Blues Section
Encyclopedia
Blues Section are a Finnish rock
music group. They started in 1967, formed around the vocalist Jim Pembroke
, a British
expatriate song-writer now living in Finland
. The other members of the band were Eero Koivistoinen
(saxophone), Ronnie Österberg (drums), Hasse Walli
(guitar), and Måns Groundstroem (bass). Their influences came above all from John Mayall
's Bluesbreakers and Jimi Hendrix
, who had played a gig in Helsinki
in May 1967. One can also hear in Pembroke's British-flavoured song-writing some echoes from The Beatles
and The Kinks
. Blues Section released a self-titled album late 1967 on Helsinki's Love Records
. In 1968 Groundstroem and Pembroke left the band, being replaced by Pekka Sarmanto
and (another British vocalist) Frank Robson, respectively. Also Koivistoinen would leave the band during the same year, and by the end of 1968 Blues Section was over. The Blues Section members would continue in such acclaimed progressive rock
bands as Wigwam
and Tasavallan Presidentti
. Eero Koivistoinen was to become an internationally acclaimed jazz musician, and Hasse Walli would discover world music
, playing in such bands as Piirpauke.
Finnish rock
Finnish rock refers to rock music made in Finland. The initial rock and roll boom of the 1950s was preceded by a long tradition of popular culture...
music group. They started in 1967, formed around the vocalist Jim Pembroke
Jim Pembroke
James Francis Pembroke is the vocalist of Finnish progressive rock band Wigwam. A British expatriate, Pembroke had played with London group Taverners' Guild before arriving in Finland in 1965. He immediately found himself in some demand, gigging on an ad hoc basis with various lineups , until...
, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
expatriate song-writer now living in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The other members of the band were Eero Koivistoinen
Eero Koivistoinen
Eero Koivistoinen is a Finnish jazz musician and saxophone player, who started his career in the mid-1960s. Koivistoinen has worked as a musician, composer, arranger, conductor, producer and educator. He first heard jazz from the records his sailor brother had brought in from his travels...
(saxophone), Ronnie Österberg (drums), Hasse Walli
Hasse Walli
Hannes Mikael Waldemar "Hasse" Walli was born on 10 February 1948 in Helsinki. His father Aarno Walli was a musician and bandleader, his mother Anne-Marie Strandberg a singer. Hasse Walli was about ten years old when he started playing drums. He drummed in various bands in early 1960s such as The...
(guitar), and Måns Groundstroem (bass). Their influences came above all from John Mayall
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
's Bluesbreakers and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, who had played a gig in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in May 1967. One can also hear in Pembroke's British-flavoured song-writing some echoes from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
. Blues Section released a self-titled album late 1967 on Helsinki's Love Records
Love Records
Love Records was a record label from Finland, which released 384 LPs, 253 C-cassettes, 347 singles and 24 EPs. They were a pioneering label in Finnish rock music but also released jazz, political songs, ethnic music and so on....
. In 1968 Groundstroem and Pembroke left the band, being replaced by Pekka Sarmanto
Pekka Sarmanto
Pekka Sarmanto is a Finnish jazz bassist. Heikki Sarmanto is Pekka's brother.Pekka Sarmanto first studied classical violin at the Sibelius Academy from 1958 to 1964 before he switched to upright bass...
and (another British vocalist) Frank Robson, respectively. Also Koivistoinen would leave the band during the same year, and by the end of 1968 Blues Section was over. The Blues Section members would continue in such acclaimed progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
bands as Wigwam
Wigwam (progressive rock)
Wigwam is a Finnish progressive rock band formed in 1968.Wigwam was founded after the split of the seminal Blues Section, with whom drummer Ronnie Österberg had played before. He formed the band as a trio, but soon brought in British expatriate singer/songwriter Jim Pembroke and organist Jukka...
and Tasavallan Presidentti
Tasavallan Presidentti
Tasavallan Presidentti is a Finnish progressive rock band. It was founded in 1969 by guitarist Jukka Tolonen and drummer Vesa Aaltonen. Other founder members were Måns Groundstroem and Frank Robson , previously of Blues Section...
. Eero Koivistoinen was to become an internationally acclaimed jazz musician, and Hasse Walli would discover world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
, playing in such bands as Piirpauke.
Singles discography
- Blues Section & Jim Pembroke: Call Me On Your Telephone / Only Dreaming (7", 1967)
- Blues Section & Jim Pembroke: Hey, Hey, Hey / Shivers Of Pleasure (7", 1967)
- Kirka Babitzin & Blues Section: Anna suukko vain / Silloin ihminen kaunein on (7", 1967)
- Kirka Babitzin: Avaruuslaulu / Otto Donner: Riemun siemenet - Tanssi - Kampaamon riemu (1968)
- Jim Pembroke & Blues Section: Semi-Circle Solitude / Cherry Cup-Cake Twist (7", 1968)
- Blues Section & Frank Robson: Faye / Sun Of Love (7" 1968)
- Ronnie Österberg & Blues Section: Kauan kuljen / Hei vaan (7", 1968)
- Ronnie Österberg & Blues Section: Ei kauempaa / Kun yö hyväilee (7", 1968)
- Otto Donner & Blues Section: Pääskytorni / Kuka kertoisi minulle (7", 1968)
Album discography
- Blues Section (1967)
- Some Of Love (compilation, 1969)
- Once More For The Road (1980) (compilation, 1980)
- Classics - The Ultimate Collection (compilation, 1990)
- Blues Section 2 (compilation, 1995)
Appearances on compilation albums discography
- Football (on "Perspectives '68 - Music In Finland", LP, 1968)
- For Mods Only - Lucy Jane (on "Reunion", LP, 1970)