"The History of the Cotton Club
The Cotton Club was founded in 1959 under the name Vati's Tube Jazzclub in the underground bunker at Grindelhof 89b.
In 1961 it was taken over by W.-Dieter Roloff, who still owns it today. In 1963 it was renamed the Cotton Club.
The Cotton Club remained in these rooms until 1965. Then he moved for the first time because the lease had expired. The new domicile became the former Tangorett in Spaldingstraße (later Danny's Pan). Then we continued on Paul-Roosen-Strasse (St. Pauli). Further stations in various districts of Hamburg followed. Then in 1967 the Hamburger Jazzclub e.V. with its rooms in the bunker at Poelchaukamp 10 was taken over. The Cotton Club was then called the Cotton Club Hamburger Jazzclub e.V. The Cotton Club stayed there in the bunker until early 1971.
Up until this point, well-known foreign groups had seldom been engaged, including the HAGAW Band from Warsaw and Sammy Rimington from England. But almost all of the well-known Hamburg groups and some from abroad played in the Cotton Club.
In 1971, the Cotton Club moved into the former Jailhouse Tavern at Alter Steinweg 10 (Großneumarkt).
From this point on, in addition to well-known German bands such as the Barrelhouse Jazz Band from Frankfurt and the Allotria Jazz Band from Munich, foreign bands were also more frequently engaged:
Phil Mason NO All Stars, UK
Monty Sunshine Jazz Band, London
Steamboat Stompers, Prague
Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, England
Schnuckenack Reinhardt Quintet
René Franc et les Bootleggers, Paris
Brede Big Band, Sweden
Peanut's Hucko, USA
Pasadena Roof Orchestra, England
Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, USA
Max Collie's Rhythm Aces, England
High Sierra jazz band, United States
Ken Colyer, England
Beryl Bryden, England
Bourbon Street Jazz Band, Denmark
Mr. Acker Bilk, England
Dutch Swing College Band, Holland
Rod Mason Hot Five, England
Vistula River Brass Band, Kraków
Mighty Flea Connors, United States
Metropolitan Jazz Band, Kraków
Gold Washboard Jazzband,Warsaw
Sami Swoi, Poland
Peruna Jazz Men, Copenhagen
Revival Jazz Club, Prague
Mission Hall Jazz Band, England
Fessor's Big City Band, Denmark
Mysto's Hot Lips, Sweden
Ikey Robinson, USA
Geoff Bull's Olympia Jazz Band, Australia
Renhornen Big Band, Sweden (35 people)
Benny Waters & Alton Purnell & Louis Nelson, USA - and many others.
In addition, some groups also began their careers in the Cotton Club, such as Leinemann with Gottfried Böttger, Truck Stop and the Bourbon Skiffle Company." - https://www.cotton-club.de/ueber-uns/
"MICHAEL MEHRENS and his Bluesfriends feat. VINCENT MOSER
October 28th, 2022 - 8:00 p.m. - box office: AK: 12,- €
Vincent Moser (@vincentmoserblues), Michael Mehrens, Elke Krebs, Karsten Reimann – BLUES FRIENDS !
Blues time at the COTTON CLUB! Raw, raw Chicago blues piano of the 1940's and 1950's, a wild yet soulful old school blues guitar in the style of B.B. KING and FREDDY KING as well as a powerful and dynamic rhythm group ensure a lot of real blues feeling and also a good mood with many blues classics and also their own titles.
The Blues Friends cast: MICHAEL MEHRENS (piano + vocals), VINCENT MOSER (guitar + vocals), ELKE KREBS (bass) and KARSTEN REIMANN (drums)
MICHAEL MEHRENS has performed with various blues bands and also as a solo artist in the COTTON CLUB, Knust and the Fabrik, among others. His sensitive and complex piano playing and his expressive singing were equally convincing. In addition to OTIS SPANN and BLIND JOHN DAVIS, Michael's musical role models also include BIG BILL BROONZY and LITTLE WALTER.
VINCENT MOSER not only performed with his own "Blues-Guitar-Night-Band" at the COTTON CLUB and Downtown Bluesclub, among others, but also played with internationally known musicians such as Rainer Baumann and Zabba Lindner, whereby not only his B.B. KING and FREDDY KING, but also his singing style influenced by MUDDY WATERS and his smoky voice have been inspiring Hamburg blues fans for years.
ELKE KREBS has made a name for herself as a top blues bass player at many blues sessions in Hamburg and has performed at the COTTON CLUB and the Downtown Bluesclub, among others. Their powerful, full and warm bass sound and their style, which is influenced by WILLIE DIXON, ensure the fat groove in the Bluesfriends.
KARSTEN REIMANN has been drumming in many blues bands for decades and has also played with LUISIANA RED and PADDY KORN. Appearances at the COTTON CLUB, Downtown Bluesclub and Fabrik. His dynamic drumming - whether powerful with drumsticks or quiet with brushes - made him one of the most sought-after blues drummers in Hamburg. His role models include longtime Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters drummer Per Hensen. " - https://www.cotton-club.de/veranstaltungen/michael-mehrens-and-his-bluesfriends-feat-vincent-moser/
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