The long lost blues album from 2011 finally sees the light of day. Unreleased originals plus songs by Sonny Boy Williamson, Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, ZZ Top, a tribute to late great J.J. Cale and more. Rootsy, raw, bluesy with lots of slide guitar. Now available in glorius HiRes-audio on Bandcamp. Includes PDF booklet with liner notes, production information and details on the instruments used for this album.
I have never seen myself as a blues artist. While the blues were (and still are) part of the foundation of what I do I rarely played blues music on stage or recorded blues songs. When I left my friend Detlev Hoegen’s fabulous label CrossCut Records (now part of Bear Family) and signed with Edgar Heckmann’s famed Americana label Blue Rose Records the idea of a CrossCut box set came up. The initial plan was to release the In Concert shows we did in 2001 with Sonny Landreth on DVD plus one disc with unreleased recordings from the CrossCut years. While sifting through archive material I realised that the time to record a blues album had come. So I did just that.
«Get A Move On» got finished in 2011 and has been sitting quietly on a shelf somewhere. The box set has never been completed (record business troubles, yadayadayada) but these songs by Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Randy Newman, ZZ Top, Bob Dylan, Nick Lowe as well as some unearthed originals never left the back of my head for long. Some of these made appearances in live shows over the years, like «Wait Till Summer Comes», a tribute to the late great J.J. Cale.
Now the time has come to release this «lost» album, remastered in HiRes-audio (24bit/44.1 kHz) for digital release. Consult the booklet PDF for liner notes about the songs and the production. This is the first in a series of digital only archival releases, to be continued in 2026. Available exclusively through Bandcamp. No streaming, can’t do that anymore.
Jetzt auf CD und als Download auf Bandcamp erhältlich: das Debüt-Album «Fär immär» von Adrian Almendinger aus Leuk VS. 13 Songs in Walliserdeutsch, produziert und arrangiert von Hank Shizzoe.
Die Anfrage lief über meinen Freund Tom Etter. Da gäbe es einen Walliser Singer-Songwriter, der mit 51 Jahren sein Debüt(!)-Album aufnehmen wolle. Nach einem ersten Treffen im Sportstudio Länggasse war schnell klar, dass Hank und Adi dieses Album gemeinsam anpacken würden. Bis im Sommer 2025 feilten sie an den Songs, im August wurden in zwei Sessions die Basic Tracks aufgenommen. Am Schlagzeug sass Lukas Bitterlin (der auch in Adi’s Liveband spielt), am Kontrabass Hank’s langjähriger Weggefährte Michel Poffet. Hank spielte elektrische und akustische Gitarren, Lap und Pedal Steel, Bouzouki, Banjo, Mandoline und Perkussion. Adrian Almendinger sang und spielte akustische Gitarre. Dann kam Ben Jeger im Studio vorbei und spielte die Hammond C3 Orgel und Klavier. Schliesslich sangen Adi’s Backgroundsängerinnen Recha-Maria Dängeli und Anita Moser auf drei Songs et voilà.
Entstanden ist ein Album, das man in der Kategorie «Walliser Americana» einreihen sollte. 13 ehrliche, schnörkellose Songs aus der Abteilung Singer-Songwriter, geschrieben von einem, der weiss, was er singt. Warme, berührende Balladen, Anklänge von Country & Western, rockige und folkige Töne, schöne Gitarren und gute Geschichten. Alles wohlklingend aufgenommen und abgemischt, bevor Oli Boesch erneut ein formidables Mastering ablieferte. Das Album «Fär immär» gibt es direkt über die Website von Adrian Almendinger auf CD zu kaufen. Wer es lieber digital mag, geht auf Bandcamp, wo das Album gestreamt oder im bevorzugten Format (bis 24bit HiRes-Audio) gekauft werden kann.
The live album «Lift Off» was recorded on the final night of the «Songsmith» tour on January 18th 2015. Hank, Tom Etter and Simon Baumann performed a headlining set at the Bejazz Winterfestival at Vidmarhallen in Berne, Switzerland. Luckily a complete multitrack recording setup was at hand and the show was recorded digitally. A first mix was made available as bonus content with the first pressing of the 2015 album «This Place Belongs To The Birds». You can now download it on the Bandcamp website in glorious HiRes-Audio or every other format you like. More information and clips here.
This digital release is the first in a series of albums that will follow in 2025. Next up is an archival compilation of unreleased recordings 1991 – 2010 and then the long lost blues album «Get A Move On» from 2010 will see the light of day. Finally we have a compilation of Hank’s soundtrack and film score recordings in the pipeline. Plus, if everything works out as planned, new music that is currently being recorded in the studio will be made available later in the year. Lots of stuff to come. Stay tuned. By the way: All these releases will be digital only and won’t be available on streaming platforms. Can’t do that anymore.
