Swiss blues virtuoso Philipp Fankhauser is wowing 2025 with his new album "Ain't That Something" and a tour that will take him through Switzerland and beyond.
Following his successful stem cell transplant, the 61-year-old musician from Thun has returned stronger than ever, presenting a unique blend of blues, country, gospel, R&B, zydeco and French chanson that underlines his musical versatility and authenticity.
Yes, it really is a thing, Philipp Fankhauser's new album. The experienced musician's eighteenth studio album, which was released last March, marks a special turning point in his career. Not that his previous seventeen albums were free of surprises, but now it's pretty big. To say it's just a blues album wouldn't be wrong, but it's not the whole truth either.
It was created on both sides of the Atlantic - in the south of the USA and in France - with an impressive big band line-up including horns, Hammond organ, saxophone and accordion.
The spontaneous approach without any preliminary work has audibly benefited the album. It is surprisingly multi-layered and positive. A mix of handmade, authentic music and lyrics that make you dream and think.
One particularly moving song is "Jack in My Back", in which Philipp Fankhauser thanks his young, unknown stem cell donor. This personal touch gives the album an additional emotional depth and shows how Fankhauser also incorporates difficult life experiences into his music. The audience favorite "In The Ghetto" is finally available as a studio recording and remains firmly in the program.
The "Something Tour 2025" kicked off in March with the sold-out record launch at the Theater National Bern. Fankhauser will be accompanied by his five regular musicians, who together form the "Philipp Fankhauser Sextett". The line-up consists of Philipp Fankhauser (vocals, guitar), Hendrix Ackle (piano, Hammond), Richard Spooner (drums, bandleader), Andy Tolman (bass), Daniel Durrer (saxophone) and Flo Bauer (guitar).
The concerts are always a mixture of popular songs and new music that the audience has never heard before. Hearing and seeing the six musicians on stage is simply great fun, as they effortlessly switch back and forth between blues, country, gospel, R&B, zydeco and French chanson.
After the album "Heebie Jeebies" from 2022, an excursion into times gone by, there is once again the current, contemporary Philipp Fankhauser that fans have grown so fond of. Country in the Fankhauser style still has its place, as do the classic blues shuffles and heart-warming ballads.