V&BT - "Diamonds at the Rainbow's End(Live in Norway)" - Roller Records - https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollerrec.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C94b83763ee064e50186708ddb65fcac6%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638867244727552281%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=g5AQ3nXYvtB5AaicuzOwDSD0j%2B5khz206cG2esa8KgQ%3D&reserved=0
Produced and mixed by Tom Petterson


                        Norway is a fascinating and colorful blues music scene that continues to surprise , impress , and  captivate audiences around the world . With Norway holding multiple festivals , among the worlds largest is the celebrated and enormously popular NOTODDEN BLUES FESTIVAL; the festival in Longyearbyen(Svalbard) takes place at the start of the dark season;Norway has active blues clubs such as the Oslo Bluesklubb and the Hell Blues Club which promote live music; Many cities in Norway have their own blues societies that organize concerts and other events almost every other weekend , all year long.This gives birth to new blues bands and new members every year ; there is the legendary Norwegian blues pub,Muddy's Pub, in Spydeberg; Norway's blues scene is as hot as the Ljosnavatnet Hot Springs these days!!

                        From Norway comes the exciting "V&BT"(Vigdis & Bla Trad)" consisting of 4 Norwegian musicians from various musical projects and collaborations . They came together in 2016 with a common desire to create a good live atmosphere on small stages with hand-picked songs of high quality . Focusing on the joy of playing with real instruments; with a raw,energetic feel ; "V&BT" believe that music should come from the heart , not from some computer algorithm . The interaction , the joy of playing , the communication on stage , is all shared enthusiastically with their wildly exuberant audiences. Hey , this band knows how to fire up a crowd and deliver a good time from beginning to end!!
                         Vocalist Vigdis Haugen describes the band's sound as guitar driven blues rock, with a hint of catchy hook lines and harmonies that sometimes cross the boundaries between blues,pop, and jazz . There are plenty of very cool guitar riffs and strong melodies with an element of harmonic surprise . Vigdis believes adamantly that blues and blues rock is the people's music - an alternative to the superficial pop music that is commercially fed to audiences everywhere these days . Music is the only tool that can join people across cultures,religions,and language barriers . "V&BT" may be from Norway but their music is a muse that calls audiences to them from around the world , a siren's song that cannot be boxed , fenced , or bordered  , legislated or regulated. Music made to move you , groove you , and seduce you!!
                           "Diamonds at the Rainbow's End(Live in Norway" shows a band with so much to offer music fans , a unique and creative take on the boogie beats and hard-driving riffs , the shuffles, that reflects  the work of John Lee Hooker , and bands like Canned Heat, Z Z Top , and  Foghat.  That powerful boogie-driven rock sound  blends plenty of 60's harmonies, funked up beats , and some world-weary moodiness into a sound as unique and distinctive , all their own , as the Northern Lights, the Midnight Sun , and the Lysefjord, or :fjord of light" . I found this album jaw-dropping brilliance with so much to enjoy over and  over and over again .The audience here is having such a great time and you are instantly transported to that very same venue , having as much as everyone around you . One listen simply wasn't enough!! Their music is a sonic onion with so many layers to peel away and uncover .
                          Vigdis Haugen is a vocalist with a voice like no other , giving the listener goosebumps , her uncanny ability to sound as if she is speaking truth from the heart , authentic and honest , moving you emotionally while you listen entranced and mesmerized . Vigdis has a unique style that is there to inspire the next generations to come . What an amazing voice !
                           Their originals are well crafted , unique and memorable , inspired songwriting with music that provides a sense of unity and joy . These seasoned musicians are a tight unit , a collaborative team , that works so well together, bringing together a wide variety of genres and styles , creating something that is familiar and surprising at the same time .
                            V&BT - "Diamonds at the Rainbow's End(Live in Norway)" is a wonderful surprise and a "must have" for any music fan . You owe it to yourself to check out this impressive and highly entertaining release . Nice to see the blues torch being carried tall and well lit by a zealous group of talented musicians , determined to keep the blues traditions alive and well for everyone to enjoy . This is 21st century blues at its finest!
                         
                       takk til disse fantastiske musikerne - Vigdis Haugen-Lead Vocals/Tom Pettersen-Guitar,organ,background vocals/.Bjorn Lekling-Bass/Christer Persson-Drums / Olaf Hjellum - Bass- "House of the Rising Sun" / Andres Viken - Drums- "Caves of my Mind"  and "Voodoo Doll" /Espen Hauge - Bass,background vocals , "Caves of my Mind","Voodoo Child" / B. Hansen - Drums-"Confession"
              
                        Review Written By - John Muller - Blue Notes and Conversations - raymondmuller567.wixsite.com/blue-notes-and-con-1