The great paradox of the blues has always been the playing of wistful, minor scales over bright, major chords, which resulted from the gradual integration of negro vocal lament with the generally more optimistic western music of the time.

 

Another paradox – obvious on Tuesday at Klub Hybrydy in Warsaw – is that it makes people happy, and not at all sad.

 

Uplifting sets from Limbo and Nocna Zmiana Bluesa paid little attention to the old formula of long, heavy scalar runs from the guitar. The audience was treated instead to an evening of sway-along, clap-along musical delight, packed with nostalgia, humour and imaginitive arrangement.

 

None of the players took a back seat – they were all there up front, dazzling us with one pleasant surprise after another. These people obviously think about what they do.
Limbo are masters of deftly-interwoven lines, each part moving along majestically with the others. Echoes of Ry Cooder in a richly-textured piece captured the sensuous spirituality of true roots blues.

 

Fancy something different?
No problem!
How about a brush-driven spot of cabaret, just for fun. And we’ll throw in a Polish standard or two, just to keep everyone happy.
Marvellous stuff.

 

Just the ticket to get the Warsaw faithful warmed up for the entrance of Polish blues Colossus Slawek Wierzcholski, and Nocna Zmiana Bluesa. It takes Slawek a whole three seconds to kill off any background chatter and grab one hundred per cent attention. Another two seconds, and you are gazing in awe at this man’s hands as they launch into a frenzy of harp abuse.

 

Concepts of time as we know it begin to fade away. The range and the power of the sounds that Slawek can rip from this tiny instrument defy belief. But his playing is in no way a bombardment. Quite the opposite. A short, stabby dual with guitar showed just how much control Slawek has over his output. Couple this with the unfailing support of the rest of the band, and it becomes impossible to find fault.

 

If you ever thought a mobile phone would make you happy, think again. Tonight’s dish was served on a hot-plate of entertainment. You don’t have to be a blues fan to enjoy contemporary blues. To be simply human is enough.

 

To sum up, you just don’t want them to stop. Especially after the entrance of the delightful Ania Heron. Words become a feeble tool.

 

Much has been said about the blues being ‘a broad church’, having to adapt and change through the years and accept variety in the interpretation of this enduring musical genre.
In London, Spitz Club co-founder Rupert Orton explained why he had felt the need to open a club for a new generation of blues fans:

 

‘The traditional blues scene was just full of old fossils rehashing Clapton solos for their mates, or so claustrophobically referential that if you couldn’t play a Robert Johnson outtake note perfect you would be hounded from the venue, branded as a non-believer.’

 

None of that at the Hybrydy on Tuesday. Broad church? I should say so. Slawek was brief in explaining his musical ideology to me after the gig:

 

‘ I don’t see myself as a purist at all. I try to put in as much into the music as I possibly can.’

 

Apparently not content to play in the existing broad church, bands like Limbo and Nocna Zmiana Bluesa are busy widening the doors and raising the roof!

 

Amateurish photos by Kasia and Paul: