Mojo Blues Band

The Mojo Blues Band is a blues band from Austria which was formed in 1977 by guitarist Eric Trauner and pianist Joachim Palden. The name of the band is derivated from "mojo", a talisman in the voodoo cult.

Mojo Blues Band
Mojo Blues Band-Vienna Jazz Festival 2007
Background information
Genres	Blues, Rhythm ´n Blues, Chicago Blues
Years active	1977 - present
Labels	Ballaphone, EMI Austria, Styx Records
Members	Erik Trauner, (voc, guit, slideguit, harp) Siggi Fassl (vocals, guit) Charlie Furthner (piano) Didi Mattersberger (drums) Herfried Knapp (bass)
Past member(s)	Christian Dozzler (piano,harp,accordion) Henning Pertiet, Hannes Otahal, Frank Muschalle, Christoph Rois (piano)
Website	Official Homepage

Band history

The founders of the band played before 1977 in clubs of Vienna. In 1977 Palden won a boogie woogie contest. The first prize was a record contract. They decided to form a band, which they named "Mojo Blues Band". The line up was:

• guitar, vocals Erik Trauner
• piano Joachim Palden
• bass Matthias Mitsch
• drums Bobby Sperling

Being the only blues band in Vienna they were often booked as backing band for blues artists who were touring in Austria. They played for example with Johnny Shines, J. B. Hutto, Charlie Musselwhite, Louisiana Red, Sunnyland Slim, Champion Jack Dupree, Homesick James, Honeyboy Edwards, Leon Thomas, Katie Webster, Hal Singer, Jan Harrington and Eddie Clearwater. They also played together with Axel Zwingenberger. This is documented on CDs.

In 1980 they teamed with Dana Gillespie and changed their style more to Rhythm ´n Blues. At the early 1990s their song Alligator Walk became a hit in the US Shag 8 a special dance) scene. Following this they toured North- and South Carolina. 1989 they visited Chicago and came back with 16 hours material they have recorded with musicians from Chicago. The CD "The Wild Taste of Chicago" was made out of this tapes. 1993 Christian Dozzler left the band to form his own group. So Eric Trauner had to learn playing the harp.

2001 the band played her last concert consisting of:

• Erik Trauner, (voc, guit, slideguit, harp)
• Daniel Gugolz (bass),
• Markus Toyfl (guit)
• Peter Müller (drums)
• Thomas Horneck (piano)

Peter Müller founded the label Styx Records. But soon Trauner formed the band again. Members are:

• Siggi Fassl (vocals, guit)
• Charlie Furthner (piano)
• Didi Mattersberger (drums)
• Herfried Knapp (bass)

List of blues musicians they have played with

• Champion Jack Dupree
• Jimmy McCracklin
• Nappy Brown
• Bob Gaddy
• Larry Dale
• Jan Harrington
• Big Jay McNeely
• Little Willie Littlefield
• Katie Webster
• Axel Zwingenberger
• Al Cook
• Louisiana Red
• Eddie C. Campbell
• Red Holloway
• Lowell Fulson
• Little Mack Simmons
• Johnny Shines
• Sunnyland Slim
• J. B. Hutto
• Charlie Musselwhite
• Mojo Buford
• Martin Pyrker
• Hans Theessink
• Jo Ann Kelly
• Timothy Taylor
• Taildragger
• Jimmy Anderson
• Johnnie Allen
• Big Wheeler
• Doug Jay
• Big Mojo Ellem

Discograhie

Mojo Blues Band

• Shake That Boogie, 1978
• Hey Bartender, 1980
• ... And the Boogie Woogie Flu, 1982
• Hot Bricks, 1984
• Midnight in Swampland, 1987
• Champ's Housewarming, feat.: Champion Jack Dupree, Axel Zwingenberger, Thorsten Zwingenberger, 1988
• The Wild Taste of Chicago, feat.: A. C. Reed, Big Mojo Elem, Willie Kent, Taildragger, Tim Taylor, 1989
• Alligator Walk, 1991
• Super Blues News (3 CD-Box), 1992
• Blues Roll On, feat.: Johnnie Allan, Harry Siomoneaux, Taildragger, Big Mojo Elem, Big Wheeler, Steve Bell, Little Mac Simmons1994
• Rhythm & Blues Party feat. Red Holloway (sax), 1996
• 20 Years in the Blues Jungle, 1997
• A Chicago Blues Night Live, feat.: Taildragger, 1999
• Southern Blues Cruise, 1999
• Blues-Parade 2000 Vol.1 und Vol.2 (DoppelCD-Box), feat.: Jimmy McCracklin, Nappy Brown, Jimmy Anderson, Bob Gaddy, Larry Dale, ua.,1999
• Get Out Blues, 2004
• Thirty Year Blues Affair, 2007

Erik Trauner Solo

• Up Slide Down, 1995
• I'll Fly Away, 1998
• A Scarecrow´s Moan 2006

Singles 45rpm und CD-Singles

• 1982 Sea Cruise (45 rpm): Bellaphon 100-31-005
• 1988 Rosa Lee (45 rpm): EMI Austria 12C006 1334337
• 1988 Shim Sham Shimmy/Hungarian Stew Axel Zwingenberger/Champion Jack Dupree/MBB (45 rpm): Vagabond VRSGL 8.88014-7
• 1991 Alligator Walk/ Mellow, Though & Easy (45 rpm): EMI Austria 1-33484-7
• 1992 Wintertime Is Coming/ Sleepless (45 rpm): EMI Austria 12C 006-133492-7
• 1992: All My Money´s Gone/ Better Of Dead (45 rpm): EMI Austria 863004-7
• 1992: All My Money´s Gone/ Better Of Dead/Rollin´and Squezzing (CD - Maxi): EMI Austria 863004-2

Videos

• The Wild Taste of Chicago, 1989

Other websites

• Official website Archived 2019-09-26 at the Wayback Machine