Pilgrimage: Mississippi To Memphis

What happens if you take three young European artists (two Brits and a Finnish girl), all musically rooted in the Blues, yet untraditional in their approach, on a journey of discovery to the American South - in short a Blues pilgrimage? This release is the answer. Ruf's original plan was to include New Orleans in the recording locations but one week before the sessions were due to start, hurricane Katrina flooded the studio. In the event nine tracks were recorded over four days in the old-fashioned yet atmospheric Delta Recording Studio in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and a further four tracks over three days in the far more sophisticated Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. All but one of the tracks are originals written by one or other of the three featured stars. Thomas Ruf comments: "The endless fun we all had during the 'pilgrimage' is undoubtedly reflected in the music you hear on this record. The trip inspired a good deal of soul searching and maybe even some re-evaluation of musical values. I personally have not felt this excited about the music making process since the sad loss of Luther Allison in 1997. In just seven days of recording I was able to witness my three young artists develop, grow, and rediscover themselves in the wonderful American art-form we call the Blues."