New album «blues'n'classic» (live in concert) – by the renowned argovia philharmonic strings and Blues Award winner Richard Koechli's Blue Roots Company. A unique blend of Blues and Classical music, produced by the Bluesfestival Baden and the argovia philharmonic orchestra. 

Album digital (Streaming & Download):    

--> Official album documentary with interview (Youtube)

--> Album trailer (Youtube)
--> Short album trailer (Youtube)

Contrast, tension and harmony: two very different musical cultures meet and merge into one. A worldwide unique live show! «We blues musicians need the air of spontaneous ornamentation to breathe», says Richard Koechli, describing the way his genre works. In contrast, classical musicians work within fixed, notated structures, compositions and arrangements.

A spectacle full of contrasts, but the shared love of music holds everything together. The age-old recipe for harmony: both listen to each other, respond to each other. Richard Koechli and his blues musicians give up some of their free improvisation and are inspired by the aesthetics and order of classical music. The musicians of the argovia philharmonic strings are open to blue notes and sometimes also to spontaneous improvisation.

«blues'n'classic», an exclusive project launched by the Bluesfestival Baden and the argovia philharmonic Orchestra. On stage a 10-piece band, behind the scenes two renowned arrangers: Wolfgang Drechsler (who has worked for stars such as Patricia Kaas, Bobby McFerrin, Joe Zawinul and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra) and Jonas Arnet (the rising star among arrangers). Performed are songs written by Richard Koechli, standards from the blues world, compositions from the classical world as well as freely improvised pieces.

In what form was the album released?

The concert was recorded live (sound and film) on the occasion of the 20th Bluesfestival Baden on May 13, 2023 in the majestic monastery church of Wettingen (CH). The album is available as a CD; this CD also contains a link to the free streaming of the full-length concert video and to download the mp3 album. So even if you no longer have a CD player, this CD is still a great choice.

Order the CD:  --> Swiss music trade    --> International music trade

Copies signed by Richard Koechli (CHF/€ 29.- incl. shipping): please send an e-mail to Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.

On the other hand, the album is available on all digital platforms (streaming, download); however, without access to the full-length concert video.

Stream the full-length concert video (78 minutes): transfer € 6.- to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/RichardKoechli and you will receive the link for HD streaming by e-mail within 24 hours.

Impressions from the sold-out album release concert in CH-Aarau on May 1, 2024 (photos by Rolf Jenni) ...

Das neue Album «blues'n'classic» (live in concert) – die renommierten argovia philharmonic strings zusammen mit Blues Award-Gewinner Richard Koechli's Blue Roots Company. Eine weltweit einzigartige Vermischung von Blues und klassischer Musik, produziert vom Bluesfestival Baden und vom argovia philharmonic Orchestra. 

Album digital (Streaming & Download):   

--> Ausführliche Album-Doku mit Interview (Youtube)

--> Album trailer (Youtube)   --> Short album trailer (Youtube)

Gegensatz, Spannung und Harmonie: Zwei höchst unterschiedliche Musikkulturen treffen aufeinander, verschmelzen zur Einheit. Eine weltweit einzigartige Live-Show! «Wir Bluesmusiker:innen brauchen die Luft des spontanen Verzierens zum Atmen», beschreibt Richard Koechli die Arbeitsweise seines Genres. Im Gegensatz dazu bewegen sich klassische Musiker:innen in festen, ausnotierten Strukturen, Kompositionen und Arrangements.

Ein Spektakel voller Kontraste, doch die gemeinsame Liebe zur Musik hält alles zusammen. Das uralte Rezept für Harmonie: Beide hören sich zu, gehen aufeinander ein. Richard Koechli und seine Bluesmusiker verzichten auf einen Teil ihrer Improvisationsfreiheit, lassen sich inspirieren von der Ästhetik und Ordnung der klassischen Musik. Die Musiker:innen der argovia philharmonic strings lassen sich ein auf blue notes und teilweise auch auf spontanes Improvisieren.

