Sunday Morning Blues

Two Men, Many Strings

A veteran master is our guest—one whose list of professional titles could almost fill a program booklet on its own: guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, teacher, author, and probably a secret “string whisperer” as well. Jon has been incredibly active since the 1980s and is highly regarded by fans, critics, and fellow musicians alike. Winning the 2019 International Blues Challenge gave his already impressive career another major boost. His music books, *Gettin’ Handy with the Blues—A Tribute to the Legacy of W.C. Handy* and *Jon Shain’s Fingerstyle Guitar Method*, are considered masterpieces. His fiery acoustic guitar playing has become famous for more than just his revolutionary technique. Jon is constantly refining his own style, blending improvised Piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime—all topped off with songwriting that fits together like a perfectly tuned chord. No wonder, then, that greats like Little Feat, John Hiatt, and Keb’ Mo’ love to bring this exceptionally skilled musician onto stages around the world.

Also performing at the Freiburg Blues Festival is Jon’s musical partner Mike Bischof. Active for years as a bassist, guitarist, and producer in the Swiss music scene, he’s now one of the country’s most sought-after “sidemen”—that is, those musicians who stay in the background and hold everything together. In addition to his bass and guitar playing, he shines with solid background vocals and is also known as an inventor: He developed the “Bass’tarre,” an instrument that allows him to play bass and guitar at the same time. Normally, this would require two musicians, but Mike simply carries it in his carry-on luggage. In addition to the music, this instrumental marvel can be admired at the Schützen.