Henrik Freischlader – You Want Moore?

A few special shows called ‘ Blues For Gary ‘ and nodding to the late Irish guitarist Gary Moore are planned by the formidable axe duo of Matt Schofield and Henrik Freischlader – with former Moore group players aboard. Namely bassist Pete Rees and veteran keyboard player Vic Martin. Drumming by Moritz Heinschafer.

Dates and venues are given below – if Moore was your musical man, or if you are curious about his legacy then these performances are highly recommended.

We had a chance to speak with Henrik about his own gear, the influence of Moore..and more. So here we go…..  

JLTT: I see you have Vic Martin aboard on keys for these dates – he’s a big fan of West Coast acts like Love, Spirit and Steve Miller…you will love Under The Bridge

HF: Yes, I have heard very many good things about that venue, Pete and I am looking forward to playing there with Matt and the guys very much

It’s the best room in the country for sound and vision, I have in the past encouraged Robben Ford and Sonny Landreth to perform there

You are coming along to the gig, right? So I can give you some thoughts after that I hope..and hopefully good!

What drew you in to Gary Moore’s music?

It was an instrumental song, on Back To The Blues..It struck me that it had a very nice feel ..starts off with the organ playing, which I like very much. With the organ then the guitar it is almost like being in church in a way. And then the Albert King song, Oh Pretty Woman. Oh and the version of Stormy Monday. Seemed to be slow blues but along with elements of jazz and funk.

How do you approach playing at festivals?

(Ponders) Just the same as club gigs, really. The vibe is different in some ways -for example you don’t ever have much time to properly soundcheck, with the crowd already there. Without full time for setting up the stage it’s a bit more like jumping into cold water. But I like the festival atmosphere very much – all those people coming together to enjoy the company and the music. In fact my favourite thing to do is to soak up the vibe of all the people who have made a point of attending, to enjoy some music. Get some smiles! Connect with them…

Our final show in the UK is at The Maryport Blues Festival on Sunday 30th July and we are all very much looking forward to it!

You have some endorsements on gear?

Yes I have some endorsement deals on amplifier Realtone simple, not too many knobs to confuse a player! They have a very natural and dynamic sound, which suits my styles. I have been playing those amps for twelve years now. I have two amps through two cabs. It’s pretty full and not too distorted, on stage. I don’t use too many pedals. A couple of boosters, maybe – going for a very clear sound. And the different guitars, well their individual sound will come through, in this set-up…

Did you ever get a chance to meet Gary at all?

I was fortunate enough to open for him at a festival Mosbach, Germany so I was able to have a chat with him about blues and performing live.

Thanks  for the chat Henrik and good luck with the live shows. 

Thanks Pete. I look forward to seeing you at Under The Bridge. Take care!

Pete Sargeant

(Many thanks to Liam and Joe and all of the team at Baxter PR)