House and Robert Johnson. After about a year of listening they decided to form a duo, and began to play acoustic blues.
One of their first gigs were at Hell Bluesfestival in 1999, and there's been a lot of festivals after that. Nidaros Bluesfestival 2000-2002, Lillehammer Bluesfestival 2000, Arctic Bluesfestival 2001, Sandnes Sykkelblues 2000, Blues for the people in Umeå, Sweden in 2001, Notodden Bluesfestival 2002 and Ørland Bluesfestival 2002.

The response has been good and the blues societies and clubs in Norway have so far been a great place to "preach" the blues, as they say. There has been an upswing in the Norwegian blues scene these last few years, and Dockery Dawgs are one of two duos that's really got it together.

Geir Engen Hansen - lead vocal, kazoo and jokes.
Geir has his daily job for NetCom GSM as, a phone company where he talks to customers all day. "There ain't none so angry that a little bit of singing can't help 'em make it through the day" - he says. This is 125 kilos of pure blues. And a voice that's got blues, soul and heart.

John Ivar Reitan - guitars, footstomp and backing vocals.
John works for Skaun County. The way he handles a guitar is just amazing. He can make a grown man cry when he picks up the slide and makes the guitar weep. Self-taught on the guitar and has received standing ovations for his playing. Not as heavy as his partner, but not exactly tiny, this one either.

When they started to listen to acoustic blues they first went for the "better known" artists, but found on their way a lot of "lesser known" players, such as Bukka White, Robert Wilkins, Bo Carter, Mississippi John Hurt, Tommy McClennan and Tommy Johnson. Together with the sweet inspiration of Muddy Waters and Howlin` Wolf, this makes for a nice blend of inspiration.
When they play it is humour, enthusiasm and the love for blues that shines through. They try to involve their audience in the music and the stories behind the music.

The name Dockery Dawgs comes from the old cotton farm of Will and Rice Dockery in the Mississippi delta. Dawgs is just a street slang for dogs.

With these guys on stage, you'll have blues history, humour and a hot evening of blues to look forward to.