Page 70 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2024 Digital Edition

Promoting and Preserving the Blues in Europe

The blues is alive and well throughout Europe – and the took part. In addition to networking with blues professionals
European Blues Union is paving the way! Professional blues and engaging in extensive brainstorming on a variety
activists in nearly every European nation have been committed of topics, those present also defined the conditions for the
to promoting the blues for decades. Festival promoters, foundation of an umbrella nonprofit organization dedicated
musicians, tour organizers, agents, magazines, radio DJs, to promoting the blues in Europe – and hence, the creation of
labels, distributors, clubs, blues societies, etc. are responsible the European Blues Union (EBU).
for preserving a truly dynamic scene characterized by The EBU is a nonprofit organization run solely by volunteers
idealism, personal commitment and a passion for blues music. that work together to support the blues in Europe. Today, the
However, the scopes of these blues proponents were often EBU includes members from 27 countries – Austria, Belgium,
limited to the borders of their own native countries. Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
In 2007, a project in Italy recognized this deficit and took Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
the first steps toward organizing a pan-European network of Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia,
blues activities, and in June 2008, the first European Blues Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom,
Conference took place in Parma, Italy, during Parma’s Roots Ukraine and the USA – and boasts a wide range of initiatives
& Food Festival. More than 70 participants from 18 countries to promote the blues.
The EBU has organized the European Blues Challenge
(EBC) with great success annually since 2011. The EBC is
held over a weekend in a different country every year and
showcases about 24 competing bands representing their
countries. Every participating country organizes an event or
national contest to select their representatives for the EBC,
and thus have helped to highlight local bands and grow
their national European blues scene. The 12 EBC in April
th
2024 was held in Braga, Portugal, and was expanded to a
three-day event for the first time. Of the 21 European member
countries participating, the winners were the Robbert Duijf
Band from the Netherlands (1 place), The Blue Benders from
st
Sweden (2 ) and Kiko & The Blues Refugees from Portugal
nd
(3 ). For the first time, the EBC also recognized the best solo/
rd
duo act, Dan Mudd featuring Bearbeat from Switzerland.
The European Blues Challenge has become the hub of EBU
EBU members connect at the Blues Market, which features exhibitors from across activities – in addition to the Challenge itself, the weekend
Europe. Photo courtesy of the European Blues Union also includes the EBU General Assembly of members, as well

68 Blues Festival Guide 2024