Interview with Blues guitarist Eric Hansson. An interview by email in writing. 

Dear readers, get to know more about our US/EU Jazz – Blues Festivals and the activities of our US/EU Jazz – Blues Association in the capitals of Europe, we will soon publish program for 2024, enjoy in the July – August – Brussels, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Sofia, new addreses this year, also in Amsterdam, Budapest.

JB: – First, let’s start out with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music. How exactly did your adventure take off? When did you realize that this was a passion you could make a living out of?

Eric Hansson: – I grew up in a suburb of Stockholm, named Sätra. I listened to my dad’s and brother’s records and I got interested in learning how to play the guitar.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Festivals 2024

I started play on a guitar that my family got from our grandfather. As a youngster (14 years old) a blues musician Alan Finney gave me the opportunity to jam with him and his band on a blues club in Stockholm. I was there almost every weekend, this was probably the best music school for me. When I started my first own band and doing live performances, I realized that I want to be a professional musician.

JB: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?

EH: – I think I did what most other young musicians does, I tried to copy my idols as much as I could, then I worked on my own style/sound.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Festivals 2023

JB: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?

EH: – I have been playing myself a lot, for a certain period I have made up practice schedules. I tried to develop myself by playing in as many contexts as possible.

JB: – Have you changed through the years? Any charges or overall evolution? And if so why?

EH: – Yes I think every musicians does that. I play a lot, to be in as good shape as possible during the period that I record and have gigs.

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JB: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

EH: – I do not understand the question. 🙂

JB: – Are you fool man or idiot?

JB: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?

EH: – Yes, I´m okay with it.

JB: – How can we get young people interested in blues when most of standard tunes are half a century old?

EH: – I think it is important that today’s young people have the opportunity to take part in both modern and old blues, for examples in ordinary and music schools.

JB: – John Coltrane once said that music was his spirit. How do you perceive the spirit and the meaning of life?

EH: – I think one meaning of my life is to do and share my music.

JB: – If you could change one single thing in the musical world and that would become reality, what would that be?

EH: – If I had the chance to change something would be that kids all over the world would on a decent instrument.

JB: – Whom do you find yourself listening to these days?

EH: – I listen to old blues, jazz Johan Mayer, Gary Clark Jr, for new music experiences and rock music and Doyle Bramhall II.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Association 2023

JB: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine: where and why would you really want to go?

EH: – I would really like to be on a juke joint and listen to Robert Johnson.

JB: – So far, it’s been me asking you questions, now may I have a question from yourself…

EH: – My question to you: How do you think the blues scene will look like in 50 years?

JB: – It will be wonderful, but, thank God, I hope without empty-minded fools like you.

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Interview by Simon Sarg