If you’re into CDs and vinyl, check out our shop. At The Hank Shizzoe Store you will find the new album ONE MORE DAY, lots of out of print records and rarities PLUS tasty guitars, amps, effect pedals, microphones and whatnot. Come on in, we’re open.
«One More Day», Hank Shizzoe’s 17th album was released on September 16th 2024 on CD, limited edition Double LP and Hi-Res-download. 13 songs, six originals, a handful of traditionals and carefully selected covers, all played by a crack band and sounding mighty fine.
«One More Day» was recorded in early 2024. One session with the full band (Tom Etter on guitars, Michel Poffet on upright bass, Simon Baumann on drums) and one session in a folk setup with Etter and Poffet plus irish singer Shirley Grimes. Guests include Luke Bulla from Austin, TX on fiddle. He was a member of Lyle Lovett’s Large Band and played with everybody from Tony Rice, Shawn Colvin and Ricky Skaggs to Alison Krauss, Rodney Crowell and Patty Griffin. The man’s a master on his instrument! The great Ben Jeger played Hammond Organ and piano, Christian Brantschen tinkles the ivories on one song. All recorded with top notch studio equipment, expertly mixed and mastered. You won’t believe your ears!
«One More Day» studio session photographed by Luis Gautschi
Hank Shizzoe photographed by Luis Gautschi
«One More Day» is an Americana-album with a clear focus on songs – and guitars. Although there are only a few guitar solos on these 13 tracks, the music is driven by six string artistry. Tasteful electric guitar textures go hand in hand with expertly captured acoustic instruments, resulting in classy arrangements and sounds. The album covers a wide musical spectrum from hard driving rock to laid back foot-tappers and gentle, warm folk songs.
Luke Bulla photographed by Donna Green/DG Photos
Hank: «My songwriting gained more depth, I work a lot more on my songs, give them time to grow. I used to write impulsively, following the initial spark. These days I tend to try out different keys, beats and arrangements. By the time we went into the studio a lot of these songs – and that includes the traditionals and covers – had seen a great variety of incarnations. We were very focused and at the same time left room for spontaneous developments. Interplay between musicians is really important, even more so when you play with masters. You move air together. Resonance is what you’re after. I think we succeeded beautifully and I’m very proud of this, my 17th album.»
🦬 Tracklist
01 A LOAD I CAN CARRY*
02 MY GREAT ESCAPE *
03 CRYING IN MY SLEEP (written by Nick Lowe)
04 SHENANDOAH **
05 GETTING IT WRONG*
06 INVISIBLE MAN*
07 PLAYING GAMES *
08 DUSTY SKIES (written by Cindy Walker)
0 9 ALL AROUND THIS WORLD**
10 WHEN THE WALL COMES DOWN (written by M.C. Taylor)
11 WE KNOW WHERE WE BELONG*
12 ONE MORE DAY (written by Roy C. Bennett & Sid Tepper)
13 WAYFARING STRANGER**
* Originals
** Traditionals
🦬 Credits
Hank Shizzoe–Vocals, Guitars, Pedal and Lap Steel, Banjo, Bouzouki, Bass
Tom Etter–Guitars,Vocals, Shakers, Tambourine
Michel Poffet–Upright Bass
Simon Baumann–Drums
with
Shirley Grimes–Vocals
Luke Bulla–Fiddle
Ben Jeger–Hammond Organ, Piano
Christian Brantschen–Piano
Produced by Hank Shizzoe
Recorded by Tom Etter and Joseph Racine at Sportstudio Bern, assisted by Rolf Luginbühl . Additional recording by Tom Etter at The Zoo, Bern and by Luke Bulla in Austin, TX . Mixed by Joseph Racine at Sportstudio Bern . Mastered by Oli Bösch at Livingroomstudio Bern . Artwork by Babs Fischer and Hank Shizzoe.
«One More Day» is available on CD (Digifile) and vinyl (limited edition double LP in gatefold sleeve, Sides A/B 33 rpm, Sides C/D 45 rpm) and 24bit-Download. Worldwide distribution through hankshizzoe-store.com. Additionally, CD and 2LP are available at selected record stores and independent mail order services. «One More Day» is not available on streaming platforms Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, youtube, Amazon Prime etc.
Listening to a take at Sportstudio Länggasse. L-R: Hank Shizzoe, Simon Baumann, Tom Etter, Michel Poffet. Front center: Rolf Luginbühl. Photo by Luis Gautschi.
