He is considered one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century, founder of the Tulsa sound, forerunner of the Americana concept, pioneer of the "laid-back" brand. Admired by stars such as Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Carlos Santana and Neil Young, J.J. Cale (1938 - 2013) left behind an invaluable legacy: global hits such as Cocaine, After Midnight and Call Me The Breeze, a unique guitar style and an inimitable vocal aesthetic. His life's work is gigantic, yet he remained a quiet master. Blues musician, Swiss Blues Award winner and author Richard Koechli writes a stirring book about J.J. Cale's music and career, about the myths that surround him, the historical context and the philosophy of musical restraint. The book is accompanied by Koechli's successful tribute album "The Real Chill, Remembering J.J." for free download (the album has received excellent reviews from J.J. Cale's inner circle and has been streamed more than 6 million times since 2020).
The successful album "The Real Chill, Remembering J.J. Cale"
The album on streaming platforms:
In 2020, Swiss Blues Award winner Richard Koechli respectfully and idiosyncratically interpreted a total of 10 of Cale's immortal songs and also wrote a book about the laid-back pioneer; about Cale's music and career, the myths surrounding him, the historical context and the philosophy of musical restraint. The release hit the mark; the reviews were enthusiastic, the album reached the blues top 10 in the UK and France and received a lot of praise in the immediate J.J. Cale circle in the USA (management, former fellow musicians) and from the legendary Albert Lee (picture), for example. Koechli's bluesy interpretation of the Cale song “Sensitive Kind” attracted the most international attention; the video for it, produced in the USA, is one of the most successful Swiss music clips, with almost 6 million clicks.
The recordings were made during the Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020; Koechli holed up in his studio, working in a hermit-like manner (as Cale often did at the time), with occasional support from his live band at a distance – and conjured up 10 songs that don't even try to come close to the originals. A very personal album that brings the master's gems to new life without betraying their fundamental spirit. As an encore, the album contains three more songs from Koechli's pen that demonstrate Cale's influence.
The 336-page book was initially not available in bookstores, but exclusively as a free supplement with the CD. In the meantime, it has also been released in bookstores (including an mp3 album download); see above for retailer links.
The CD version including the book is still available at music stores; --> order it worldwide!