«blues’n’classic», ein exklusives Projekt ins Leben gerufen durch das Bluesfestival Baden und das argovia philharmonic Orchestra. Auf der Bühne eine 10-köpfige Band, hinter den Kulissen zwei renommierte Arrangeure: Wolfgang Drechsler (der für Stars wie Patricia Kaas, Bobby McFerrin, Joe Zawinul oder die Münchner Philharmoniker arbeitete) und Jonas Arnet (der Senkrechtstarter unter den Arrangeuren). Gespielt werden Songs aus Richard Koechlis Feder, Standards aus der Blueswelt, Kompositionen aus der klassischen Welt sowie frei Improvisiertes.

In welcher Form erschien das Album?

Das Konzert wurde live aufgezeichnet (Ton und Video), anlässlich des 20. Bluesfestivals Baden am 13. Mai 2023 in der ehrwürdigen Klosterkirche Wettingen (CH). Das Album ist einerseits erhältlich als CD; diese CD enthält zudem einen Link zum kostenlosen Streaming des Konzert-Videos in voller Länge sowie zum Download des mp3-Albums. Wer also keinen CD-Player mehr besitzt, ist mit der CD dennoch voll bedient.

CD bestellen:  --> Musikhandel Schweiz   --> Musikhandel weltweit 

Von Richard Koechli signierte Exemplare (CHF/€ 29.- inkl. Versand): bitte e-mail an Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.

Andererseits ist das Album auf sämtlichen digitalen Plattformen (Streaming, Download) verfügbar; allerdings ohne Zugang zum Konzert-Video.

Konzert-Video in voller Länge (78 Minuten) streamen: € 6.- an https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/RichardKoechli überweisen, und Sie erhalten innert 24h per e-mail den Link zum HD-Streaming.

Impressionen vom ausverkauften Album-Release-Konzert am 1. Mai 2024 in der Alten Reithalle CH-Aarau (photos by Rolf Jenni) ...

Searching for the Blues

The whole truth about Robert Johnson and the Crossroads myth

Robert Johnson did not sell his soul to the devil. But how did he crack the Blues code...?  

→ book trailer (Youtube)

Get the book ...  (click on the logos)

Order directly from the publisher tredition (delivered worldwide)

While modern music historians have now almost completely stripped the Blues of its myths, award-winning Swiss singer-songwriter, slide guitarist and book author Richard Koechli gives him back the soul in a philosophical way. With a mystical story that deeply explores the question of what exactly might be behind the legendary „mojo“ of the great Blues masters.

Koechli embarks on a trip to the temples of the African-American musical soul, gets involved in strange thought adventures, meets all kinds of stars of Blues and Rock history – and in the end is haunted in a dream by the most famous of all Blues figures, by Robert Johnson (1911-1938). Johnson 'tells' him what really happened in Mississippi back then, how he got the Blues secret – and whether the devil really played a role ...

Richard Koechli: «The concept of my book may surprise, the subtitle ("the whole truth about Robert Johnson") even irritate. I didn't want to write a theoretical, bone-dry book about known historical facts of Blues history. My goal is to interpreting the existing facts and soulfully animating them on other levels. In literature, there are various narrative forms for this; meeting Robert Johnson in a dream does not mean to invent imaginary nonsense - it simply means that R.J. is speaking to me in a certain way through the known facts (within my personal dealings with those facts). Those who consider that Blues (as an example of soulful work) can be completely learned by practicing or via the academic/scientific route - will hardly be interested in this book. Blues greats like Robert Johnson proved and still prove that the whole truth is much greater ...»

A stirring story for all Blues lovers; full of light-footed poetry, spiritual depth and music-historical precision. You can feel in every line that Koechli is not a theorist, but a Blues artist down to the core.

Available as hardcover, softcover and e-book (english translation of the German edition):

ISBN Softcover: 978-3-384-04055-8

ISBN Hardcover: 978-3-384-04056-5

ISBN E-Book: 978-3-384-04057-2

The cheapest way to get the book: Pay 7 euros / dollars / pounds to paypal.me/RichardKoechli, and you will receive a PDF e-book directly from the author within one day (don't forget to include your e-mail address!)